11 Common Ways You're Wasting Money at Home Depot

Home Depot is the get-it-done store — a place where you can find anything from flooring for your entryway or lumber for building a treehouse in your backyard.

But it’s also a big store, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed. You might be so concerned with getting in and getting out that you don’t know about all of the “extras” that help you avoid wasting money .

So the next time you visit Home Depot, make sure you avoid these common Home Depot shopping mistakes to ensure you're getting the most out of your money.

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Forgetting the Home Depot price match

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Home Depot offers a low-price guarantee. The retailer will price-match many products from competitors.

That means if you find an excellent price on a specific bathtub you want at Lowes, Home Depot will match it if they carry it.

Just bring a photo, ad, or other printout and speak to an associate. You can do this when shopping online, as well.

Not using in-store pickup or delivery

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Have you ever purchased 40 pieces of lumber or 20 bags of mulch and wondered how you’re going to move it all? Next time, consider shopping online at Home Depot and setting up free two-day delivery.

The free delivery service doesn’t apply to all items, but many products are eligible. If you need something right away, consider curbside pickup or in-store pickup options.

Not checking the Special Buy of the Day

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Home Depot offers Special Buy of the Day deals. These items go on sale for a short time, often at a deep discount. It’s easy to spot the yellow and red signs in-store, but before you leave home, consider checking them out online.

If you’re in the market for something specific, compare the prices of these sales with those at other retailers to ensure you’re saving money.

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Forgetting about rebates

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Another great way to reduce costs is to find out if a rebate is available. Rebates can earn you even more savings, sometimes hundreds of dollars.

It’s all managed through Home Depot’s Rebate Center online (just make sure you’re on the actual Home Depot website), or you can ask the customer service desk for more information.

Not using your military discount

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Home Depot offers a discount on eligible products for both active-duty service members and veterans. The savings is 10% off for up to $400 each year.

Create an account online to verify your military status, and you'll be eligible to save.

Miscalculating what you need

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It can happen to anybody: You plan to retile the bathroom and then head to Home Depot to pick up what you need. Halfway through the project, you realize you don’t have enough materials, and the retailer doesn’t have more in stock.

Home Depot can help you avoid such a hassle. The retailer offers a free-to-use project calculator online for many tasks, from the time required to install a new countertop to how much mulch you need for a flower bed.

Not asking for a discount on a floor model

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Many shoppers don’t know they can get a lower price on floor model products at Home Depot. If you see a grill you like, for example, see if you can buy the display piece.

The store often sells floor models at a discount. It’s worth it to ask: The money you save can be used to fund another project or to boost your bank account .

Not returning items

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Home Depot allows you to return most unopened items within 90 days (although there are exceptions). Customers with specific types of accounts with Home Depot might have as long as a year to return something.

You can start the returns process on the Home Depot website. You might even be able to drop off the item you are returning at a UPS Access Point.

Not using the subscription service discount

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Home Depot’s subscription service allows you to set up routine delivery of the items you buy the most. The delivery to your home is free.

Even better, you get 5% off every delivery, and there’s no membership fee to worry about.

Not using the Volume Pricing Program on bulk orders

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If you're working on a large project — one that'll require a lot of lumber or concrete, for example — write up your project list and head to the Pro Desk. They might be able to save you a lot of money.

There, an associate will draw up a quote that'll often get you a lower price than if you grabbed it all on your own. You'll need a Home Depot Pro Xtra account for this service, but that's free — and it gets you exclusive discounts and offers.

Not getting discount wood from the cull lumber bin

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Cull lumber is damaged wood or the wood leftover from custom cuts. You can find this wood at Home Depot, and it comes at a big discount.

If you’re looking for wood for a small project, head to the saw where employees cut custom orders. That’s where you’ll find cull lumber in a bin.

Some of it only has merely cosmetic damage, and the leftover wood is as good as new. If this wood fits your purposes, grab it, as it’s often 70% off.

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Bottom line

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Shopping at Home Depot doesn’t have to be a chore, especially when you take advantage of the many money-saving opportunities there.

For example, the retailer often offers clearance items, and you can skip paying for tools out-of-pocket if you just rent them instead.

The next time you need a home improvement product, remember these smart shopping hacks so you can get the great products you need while saving as much money as you possibly can.

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