It’s easy to coupon at grocery stores. We all know how. You buy the newspaper, clip coupons, and head to the store to purchase the products. Saving money while shopping at department stores is a completely different game. There are a few tricks when you’re figuring out how to save money while shopping at department stores.
But don’t worry.
I’ve already figured them out and I’m passing them on to you.
As The Rock says in Moana, you’re welcome.
How To Save Money While Shopping At Department Stores
Know your price points
Before you go shopping, know what you are willing to spend on things.
The other day, I was in Sears looking for a wrench for Pete. I have no idea what the going price is for a wrench, so I waited until my dad got in the store to ask him. He was looking at a couple, then let me know I could get a better deal at Harbor Freight Tools.
If you know what you want to spend or rather, what you should spend on a certain item, you won’t overpay for it when you do purchase it.
Check your mailbox for coupons.
I often get coupons for JCPenney in the mail. Within the flyer comes a $10 off $10 coupon. That’s great. I’ve gotten a lot of t-shirts and home items for next to nothing with that coupon.
Other stores also send out coupons very frequently. I feel like every time I’m getting my mom’s mail, she has another coupon from Kohl’s in there. Those coupons range in value, so she waits until they send her a 30% off coupon before she goes shopping.
And I think Bed, Bath & Beyond has the entire country on its mailing list and sends no less than eight coupons a week. So if you shop there without a coupon, well, you must hate saving money.
Also your email.
If you sign up for the email list of many stores, you can also get coupons via email. Just be sure to keep your inbox tidy and up to date or you might miss some.
Take advantage of special discounts.
Often, stores will have special sales going on, like early bird and night owl sales or one day sales. You might hear these advertised on the radio, on TV, or in an email. If you see something you’ve been waiting for on sale, that’s the time to pick it up.
Sign up for loyalty programs.
I love the Shop Your Way program that Sears and Kmart run. You sign up and earn points back on every purchase. You can then use those points to purchase other items. Even better, I am constantly getting coupons and other offers added to my account to save even more.
CVS has a very similar loyalty program that I’m sure you’re familiar with if you’ve been around Drugstore Divas from the start. And, of course, Walgreens and other drugstore have similar programs as well.
Use a cash back app.
Ibotta is one of my favorite apps. You sign up and can get cash back on certain purchases. Many people know this works at grocery stores, but there are also department store offers as well. If you can pair a cash back offer with a sale, you’ll be saving a ton.
Shop online.
Many stores have online coupons that are not available in store. A quick Google search could find them.
If you do shop online, use a site like eBates before you do. You will earn a certain percentage of your purchase in cash back, and you can get a check mailed to you when you hit a certain threshold. It’s not really any extra effort on your part and can definitely add up — especially on big purchases.
Consider store credit card.
I’m not a huge supporter of credit cards. I have one and Pete has one and that’s that. But if you have a favorite store, and that favorite store has a credit card, you might want to sign up.
Many department stores offer you a discount when you sign up for the card, and then discounts on exclusive shopping nights.
As long as you pay off your credit card in full every month, this could be a great way for you to save.
What other tips to you have to save money while shopping at department stores?