7 Surprising Ways to Save Money at Walmart

1. Buy groceries online and avoid the crowds.

Lucky for you (and your sanity), Walmart allows customers to do all their shopping online and then pick everything up in stores. There are even designated pick-up spots near the entrance so you don’t have to schlep your stuff through the mile-long parking lot. You may even get a better deal on your purchase than if you had bought identical items in the store.

And don’t forget to tell your friends the good news! In an effort to get the word out about Walmart’s grocery pick-up option, they’re offering customers $10 off their order for every person they refer. Walmart will only give away $100 in credits per year, but that’s a huge discount off your grocery bill. To receive your special referral link to share with friends, head to https://refer.walmart.com/.

2. Choose in-store pickup for a discount.

Another way Walmart is trying to get you into its stores is by offering a discount for in-store pickups. If you choose to pick up an item in person rather than have it delivered to your house, Walmart will knock up to 10 percent off the price. For expensive purchases like TVs that makes a big difference. Plus, you also save money that you would have spent on shipping. Chances are your local Walmart already has the item in stock and you can pick it up the same day.

3. Look at the markdown codes for the best deals.

Trying to figure out if Walmart will lower its prices on a certain item is typically a waiting game — but it doesn’t have to be! Any items with a price tag ending in one or zero are final sale, so you should go ahead and buy them. Prices ending in five are on their first markdown. You can reasonably expect these items to be discounted again, so don’t swipe your card just yet. Put back any items with price tags ending in seven (unless you need them of course!), as these items are full price. 

4. Take advantage of coupon ‘overages.’

If you bring in a coupon that’s worth more than the current price of the item, Walmart employees can apply the difference to your bill. That means that if you have a $2 coupon for an item that’s $1.50, you can use the remaining $0.50 toward the rest of your purchase.

5. Check Savings Catcher for the best deal. 

Combing through the ads every weekend for coupons and them clipping them is a huge time suck. Instead, use Walmart Pay for all your purchases and an electronic version of your receipt is automatically uploaded to Savings Catcher. Then, the app scans local competitor ads to ensure you got the best deal. If another store is offering the same item for less, the Savings Catcher app will load the difference to your account as a credit you can use on future purchases. This solves any issues arising from Walmart’s decision to end their price-matching program. 

6. Browse the refurbished electronics for a great deal.

Electronics can be awfully expensive, which is why it pays to check the refurbished section of Walmart’s website before buying anything new. You can find refurbished iPhones, TVs, laptops, and iPads for a fraction of the price, and they still come with a manufacturer’s warranty. Some of the items are even eligible for the in-store pickup discount.

7. Ask the butcher or bakery employees for discounts on almost-expired foods.

There’s usually a section of discounted foods that have expired within the last day or two, but there’s even more you can do to score a deal. Meat is normally discounted 30 to 50 percent once it expires, so there’s no harm in asking the butcher if he can give you a deal a day early. Another option is to come in at the end of the day to see if these items are on sale.