Whether you’re into handicrafts and hobbies or just want to decorate your home, Hobby Lobby is the place to shop. The prices are good, but you can do even better if you implement a few smart shopping strategies.
In fact, there is only one reason why you should EVER pay full price for anything you buy at Hobby Lobby: that’s if you see something that’s an absolute must-have that could sell out. But even then, you can usually get a discount if you play your cards right.
1. Don’t shop without your 40% off coupon
Hobby Lobby has the simplest and most flexible coupon policy ever. It’s a 40% off coupon that you can use on one item per day. Getting coupons is easy. Simply get yours from the Hobby Lobby website, app or almost any major newspaper.
- Boost sale discounts: You won’t get your 40% off on top of a sale discount, but you can replace a sale discount with the coupon. So, if the item you’re buying is marked down by 30%, you can get 40% off instead by using your coupon.
- One per person means one per person: You won’t get a discount off two items, but if you’re shopping with kids, they can use a coupon to get a discount too. That’s a good reason to bring your whole family when you shop at Hobby Lobby.
- Shop every day: you can use your coupon on one item per day. If you see two items you’d like to use your coupon on, no problem! Just come back tomorrow. Cashiers absolutely will not break the rules, so just stick to them and have a little patience. You don’t even need a fresh coupon code.
2. Almost everything goes on sale sooner or later
It’s worth checking Hobby Lobby’s ads, website, or app at least once a week. Most things are on sale at least once a month – but there are a few items you will never see discounted. Party supplies are among these and could be good candidates to use your coupon on instead of waiting for a sale that isn’t going to come.
To be first with the news of the latest special offers, sign up for the Hobby Lobby newsletter.
3. Clearance sales for up to 90% off
We’ve often said that the best time to buy seasonal stuff is after the season or close to its peak. Hobby Lobby proves the point. When Hobby Lobby clears, it clears in a big way with discounts of up to 90 percent off. It may take a bit of discipline to buy now for next year, but the savings are fantastic.
For example, Christmas goods are already discounted in December, but if you wait for January, you’ll get that 90% off – if the item isn’t sold out yet.
Apart from seasonal clearance sales, you can also look out for routine clearances where Hobby Lobby sells out end-of-line stock for low, low prices.
4. Shop late on Saturdays or go on Mondays
All Hobby Lobby sales start on Mondays, so if you wait till Saturday, some of the best items may have sold out. Get in there on Monday morning, on the other hand, and there should be plenty of great deals and better stock volumes.
With a little careful timing, though, you can turn Saturday afternoons into your best discount time. That’s when staff put up the discount sign for the following week, and if current offers are still up and new offers are being tagged, you can get both weeks’ specials on one day. However, you’ll have to do some sleuthing to find out what time is best to catch up on that lucky deal.
5. Buy fabric in single lengths
Your 40 percent discount coupon is only valid for one item, therefore one length of fabric up to 10 yards long. If you need three lengths of fabric three yards long, buy it in one piece to get your discount and cut it up at home instead. The same goes for trim, ribbon, etc.
If you buy more than 10 yards of fabric, however, your discount will only apply to the first ten yards. So if you need a lot of fabric, try to split your purchase over two people or two days to get the full discount on all the fabric.
6. You may get products for a competitor’s price, but…
You probably know that Hobby Lobby will match competitor prices. However, the item you compare must be identical, and discounted prices won’t be matched. If you want to call in this policy on an item, you will need to show the competitor’s ad to prove your point. By the same token, competitor’s coupons won’t be honored.
7. Use rain checks if you need to and if you can
If you see something you need on sale, but the store doesn’t have enough stock, ask whether you can get a rain check on that item. That means that Hobby Lobby will get it in for you as soon as possible, and even if it isn’t on sale when they do, you’ll still get the sale price. However, the store warns that this offer isn’t valid when entire product categories are discounted. You also can’t ask for a rain check if you’re shopping online.
8. Check the back of the store and the perimeter for extra specials
Additional clearance items (usually with a 66% discount) are generally packed at the rear and around the perimeter of the store. Hobby Lobby is definitely a store it’s worth being alert in while you’re there. Sometimes, you’ll even find discounted items packed in random places, so keep your eyes open.
9. Try to hack the sales schedule
Certain product categories seem to go on sale at very regular and predictable intervals, but this can change. However, if you sign up for the weekly Hobby Lobby newsletter, there’s nothing to stop you from trying to spot patterns. If you then suspect that a full price item is due to go on special offer next week, just hold off and see if you were right!
10. Shop in store
Online shopping process are exactly the same as the ones you’ll see advertised in store. But if you buy online, you’re going to pay shipping. Thus, it’s more sensible to shop at your local branch than to shop online.
There’s one exception: if the store is running a free shipping offer, which it does every now and then, you can get free delivery provided you purchase goods to the value specified.
11. Get 5% back with Hobby Lobby and Visa
If you’re a regular Hobby Lobby shopper, it’s well worth getting the Hobby Lobby Visa card for your 5% back. You can use your Hobby Lobby card anywhere for one point per dollar spent, and when you use it at Hobby Lobby, you get five points.
As soon as your points reach the 2,500 points mark, you’ll get a $25 gift certificate in the mail. The first time you use your card, you get a free 1,000 point boost, so there’s $10 worth of Hobby Lobby goods right there.
Of course, you’re only going to save on this deal if you zero your balance every month before interest is charged, so this tip is only for those with a good handle on their finances.
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