Want to save money at major retailers?

Home Depot recently announced first quarter sales of $38.9 billion, up 3.8% from the same quarter in 2021, which were up a staggering 32% compared with 2020. Those numbers should come as no surprise to all the people who spent a combined $530 billion at home improvement stores in 2021. The average homeowner or landlord completed three-plus projects, each costing an average of $2,800.

If that sounded like you — and, more important, if that sounds like you in the coming months — let’s save you a little money, not just on projects you tackle, but also on everyday business and personal spending.

After all, the majority of small businesses are started at home and funded through savings, credit cards and hopefully revenue. (Statistics show that one out of three small businesses are launched with less than $5,000 in startup capital.)

Which, if you’re an entrepreneur, makes saving money — both personally and in your business — especially important.

One easy way? Take the time — even though it might seem like a hassle — to sign up for the right rewards and discount programs for you.

Home Depot Pro Xtra

Let’s start with Home Depot, which has a rewards program called Pro Xtra.

Don’t be fooled by the “Pro” part — you don’t have to be a licensed contractor to sign up. Nor do you have to own a business to qualify. (More on using your small business to uncover savings in a moment.)

Members get perks like tiered rewards and coupons. So far this year, I’ve earned $325 in perks and saved $150 on tool rentals and another $900 through special offers. Since we’ve spent over $3,500 on paint, we save 15% on all paint and paint supply purchases.

Granted, your mileage may vary. Since we own a number of rental properties, and recently purchased several that needed to be rehabbed, our total Home Depot spending this year is over $29,000. (That’s another benefit of Pro Xtra: It tracks all your purchases.)

Three-plus percent in total savings doesn’t sound like much, especially if your spending falls mostly into categories like cleaning supplies.

But that doesn’t count purchases I’ve made through occasional Pro Xtra Buy of the Day and Buy of the Week offers. I keep a list of tools and supplies I want or will eventually need, and once a week spend a couple of minutes checking those tabs on my Pro page. I saved 20% on a portable band saw, 40% on a bathroom vanity I knew we would need in a couple of months — it’s a handy way to watch for deals without having to remember and sift through individual items.

Pro Xtra also makes returns easier. Enter your phone number at the returns desk, and items automatically link to your purchase history. And if you ever need help, there’s a Pro-specific customer service number where wait times — at least in my experience — tend to be significantly lower.

And time, as we all know, is definitely money.

But don’t stop there

Plenty of other major retailers offer rewards and discount programs: Walmart, Costco Business Center, Sam’s Club business shopping and Staples business membership.

To squeeze as much as you can out of your spending, you may need to sign up with several.

Also, keep in mind some retailers offer “off-menu” savings. Take appliance purchases at Lowe’s. Say you’re buying a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave for your company break room.

Get the total price and then ask the associate to call their corporate office to see if the purchase qualifies for a volume discount. Sometimes we’ve had to ask for a manager, since the associate didn’t know that was a possibility. Even so, every time we’ve asked, we’ve gotten an additional 10% off, even if items we chose were already on sale.

Never be afraid to ask.