16+ best Home Depot hacks

Home improvements and maintenance are necessary evils (and for some, joys) of home ownership, and all those projects can get expensive in a hurry. If you want to save some time and more than a little money, check out these clever hacks for shopping at Home Depot.
1. Take advantage of the price match guarantee
Home Depot offers a generous price match guarantee. If you find a lower price at a competing store, you'll get the competitor's price plus an extra 10 percent off. This does not apply to online purchases.
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2. Save on bulk purchases
Spending more than $1,000? Head to the Pro Desk and ask for a discount. Most stores offer 20 percent off on purchases of $1,500 or more.
3. Get your under-warrantee tool repaired without sending it out
If that saw you purchased goes kaput, Home Depot will file a claim and repair it for free if it's still covered by the manufacturer's warranty. No need to send that saw somewhere else!
4. Save money on a rental truck
Try renting your moving truck on the Home Depot website to save 10 percent. If you're in the military or are a AAA member, you could save an additional 10 percent, too.
5. Don't buy: Rent
Do you really need to spend $200 on a power washer when you're going to use it only once a year? Home Depot lets you rent most equipment by the hour, day, week and month.
6. Get discounts on scrap and recycled pieces of wood
You won't get scrap pieces of wood free from Home Depot, but many stores discount them heavily.
7. Look for clearance tags ending in ".03"
A price ending in ".03" is about as low as it's going to get. It might drop another 3 cents before the item is pulled off the shelf, but that's about it.
8. Return dead plants within one year
Most Home Depot trees and plants have a one-year guarantee. If they die within a year, take them back to the store for a replacement or refund.
9. If you're flexible on paint color, you can get it cheaply
If you don't have a specific color in mind for your project, you can get a can of paint for about 75 percent off. Just choose from the selection of mistake paints usually displayed near the paint-mixing station.
10. Complete a project for the cost of materials
Have fun and get your next project finished with a little help. Home Depot sometimes offers free adult workshops. You pay only for the cost of the materials and leave with a cool new item for your house.
11. Shop damaged goods
You can save some money if you're willing to buy a dented can of paint, a slightly damaged but functional tool, wood with knots, and the like. Check the aisles for these items, and ask for a discount on items with damaged boxes. Always keep your receipt in case the item doesn't work.
12. Plan your projects with a calendar
Save even more money by shopping for certain items at specific times of the year. For example, Home Depot discounts bathroom and kitchen items from January through March, and paint on holiday weekends. Snag holiday goodies after the holiday for up to 90 percent off!
13. Shop in April for "Black Friday" deals
Home Depot draws in the crowds for an annual sale that sees steep discounts on landscaping and cleaning items.
14. Rent a trailer
If the large item you found on sale won't fit in the back of your car or truck, rent a trailer from the store at low cost for an hour.
15. Save money on taxes
If you're a teacher, you might not have to pay sales tax on your purchase. The tax exemption applies only to items you'll use in your classroom, and you must show your tax exemption registration. Check the Tax Exempt Registration page for more information.
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16. Don't miss out on rebates
Check the Home Depot Rebate Center to look up and submit rebates to get cash back on some purchases.
Keep this list handy the next time you shop at Home Depot and see how much money you can save!