7 smart ways to save money at Walmart

02.08.2018 20:17

Walmart streaming service Steve Helber/AP

There are several reasons Walmart is as successful as it is: It has a huge selection, convenient store hours, and — most importantly — cheap prices.
Even with Walmart’s already-competitive prices, smart shoppers can do even better.
Some of the ways to save more money are: use their savings catcher tool, get a price match, and use the Walmart credit card strategically.

There are several reasons Walmart is as successful as it is: It has a huge selection, for instance, and convenient store hours. (In most places, Walmart is open 24/7 pretty much every day except Christmas.) But for most people, the primary reason to shop at Walmart — or on its website — is the cheap prices.

That said, smart shoppers can do even better than just paying Walmart’s vaunted “everyday low prices.” To really save money at Walmart, use the strategies laid out below.

1. Look for clearance and rollback sales

Getty Images/Jeff Zelevansky

Many stores use deep discounts on specific items — sometimes know as “loss leaders” because they don’t yield profits directly — to draw shoppers in. The hope is that, while you’re there, you’ll browse and buy other high-price (and high-profit) goods. Walmart, on the other hand, is famous for delivering low prices on virtually everything it sells. It’s a model that assures shoppers they can buy pretty much anything in the store without having to worry they’re overpaying.

When Walmart does offer discounts below those everyday low prices, however, is when the true bargains appear. In-store and online shoppers should specifically hunt for items marked as “Rollbacks” — language indicating that Walmart has recently cut the price indefinitely — and for clearance sales, which generally feature the deepest discounts. The location of clearance sections varies at different Walmart stores, but many stores put them in the “end caps,” the shelves at the end of an aisle. Start your search there, and ask an employee for guidance if you need it.

To hunt for similar deals online, head to the “Special Offers” section and filter your search to retrieve only items marked as clearance and rollback sales.

2. Shop Walmart’s big sales events

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No season, holiday, or special sales event passes without big promotions and sales from Walmart. Depending on what time of year it is, you’ll find a slew of seasonal deals at Walmart: back-to-school supplies, Halloween decorations, winter apparel, lawn mowers, patio furniture, barbecue grills, and so on.

On Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and throughout the entire winter holiday shopping season, Walmart stores and walmart.com are loaded with deals on TVs, toys, video games, Christmas sweaters, home goods, and more. Periodically, Walmart will launch random giveaways — like free donuts for National Doughnut Day, or phenomenal markdowns on popular items, like this summer’s huge Instant Pot sale.

Stay in the loop with Walmart promotions by downloading the Walmart app or by signing up for an online account and registering for the Walmart newsletter. You might also want to follow the company’s Twitter account and like them on Facebook, where Walmart shares more info about special offers and sales.

3. Take advantage of fast free shipping

Walmart

Walmart and Target have very similar free shipping policies — and thankfully they’re generous and easy to understand.

At Walmart, online shoppers get free two-day shipping for millions of items if the total purchase is $35 or more. (Target has essentially the same policy, with free two-day shipping on most orders of $35 or higher.) Be sure to bundle your purchase to hit that $35 threshold, because otherwise you’ll be wasting money on shipping.