Walmart is the world’s largest retailer, and the chances are good that you’ve shopped there before. It can be a great place to save money on groceries, clothes, and other items, but it can also be expensive if you’re not careful.
This guide will teach you how to save money at Walmart. We’ll cover everything from shopping tips to ways to reduce your expenses. So whether you’re a first-time Walmart shopper or a seasoned pro, read on for some helpful savings tips.
1. Download the Walmart App
The first way to save money is to download and use the Walmart app to access weekly ads and coupons, check prices, and create shopping lists. You can also opt-in to receive push alerts to be notified of sales or rollbacks. It makes returning items easier.
If you’re not already using the app, download it now and take advantage of these great features.
2. Ads and Rollbacks
Walmart is famous for its rollback discounts. Be sure to check the weekly ads before going shopping. This way, you’ll know what items are on sale and can plan your purchases accordingly.
3. Use Coupons
Using coupons is a no-brainer when it comes to saving money. As a major retailer, Walmart accepts most manufacturer coupons. You can find coupons for Walmart items on their website, in the newspaper, in the weekly flyers, on products in-store or online, and use them to save more money on your purchase. Check expiration dates and read the fine print to know what restrictions apply.
4. Coupon Overages
In addition to accepting coupons, Walmart has a policy that allows for coupon overages (although this is limited in Canada). A coupon overage is when you have a coupon for an amount higher than the cost of the item. The overage then gets applied to your overall bill.
For example, if you have a coupon that is $5 off an item that only costs $4, you will get that item at no cost, and you’ll get an extra $1 off your total.
5. Check Prices
Another great feature of the Walmart app is the ability to check prices. If you’re trying to find the best deal on an item, the app will show you a list of prices from various retailers. That way, you can be sure you’re getting the best deal.
6. Compare Unit Prices
It’s also a good idea to check the price per unit to see which is the better value. For example, a 6-pack of paper towels might cost $8, while single rolls are only $1 each.
7. Multi-Buy
Sometimes stocking up has its advantages, thanks to Walmarts multi-buy discount. You can save more when you purchase a specified quantity of certain products. For example, a $2 product might have a multi-buy deal of 3 for $5.
8. Subscribe to Walmart+
Walmart+ is a membership-saving program that costs under $100 per year. As a Plus member, you can get free shipping and delivery, 85% off (or more) on select prescriptions, fuel discounts, and early access to deals, product releases, and more. Start with a 30-day free trial to see if this service is right for you or not.
Subscribe to Save in Canada
Unfortunately, Walmart+ is not available in Canada. Instead, Canadians can Subscribe to Save on their frequently purchased items and get free delivery with no annual fee. For example, diapers and baby items are up to 20% off, and pet supplies are 5% off.
9. Get a Job at Walmart
If you or someone in your family is looking for a job, Walmart is always hiring, and there are perks to joining their team. In response to the Great Resignation, Walmart is one of many companies that raised their minimum wage, so you get paid a little better and save money.
Walmart employees get 10% off with their Walmart Associate Discount Card, with an additional 15-20% off during the holidays. There are limitations to what you can buy, but spouses and eligible dependents can also use the card.
Employees also get access to the Walmart Associate Discount Center, where they can find exclusive deals. These deals include travel packages (hotels, car rentals, cruises, and tickets to theme parks, zoos, and more), movie tickets, phone plans, and discounts on buying a new car. On average, households can save $4,900 per year using this portal.
10. Browse the Clearance Sections
Browsing the clearance aisle or clearance page online is another way to save money at Walmart. You’ll find deeply discounted items that are in good condition. You can often find great deals on clothing, toys, and other household items. Ensure you check the expiration date and condition of the products before you buy anything, just in case.
11. Don’t Skip the End Caps
Not every store has a dedicated clearance aisle. Sometimes, they are spread throughout the store.
You can usually find sale and clearance items at the ends of aisles, also known as the end caps.
12. Shop at Different Walmarts
If there are multiple Walmart stores nearby, you can potentially find deals at one store that aren’t available at the others. For example, the location closest to me always has an abundance of clearance items that the other stores in town don’t.
13. Buy Great Value Brand
Walmart’s Great Value brand is an easy way to save money on your purchases. These products are as good as the name-brand items (and in some cases, even better!), but they cost less.
14. Get Free Shipping & Delivery
Walmart offers free next-day or two-day shipping on orders over $35. (There are restrictions on what areas they can deliver to and what products are eligible.) If you’re planning on making a large purchase, this is an opportunity to save money and save yourself from the hassle of loading and unloading it yourself.
15. Order Ahead & Pick Up In-Store for Free
You can order your items online and pick them up in-store using the Walmart app. This service is free, and it’s a great way to avoid shipping charges. You can also choose to order ahead, which allows you to skip the line at the store and avoid impulse shopping.
16. Save on Groceries
Walmart offers various ways to save on groceries. As already mentioned, you can use the Walmart app to find coupons and rollbacks and get your groceries delivered to your door.
You can also save money by shopping in the morning when most stores will mark down meat, produce, and bakery goods close to their sell-by dates. Stick to a list, buy in-season items, and don’t be afraid to try store brands to save even more.
17. Use Walmart’s Pharmacy
The Walmart Pharmacy is an excellent place to get your prescriptions filled. Walmart offers various pharmacy services, including a vision center to get cheap prescription glasses and contacts and low prices for your pet’s medication.
Sign up for the prescription savings club, which gives you discounts on certain medications. There is also Walmart’s $4 prescription program that can help you save.
We recently switched to Walmart Pharmacy and have been blown away with their excellent customer service and ease of renewing prescriptions, on top of the savings.
18. Price Matching Online and In-Store
When shopping online, ensure you compare the online price to the in-store price. Sometimes, the in-store price is lower, and you can save by buying it in person. Or, if you see cheaper products on their website, they will match the price in-store.
19. Price Drop Guarantee
Walmart offers a price drop guarantee, meaning if an item you purchase goes on sale within seven days, you’ll receive a refund for the difference.
20. Check Your Receipt
Mistakes happen, so be sure to check your receipt for any errors. If you find an error, take your receipt back to customer service, and they will correct it.
21. Wrong Price Policy
It pays to be familiar with Walmart’s pricing policies. If you find a product labeled with the wrong price, you can receive the difference back, up to $20.
In Canada, you can get up to $10 off if you are charged more than the advertised price. The Scanner Price Accuracy Voluntary Code applies to most major retailers, not just Walmart.
22. Know the Price Codes
Although there is some debate about whether or not this is true, people claim that there is a secret to Walmart’s price codes. Knowing the codes can help you decide if you want to buy something now or wait for a further discount.
- If the price ends in 7, it has not been discounted yet
- If the price ends in 5, it’s been discounted once
- If the price ends in 0 or 1, that’s as far as they will discount it
23. Use Walmart Pay
Walmart Pay is a convenient way to pay for your purchases. Add your credit or debit card to the app and then use it to pay at the register. It is a way to avoid using cash, track your receipts, and simplify returns.
24. Shop During Special Sales
Walmart offers special sales throughout the year, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. These are great times to score deeply discounted items. Keep an eye out for these sales and take advantage of them. Of course, right after a holiday is also a great time to snag deals.
25. Daily Savings Center
Like Amazon’s Deal of the Day, the Walmart daily savings center offers different deals each day. Be sure to check back daily to see what’s on sale.
26. Flash Picks
Similarly, you can get up to 50% off limited-stock items by checking out Walmart’s Flash Picks. These deals also change frequently, so you will need to keep watch.
27. Overstock Deals
When a company has surplus stock, it will discount these products to clear out this inventory. You can easily find what overstock deals Walmart has on its website.
28. Buy Display Models
Display models are another channel to save money at Walmart. These items are new and in good condition, but they may have some cosmetic damage and won’t have their original packaging. You may need to ask a manager to buy a display model, but you can save quite a bit if they agree.
28. Get Free Samples
Walmart stores occasionally have free samples available when running regional or local promotions. It allows one to try out new products without paying for them. These are rarely advertised online, so to find them, you will need to stop by the customer service desk and ask if any free samples are available.
Read: Have You Ever Complained Just to Get Free Stuff by Mail?
29. Find a Freeosk
A Freeosk is essentially a free-kiosk, and there are more than 1,400 of them throughout the U.S. They can be found in Walmart, Sam’s Club, Safeway, and more. Visit their website to find a location near you, download their app, and sign up for their mailing list so that you don’t miss out on getting something you need for free.
30. Walmart’s Baby Registry
Walmart’s baby registry is a great way to save money on baby items. When they sign up, expecting parents will get a free welcome box full of goodies and discounts on certain things.
31. Walmart’s Beauty Box
Similarly, you can sign up for Walmart’s Beauty Box. Receive different seasonal beauty product samples (such as make-up, shampoo, toothpaste, and moisturizer) for approximately $7 per box, delivered to your door four times per year.
32. Walmart-Certified Refurbished Electronics
Buying Walmart-certified refurbished electronics is a great way to save on your purchase if you don’t mind “like new” products. These items have been inspected and certified by Walmart, so you know they’re in good condition. They also come with a 90-day warranty, so you can be sure your purchase is protected.
33. Walmart’s Gadgets to Gift Cards Program
You can also exchange your old electronics for eGift cards through the Gadgets to Gift Cards Program. This program is a way to get rid of old electronics like cell phones, tablets, and game consoles that you no longer use and get some money back.
34. Get a Walmart Rewards Credit Card
A Walmart rewards credit card can help you save money with no annual fee and $0 fraud liability protection. You’ll earn cashback on all your purchases that you can redeem for cash, gift cards, or travel.
35. Use a Cash-Back/Reward Credit Card
If you don’t have a Walmart credit card, you can use whichever cash-back or reward credit card you choose while shopping at Walmart.
36. Use a Browser Extension for Online Shopping
Save money when shopping online by installing a browser extension. Using Honey or Capital One Shopping, for example, will automatically apply coupons to your purchase.
37. Use a Cash-Back App
There are many apps where you can earn cashback on your purchases. Popular examples include Ibotta, Swagbucks, and Rakuten. The specifics of how each app works may vary slightly, but for the most part, you download the app and activate rebates before you go shopping. Once you’ve made your purchase, you take a photo of your receipt and submit it through the app. Your rebates will be deposited into your account.
38. Get Free Walmart Gift Cards
There are lots of different ways you can get free Walmart gift cards. Some apps and websites will reward you with points for completing easy tasks like answering surveys, playing games, and watching videos. You can exchange these points for Walmart gift cards or PayPal cash. As mentioned, you can also use cash-back apps and browser extensions to redeem your earnings for a gift card.
39. Answer the Customer Satisfaction Survey
Although this isn’t exactly a way to save money, you can enter to win Walmart Gift Cards by answering their customer satisfaction surveys found on your receipt.
40. Get Discounted Gift Cards
Finding discounted gift cards is a little more challenging but can really pay off. You can browse reseller sites like Raise, Cardpool, and GiftCards.com, find member-only discounts at wholesale clubs or look for retailer promotions, especially around the holidays.
41. Sign Up For Their Newsletter
Walmart’s newsletters will keep you updated on the latest sales and deals. You can sign up for them on the Walmart website and get deals sent straight to your inbox.
42. Follow Walmart On Social Media
Walmart is active on social media, and they often post about sales and deals. Follow them on your favorite platform to stay in the loop about what’s happening.
43. Subscribe to Walmart Text Alerts
Through text alerts, you can receive up-to-date information on sales and rollbacks, weekly flyers, exclusive products, and more so that you never miss out on a deal.
44. Promo Codes
Keep an eye out for the various promotions Walmart offers. You can find promo codes for discounts on everyday essentials, free next-day shipping, and even things like 6-months of Free Spotify Premium. These are easily found by searching online, on Walmart’s website, or subscribing to their newsletter.
45. Use Walmart Layaway
You can put an item on layaway and then make payments over time. Once the item is paid off, you can pick it up at the store.
There are restrictions and cancellation fees, but it’s an excellent alternative to buying something on a credit card and paying interest. Layaways are only available during the holiday season, which starts around September.
In Conclusion
The best way to avoid overspending at Walmart is to budget before going shopping. Decide how much money you’re willing to spend, and stick to it. It’s also essential to create a shopping list before going to the store; this will help you focus on what you need to buy and prevent impulsive purchases.
Take advantage of the many ways to save money at Walmart available to you. By following these tips, you’ll be able to stretch your dollar further and get the most out of your shopping trips.
Amanda Kay, the founder of My Life, I Guess, provides valuable career advice and support for anyone striving to make a living and, more importantly, make a life. Whether it's navigating job searches, learning new skills, overcoming unemployment, or dealing with debt, My Life, I Guess has been a go-to resource for career guidance and financial stability since 2013. Amanda's expertise and relatable approach have been featured in trusted publications such as MSN, Credit.com, Yahoo! Finance, the Ladders and Fairygodboss.
I am going to stop shopping at Walmart because I have to much trouble getting checked out. All seniors can’t stand for long periods of time for many different reasons. I don’t want to check myself out for different reasons and I hear this from a lot of people while there. I have seen many people walk out because they couldn’t get checked out including myself. Thank you for your time.