salehunter.net Walmart, a retail giant synonymous with everyday low prices, offers a plethora of ways to save even more on your purchases. While their base prices are often competitive, savvy shoppers know that there are numerous strategies to maximize discounts and stretch their budgets further. This guide delves into the various ways you can unlock significant savings at Walmart, going beyond the obvious rollbacks and clearance sales.
Walmart Plus: Is the Membership Worth the Savings?
Walmart Plus, Walmart’s answer to Amazon Prime, is a subscription service that offers a range of benefits designed to enhance your shopping experience and, crucially, save you money. The core benefits include:
- Free shipping: No order minimums apply for online purchases, making it ideal for smaller, frequent orders. This eliminates the need to meet a certain spending threshold to qualify for free shipping.
- Free delivery from store: Get groceries and other eligible items delivered to your doorstep at no extra cost, often on the same day. This service’s availability and specific delivery windows may vary depending on your location.
- Member prices on fuel: Save cents per gallon at participating Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express fuel stations. The exact discount may vary, but it can add up significantly over time, especially for frequent drivers.
- Mobile scan & go: In-store shoppers can scan items with their phones and pay directly through the Walmart app, bypassing traditional checkout lines. This not only saves time but also reduces contact.
- Paramount+ Essential Plan: A Paramount+ subscription is now included with a Walmart+ subscription, granting access to a library of movies and TV shows.
Whether Walmart Plus is worth the investment depends heavily on your shopping habits. If you frequently shop at Walmart, especially for groceries, and value convenience and free shipping, the membership fee can easily pay for itself. However, if you only shop at Walmart occasionally, or if you don’t live near a participating fuel station, the benefits might not outweigh the cost.
Mastering the Art of Clearance Shopping
Walmart’s clearance sections are treasure troves for bargain hunters. However, finding the best deals requires a bit of strategy:
- Timing is key: Clearance markdowns often happen at the beginning of the month, but this can vary by store and department. The best time to check is often midweek, when stores are less crowded.
- Look beyond the designated aisles: Clearance items can be scattered throughout the store, not just in the designated clearance section. Check endcaps, seasonal aisles, and even regular shelves for misplaced or overlooked items.
- Don’t be afraid to ask: If you see an item that you think should be on clearance but isn’t marked down, politely ask a store associate. They may be able to check the price or offer a discount.
- Understand markdown patterns: Walmart often follows a predictable markdown pattern. Items are typically marked down incrementally over time. If an item is still available at a higher clearance price, it’s likely to be reduced further in the coming weeks.
- Check the app: The Walmart app can be used to scan items and check for clearance prices, even if the item isn’t marked down in the store.
Leveraging Walmart’s Price Match Policy (with a Catch)
Walmart’s price match policy has undergone changes in recent years, and it’s crucial to understand the current limitations. Walmart no longer price matches competitor’s in-store prices. However, they will price match Walmart.com prices to the in-store prices *if* the item is sold and shipped by Walmart.com (not a third-party seller). They *will* price match a limited list of online retailers, only available on the Walmart website.
- How get prices match: Must notify a Walmart employee of the prices difference, after which they verify and approve the price match.
The Walmart App: Your Digital Savings Companion
The Walmart app is more than just a shopping list tool; it’s a powerful resource for finding discounts:
- Weekly ads: Browse the latest weekly ad for your local store, highlighting current promotions and discounts.
- Digital coupons: Clip digital coupons directly to your account, which are automatically applied at checkout.
- Savings Catcher (Discontinued): While Savings Catcher, which automatically compared prices with competitors, is no longer available, the app still offers other valuable savings features.
- Store maps: Navigate the store efficiently and locate specific items, including clearance sections.
- Price checker: Scan barcodes to check prices and see if an item is on clearance, even if it’s not marked.
Utilizing Walmart’s Grocery Pickup and Delivery
Walmart’s grocery pickup and delivery services offer both convenience and potential savings:
- Time savings: Avoid the hassle of navigating crowded aisles and waiting in checkout lines.
- Reduced impulse purchases: Shopping online helps you stick to your list and avoid unplanned purchases.
- Promotional offers: Walmart frequently offers discounts and promo codes for grocery pickup and delivery orders.
- Substitution savings: If an item you ordered is out of stock, Walmart may substitute it with a similar item of equal or greater value at no extra cost.
Taking Advantage of Seasonal Sales and Events
Walmart hosts numerous seasonal sales and events throughout the year, offering significant discounts on a wide range of products:
- Black Friday: One of the biggest shopping days of the year, with deep discounts on electronics, toys, appliances, and more.
- Cyber Monday: The online counterpart to Black Friday, featuring online-exclusive deals.
- Back-to-school sales: Discounts on school supplies, clothing, and electronics.
- Holiday sales: Promotions and discounts around major holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Fourth of July.
- Clearance events: End-of-season clearance events offer steep discounts on seasonal merchandise.
Exploring Other Savings Opportunities
Beyond the strategies mentioned above, here are a few additional tips to maximize your savings at Walmart:
- Walmart credit card: The Capital One Walmart Rewards Card offers cash back on Walmart purchases, both online and in-store.
- Generic brands: Walmart’s Great Value and Equate brands often offer comparable quality to national brands at lower prices.
- Bulk buying: Purchasing items in bulk, especially non-perishable goods, can often result in lower per-unit costs.
- Rollback alerts: Sign up for email or text alerts to be notified of rollback prices on items you’re interested in.
- Refurbished electronics: Consider purchasing refurbished electronics, which are often significantly cheaper than new items and come with a warranty.
Conclusion: Becoming a Walmart Savings Expert
Saving money at Walmart is about more than just finding the lowest base prices. It’s about strategically combining various methods, from leveraging Walmart Plus and clearance shopping to utilizing the app and taking advantage of seasonal sales. By implementing these strategies, you can become a Walmart savings expert and consistently get the most value for your money. Remember to always check the Walmart app for the latest deals and promotions, and don’t be afraid to ask store associates for assistance. Happy saving!
