12 Shopping Hacks To Save You Serious Money At Home Depot

Home Depot is the industry leader when it comes to home improvement sales, capturing over 28% of the market. And the iconic orange-branded company doesn't stay ahead of its competition without effort. The store has a strong online presence and convenient brick-and-mortar locations. They also offer a variety of specials and money-saving methods to DIYers and professional contractors alike.

By leveraging these offers, you can make your cash go further, find discounts, and get the best deals while shopping at Home Depot. Join their various programs, download the mobile app, set personal reminders, and even bookmark links to the sales you'll follow up with the most. Keep in mind that all of these tips and hacks are based on Home Depot's current policies and practices as of early 2025. Terms and conditions can always change, and these money-saving hacks might not be around forever. So without further delay, here are the Home Depot shopping hacks to help you stay within budget — whether you're simply tackling some renovation projects you can DIY in a weekend or embarking on a major home remodel. 

One of the major mistakes you can make when shopping at Home Depot is not taking advantage of the online sales. The retailer runs two online-only promotions: the "Pro Special Buy of the Week" and the "Special Buy of the Day." Discover these deals by visiting the respective web pages on a weekly and daily basis, and subscribe to Home Depot's specials mailing list using the sign-up button on the top of those web pages. Specials like these are why people prefer to shop online and aren't spending as much time in Home Depot as they once did. If you purchase a larger item that lands on this page, you could end up saving $100 or more. 

Home Depot has a few ordering limitations. Customers are restricted to a certain quantity of each item, often 5 per order. These special buys can also be shipped to your home for free. However, this free delivery excludes major appliance purchases.

Home Depot is a strong advocate for United States military members, and one way they show their support is with a generous military discount. They offer 10% off year-round in-store and online for military members. All active members, reservist members, retirees, and veterans are eligible, including members of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, National Guard, Navy, NOAA, Space Force, and USPHS. Current legal spouses are also able to use the eligible military member's discount. As of 2023, Home Depot formed a partnership with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service where they offer major appliances tax-free to people who meet these qualifications.

The main limitation imposed by Home Depot is that you can only save up to $400 a year using this discount. Once you reach that number, it caps out, and you have to wait until the next calendar year to use your discount again. Some items are also excluded from the military discount, namely certain appliances, tool rentals, special orders, labor costs, gift cards, and select building products like lumber. Another caveat is that dependents of military personnel and dishonorably discharged veterans cannot use this perk.

Sometimes financing is necessary to finish an expensive remodeling or renovation project. If you're on a limited budget but have necessary home improvement work to do, Home Depot's 6-Month Everyday Financing could be used to your benefit. Open a new card with Home Depot to save between $25 to $100 on a single-receipt purchase. This card also has no interest if you pay off the balance within 6 months of your purchase. 

Like most credit cards, this offer isn't all sunshine and rainbows. The $100 discount is only for single-receipt purchases over $1,000, not including taxes and delivery fees. However, savings are smaller on less-expensive orders. Save $25 by spending up to $299 and save $50 by spending between $300 to $999. Don't forget to check the fine print that warns this offer is only available within 30 days of opening the account.

Another caveat to keep in mind is that you could end up owing more money than you save. Interest rates range between 17.99% and 29.99%, and forgetting to pay off your card could be detrimental. Ensure you don't forget about the account by downloading the free Home Depot app, which has a credit card management page and allows you to set up autopay.

Home Depot's weekly deals extend beyond the online-only Pro Special Buys. They also have a local ad that runs seven days at a time. These deals vary by location, and you must select your home store before browsing the current offerings on the Local Ad flyer webpage. The flyer shows the current savings price, as well as links to descriptions, reviews, and other product info. 

Keep in mind that these ads are promoted by a vast corporation, and there is room for error despite their meticulous practices. Pay attention when checking out your items. If something rings up for a different amount than the sales price, bring it up to the cashier or contact Home Depot's Customer Service Center. There may be a reason you aren't getting a sale price, whether the ad has expired or you grabbed a slightly different variation of the specific product.

If you've been wondering what yellow tags at Home Depot really mean: They bring good and bad news. These items are going on clearance, meaning they're highly discounted but destined for the chopping block. Grab them before they're pulled from shelves to get ridiculously low prices. If the price ends in .00, .98, or .50, it's only been marked down once. However, if you see a tag with a price that ends in .06, it's on its second round of price cuts. If the product is still in stock after about six weeks, the price goes down again to a number ending in .03.  This is the lowest price you'll see the product at, so you'll want to grab the deal before it's removed from store shelves.

Clearance items are a great find, but locating them isn't always easy. The clearance rack isn't the only place to find them, and the yellow tags are often scattered throughout the store. Individual Home Depot locations are known to sell returned items at a reduced price, making some sale prices limited in availability and exclusive to one store.

One of the more popular savings sections at Home Depot is known as "Oops Paint". This section features a random selection of discounted paint colors and sizes rejected by previous customers. The cans typically end up on the shelf because a store associate mixed the wrong tint. Entire gallons of paint go for low prices like $10, saving you a significant amount compared to what you would pay for a new can.

Your local Home Depot's discounted paint options depend on how many people have returned paint to an individual store. If the staff has made multiple mistakes, or the manager makes exceptions to the return policy by taking back unwanted paint, there could be multiple shelves of discounted products. However, there's always a chance this section is empty. 

If you're a regular Home Depot customer, consider what items you frequently stop by to purchase. Cleaning products, gardening supplies, trash bags, water filters, and other home products need to be replaced and refilled every few weeks or months. Instead of paying full price every time you grab them, have them delivered at the optimal intervals and you can snag a 5% discount on top of the already low prices. 

Eligible products have two options when you go to check out: click the normal "One-Time Purchase" or opt for the "Subscribe and save 5% off every order". Clicking the latter enables you to schedule an automatic delivery one to twelve months after your current order. There are no yearly or start-up fees, and you can start, pause, and skip your subscription at any time from the website or mobile app. You can also return unwanted items for free at local stores.

Home Depot's Savings Center is a goldmine of promo codes and deals, including some of the previously mentioned money-saving tips. You can find all the savings deals in this portal, including "Special Buys", military discounts, and more. This is a good webpage to bookmark if you don't want to subscribe to emails and marketing materials. Instead, you can browse Home Depot's current promotions and savings by department and special offer type on your own terms. Also, The Home Depot's mobile app is free to download and has many "savings center" items on its home page. If you're a regular customer, this may be a smart method to stay in the know, as you can turn on reminders and notifications.

The only downside to the Savings Center is that the deals and sales are independent of each other. You typically can't manipulate the system and get higher discounts by stacking coupons, promo codes, and other current offerings. Be mindful when browsing products on this page, and make sure you're using the savings method that gives you the best discount. For example, be mindful about opting for a military discount when other promo codes are available. It might be better to use the one-time, temporary promo code, and preserve that $400 military limit for non-discounted items.

The Home Depot accommodates large-quantity purchases from customers by offering a slight discount. Over 4,000 Home Depot products are reduced in price if you purchase a certain number of them, including insulation, hardware, lumber, paint supplies, pavers, piping, and more. Items with this discount have a bulk price next to their regular price, which shows how much you need to buy to get a discount. So, if you have a big project, you can save by buying all of your materials at once. For example, if you're building a patio or a walkway, you can save up to 10% off of the pavers if you meet the minimum in one purchase.

If you are a frequent DIYer or you're overhauling your home, it may be worth enrolling in a Pro Xtra Account. Contrary to the name, you don't have to be a certified contractor to be eligible for the program. Other professionals like handypersons and property owners are also welcome to join. The free program comes with exclusive offers and special discounts as well as access to expert advice. 

Deliveries that arrive directly on your doorstep are unquestionably convenient. However, shipping fees can greatly increase your final cost, making them unnecessary if you don't mind picking up the product yourself. In this day and age, you don't have to walk around and browse the store in person. Look for items eligible for pickup in the online catalog, add them to your cart, and choose free curbside or in-store pickup at checkout. Both options can be fulfilled as quickly as two hours. All it takes is driving to the store to pick up the items from the store service desk, a locker, or an associate in the parking lot.

Keep in mind that free curbside or in-store pickup is only available between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Orders are usually fulfilled quickly but may take more than 2 hours if the location is busy. Items don't need to be picked up the same day, and The Home Depot holds orders for up to one week. If you forget to claim your item, the associates will put the product back on the shelves and issue a refund to your account. If your order isn't forgotten but you cannot pick it up yourself, send someone you trust. They must be authorized beforehand and must bring an ID and proof of purchase to claim your items.

It's fun to experiment with new DIY and home improvement projects — but there's always the risk you'll need a one-off tool that's too expensive or niche to justify purchasing. This is a common dilemma, and is the reason why Home Depot is your best bet if you need a tool for a day. You can find indoor and outdoor equipment for rent, enabling you to use high-quality items without paying full price. Reserve items for a few hours, days, or up to 4 weeks. Prices get more competitive the longer you rent, which is a plus for those working on long-term projects.

The downside of renting tools is that you obviously don't own the item when the rental ends. If you need more time, you'll have to rent it again, which may be difficult if it's a high-demand product. Local stores only have so many rentals available, and you may need to wait for a spot to open up. If the tool breaks while you're using it, you could also be responsible for the damage. The Home Depot offers damage protection for an additional 15% on the rental price, but this doesn't cover damage from misuse, neglect, or theft.

Hold onto the receipts for any products you've purchased in the past 30 days. You could get lucky and see those products go on sale in the coming weeks. If so, head back to the store within the 30-day window to request a price adjustment that matches the new price. Make sure you have your proof of purchase and a screenshot or link to the price drop. You can also reach out via a phone call or using the website's live chat box. If your request is validated by Home Depot employees, they'll refund the price difference through cash, credit card, store credit, or another online payment method.

You can also ask the store to price match a certain product that you're purchasing if it's offered by another store. If you're bringing them evidence of a lower price at a competitor, it must be the identical brand, model, and size. Even slight differences in finishes may invalidate your claim. Another thing to keep in mind is that Home Depot only price matches in-stock products sold directly by other major retailers. If there's a third party selling a product through eBay at an absurdly low price, the store won't honor it. Deals at warehouse clubs like Costco or Sam's Club are also ineligible.