Macy’s After-Christmas sale is a little bit different than everyone else. You won’t have to wait until mid-January to score the best pricing — instead, the lowest prices are all released on Dec. 26. The Macy’s After-Christmas sale is especially great for picking up bedding sets, with discounts bigger than the ones you’ll find in mid-January during the annual White Sale.
Macy’s is very generous in stacking discounts and coupons. While you can’t really use Macy’s Money with the After-Christmas sale this year, you should keep your eye on your inbox for specific clearance coupons and rebate offers that can help you save even more than the 50% – 80% on list prices.
The After-Christmas sale isn’t the only great time to shop at Macy’s. Be sure to download The Krazy Coupon Lady app to keep on top of the best Macy’s coupons throughout the year.
1. Macy’s After-Christmas sale is less about timing and more about the department.
A lot of Christmas clearance sales are graduated. That means that as time goes on, the store follows a regular schedule that will gradually decrease the price on any remaining inventory.
Walmart’s Christmas clearance is a good example. Items start out at 30% – 60% off. Then on New Year’s Eve, they’re bumped up to 75% off. Finally, everything’s 90% off starting in mid-January. The timing of the sales becomes very important because the later the steepest discount comes, the less inventory there will be to mark down.
Macy’s is an exception to this rule. They roll out their best clearance prices all at once on Dec. 26. No further need for a calendar.
The discounts do vary by department, though. We’ll get into some of the specifics in a minute.
2. The Macy’s After-Christmas discount is 50% – 80% off.
Technically, you’ll find some discounts at Macy’s that start at 20% off.
But you could find that on any given Tuesday. The really good stuff that makes up the meaningful part of the After Christmas sale is 50% – 80% off.
Some of the best Macy’s after Christmas deals we saw:
- Bionik DreamGear Essentials Bundle for Nintendo Switch 5-in-1 – $7.46
- Yankee Candle 3-Wick in Balsam & Cedar – As low as $8.73
- Bella Hot-Air Popcorn Popper – $10.43
- Disney Travel Blanket with Matching Hat – $11.53
- Montauk Sherpa Throw & Sock Set – $11.93
- Turn In 2-Pack Fresh and Clean Fiber Filled Jumbo Bed Pillow with Cotton Cover – $14.99
- Charter Club Clearance Apron – As low as $7.13
3. But you don’t have to wait to score the best deals on coats.
During the After-Christmas sale, Macy’s advertises their 50% – 65% (depending on the year) discount on winter coats.
But in 2022, you could already score up to 65% off these items even before Christmas. Once again, it’s better not to wait if you want to pick one up. It’ll be the same price you’d pay if you waited until Dec. 26, and there’s no guarantee it won’t sell out before then.
4. Use the promo code for an extra 10% – 20% off coupon.
As if 50% – 80% off weren’t enough, Macy’s is known for issuing an additional 10% – 20% off coupon. This is notable because not all Macy’s coupons can be used on clearance merchandise — but this coupon is built for it. You can access this coupon if you’re a Star Rewards member (more about that in a sec) or if you receive Macy’s mailers.
The promo code for this year’s Macy’s After-Christmas sale was JOY.
In years past, the “20% off” coupon has been graduated depending on which department you’re shopping. Generally, we see something like this:
- 20% off clothing, accessories, jewelry, and shoe department clearance items.
- 15% off watches, coats, swim, dresses, suits, luggage, and home clearance items.
This is just an example. The exact percentage off and department classifications vary from year to year, so make sure to read the fine print.
Related: Want to understand the fine print on coupons? We wrote a whole guide for that.
5. Don’t miss the $10 off $25 coupon, either.
Along with the 20% off coupon, there’s also usually a $10 off coupon for purchases of $25+.
The best way to use this coupon would be to split your order into two. Make one purchase that’s just $25 (or at least as close to that as you can get without coming in under). This portion of your purchase will effectively be 40% off after the $10 coupon — which is a bigger discount than if you didn’t split your order and only claimed the 20% – 25% off.
6. You’ll have to spend your Macy’s Money before the After-Christmas sale starts.
Kohl’s does this cool thing where the Kohl’s Cash redemption period lines up perfectly with their After-Christmas sale, allowing you to maximize your store rewards and take as little money out of your own wallet as possible.
Unfortunately, Macy’s does not do the same thing. The Macy’s Money you earned by shopping between Dec. 8 – 15, 2022, had to be redeemed between Dec. 16 and Dec. 24, 2022. So the two promotions did not overlap.
TIP: Kohl’s tends to be lenient in their Kohl’s Cash expiration dates, allowing you to use them up to seven days after they expire. Macy’s will be doing you no such favors. Your Macy’s Money will not work on Dec. 26.
7. Earn rewards points on your purchase by joining Macy’s Star Rewards.
There are two ways to join Macy’s Star Rewards: there’s the free way, and then the credit card way.
The free way gives you one point for every dollar you spend, which is essentially 1% cash back on all your purchases — including the ones you make during the Macy’s After-Christmas sale.
The deal gets sweeter if you have a Macy’s credit card, with 2% rewards with no spending threshold, 3% rewards after you’ve spent $500, and so on. But then you’ll have a credit card — which could cost you a whole lot more in interest than you’re earning in rewards if you’re not incredibly careful.
Related: Here’s what you need to know about Macy’s Star Rewards.
8. Stack After-Christmas sales with Macy’s rebates for even more savings.
Want to make the savings even better? You’re allowed to stack Macy’s rebates on top of After-Christmas sales — as long as you can find an item on the current rebate list that lines up with the post-holiday discount. I’ve seen the rebates give you a free $100 – $250 Macy’s gift card with certain purchases of mattresses and bedding.
TIP: You can use rebates year-round. Here are 29 other Macy’s saving hacks you can use regardless of time of year.
9. The best sales are on artificial trees — they’re 80% off.
The absolute largest sale you’re going to find at Macy’s After Christmas sale is going to be 80% off. So if you see a deal at 80%, grab it up. It’s not going to get cheaper.
The number one item that is consistently in this sales bracket is artificial Christmas trees. Every year, we’ve found $100 trees for just $20 in the days after Christmas at Macy’s.
Other items you’re likely to see at 80% off are ornaments and other holiday decor.
10. Score bedding, glassware, and more for 65% – 75% off during the Macy’s After-Christmas sale.
There’s a long list of items that are marked down 65% – 75% off during the Macy’s After Christmas sale. Some specific departments to keep your eye on include:
Keep your eyes open, though. This is by no means an all-inclusive list.
Deals to shop now at Macy’s:
- Clearance Sheet Sets – As low as $8.93
- Martha Stewart Quilted Throw – $17.93
- 3-Piece Comforter Sets – As low as $25.43
- Bella Retro 1500-Watt Hot-Air Popcorn Popper – $10.43
- Peanuts Christmas Quilt Sets – As low as $29.93
TIP: If you’re waiting for the White Sale in January, don’t. Historically, we’ve seen bigger discounts during the After-Christmas sale than during the White Sale — where the discounts at Macy’s have only been 50% – 60% off in the bed and bath departments.
11. Get beauty gift sets for 50% off.
Fifty percent may not be the largest discount Macy’s offers during their After-Christmas sale, but their beauty gift sets are popular at this percentage off regardless.
Gift sets allow you to try new products without investing in a full-size collection, and at 50% off you can scoop up a lot of high-end brands at a meaningful discount.
Related: If you find a shampoo or conditioner brand you like, shop the Ulta Jumbo Love sale to stock up on liter sizes after Christmas.
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