11 Ways To Save Money When Shopping At Harbor Freight

Most people are going to need tools at least once in their life. Maybe they want to do a little DIY, or perhaps they need some stuff to get a burgeoning business going. Regardless of the "whys," the "wheres" and "hows" are a much bigger concern — specifically, where they will buy tools and how much will it cost. Some people swear by Home Depot, and to be fair, the store has quite a few sturdy tools you can buy for under $10, but Harbor Freight is another great option. For those who have never heard of Harbor Freight, it is a chain of tool and equipment retailers dotted throughout the contiguous U.S. minus the District of Columbia. 

Harbor Freight primarily sells in-house brands, all of which are the result of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) production. While you won't find any DeWalt, Ryobi, or Black & Decker tools at Harbor Freight, you will find something just as important: savings. You can save a ton of money shopping for tools at Harbor Freight when compared to similar products at Home Depot, especially if you take advantage of a few tricks that probably aren't obvious to first-time shoppers. Here are several tips to help you save as much money as possible at Harbor Freight.

If you recently visited a chain store or retailer in person, when you checked out your items, odds are a cashier asked if you were a member of or wanted to join the store's rewards program. If so, don't get upset; they were only doing their job. More importantly, some stores offer rewards programs that are actually worth the cost. Harbor Freight offers a rewards program known as the Inside Track Club. 

For $30 a year, subscribers will receive the biggest and best deals in the store. Not only does Harbor Freight offer deals that are exclusive to Inside Track Club members — denoted in-store by blue price tags — but it also gives subscribers early access to event sale prices. Why fight through hordes of shoppers on Black Friday if you can beat the rush? However, while an Inside Track Club subscription probably sounds tempting to many shoppers, it isn't for everyone. 

The biggest hurdle is the $30 fee. Unless you shop at the store with enough regularity to save $30 a year — or just buy one big item — it isn't worth the additional cost. If you subscribe to Inside Track Club, you can check how much you've saved with past purchases. Then you can decide if coughing up $30 for another year is worth it. You never want to waste money in an attempt to save money.

It seems like almost every big company has its own credit card. For instance, if you open an Xbox credit card account, every purchase will net you points you can spend on Xbox games and services like a Game Pass subscription. Harbor Freight has something similar. The Harbor Freight credit card works like many other cards with a rewards program. You get 10% off the first item you buy, and after that you get 5% back on every purchase in "Harbor Freight Money" — points you can spend on products in the store. 

However, if you buy an item that costs $300 or more, you can instead use the credit card to pay over time with no interest. Plus, the credit card comes with occasional exclusive offers and promotions that help you save even more money, and you can combine these savings with other discounts to give your wallet an even bigger break. Unfortunately, as with all credit cards and the money-saving services they provide, some restrictions apply. 

Obviously, you must qualify for the credit card first. However, the biggest problem with the credit card is the Harbor Freight Money. Sure, 5% back of every dollar you spend can add up quickly, but only if you get to spend it. These reward bucks are only valid for 90 days from their issue date, so unless you go on monthly shopping excursions to Harbor Freight, you might not save as much money as you were hoping.

Frugal customers often try to find the best deals whenever they go shopping. Usually that means purchasing low-cost items or buying in bulk, but if you know where to look, you can find coupons to save even more money. But therein lies the rub: Where do you look? As with many chain retail stores, Harbor Freight offers coupons that help you save money on a ton of items. Just print out, clip, or save a coupon to your phone, and scan the barcode when purchasing the relevant item. 

While you can usually find plenty of coupons through phone apps, the same can't be said for Harbor Freight. If you want to keep up with the latest savings, you need to either subscribe to a mailing list or download the Harbor Freight Tools app. One could argue coupons are built into Harbor Freight's business model, or at least that the store managers are super confident customers will use coupons at every opportunity. 

Even if you don't have a coupon for a particular item, if you maintain a good rapport with a cashier, they might let you skim a few bucks off a purchase with their personal coupons or their employee discount. The icing on this cake is that Harbor Freight offers retroactive pricing. If the store issues a coupon on an item you purchased less than 30 days ago, you can receive the price difference if you go in with your receipt and the coupon.

Everyone looks forward to the holidays. Who doesn't like receiving time off from work and eating a big meal with family and friends? But that's not all holidays are good for anymore. Now, holidays are as much an excuse to go shopping — partially because companies won't stop marking down items during those times of the year. Harbor Freight engages in the tradition of offering deep discounts during the holidays. You've got the usual suspects such as Fourth of July and Black Friday sales, but the company has also been known to make up its own events just to offer sales. 

At the time of writing, the "Spring Black Friday" offers discounts on almost 200 items. Plus, Harbor Freight occasionally holds "Parking Lot Sales" to deliver low prices on tons of products. Oh, and the savings in some sales go beyond just regular cash. Depending on the event and the purchased tool, Harbor Freight might bundle in a free gift. For the most part, Harbor Freight's best deals take place during special events, and not just because of the outright low prices. 

Unless otherwise stated (usually via fine print), sale events and coupon discounts stack, so if you have a coupon for an item, save it for Black Friday or the Fourth of July. Furthermore, Harbor Freight's retroactive pricing model also applies to special events. If a holiday sale, parking lot sale, or any other limited-time sale sneaks up on a customer less than 30 days after they buy an item, they can just take their receipt to a local store and get paid the difference.

We just went over two of the most reliable methods to save money at Harbor Freight, not just because you can save a ton of money with coupons and holiday sales but because they happen like clockwork. However, sometimes companies let you save money just for the heck of it. Every so often, Harbor Freight will randomly drop the prices of several products. Not to be confused with non-holiday sales events, these usually fall under the umbrella of "Instant Savings" sales and general price drops. In the store, these discounts are denoted by yellow price tags and can save you up to 57%.

While being able to lop off more than half an item's price sounds extremely tempting, trying to save money through these means is unreliable due to their random nature. You never know what item will receive the Instant Savings treatment or when, but they are usually Harbor Freight's more inexpensive products. However, any item struck with a price drop will keep that new price point going forward, so even if you think it's still too expensive, future coupons and sale events could drive the item's price down even further. And as usual, retroactive pricing always applies — so long as you saved your receipt, that is.

Nothing lasts forever. Eventually, a company can and will decide to discontinue a product. On one hand, you only have a limited amount of time to purchase these tool lines before they're gone for good (as evidenced by these 10 tools we wish DeWalt never discontinued), but on the other hand, you can usually buy these endangered items for pennies on the dollar. Whenever Harbor Freight (and tons of other stores for that matter) discontinues a product, it sells them as clearance items. In the store, you can readily identify these tools by their orange price tags. If you see an item sporting this sticker, you won't find it cheaper in the store no matter what. That is both a good and bad thing.

The unfortunate truth of clearance items is that their prices, while miraculously low, are basically set in stone; you can't shave off a few extra dollars with a coupon, even if it is a "no exclusion" one. A cashier might make an exception if they're feeling generous, but that's a big "if." Moreover, once a clearance item is sold out, it's gone for good. You can and definitely will find equivalent tools at Harbor Freight through other in-house brands, but they will always be more expensive than the clearance sale versions. Until that item goes on sale, that is — but who knows how long that will take?

When someone buys a tool, they usually do so with the intention of keeping it. Even if you impulse buy an item you didn't expect to find in a Harbor Freight store, you probably don't want to part with your purchase. However, sometimes returns are necessary — but they open the door for someone else's savings. Like many stores, Harbor Freight sells "Open Box" items at a steep discount. You can usually find these toward the front of the store near a sign labeled "As Is." As the name suggests, someone purchased these products, opened the box, and returned them. 

Maybe the person who bought it realized they got the wrong item, or they purchased one of the few tools that aren't worth getting at Harbor Freight. While buying an Open Box item will save you some cash, they come with a few caveats. First and foremost, stock varies from store to store. More importantly, while some Open Box and As Is items are virtually untouched, others are gently used, might have a small amount of wear, or are missing some parts. 

Unfortunately, some people abuse Harbor Freight's generous return policy and treat buying items from the store as a rental service. They "purchase" a tool for one job and return it afterwards for a full refund — minus restocking fees if applicable. While you might find what you need on the Open Box discount shelf thanks to these unscrupulous individuals, you shouldn't copy their behaviors.

Extended warranties are the bane of every transaction. Whenever you buy a new TV or car, a salesperson will try to offer an extended warranty. Heck, you can't even buy tools at Harbor Freight without being asked about an extended warranty. But unlike other cases, Harbor Freight's extended warranty can be worth the extra money, especially if you plan on saving cash. Paradoxical, I know, but hear me out.

If you purchase a tool from Harbor Freight and buy the warranty, but later decide or realize you need a more powerful version, you can return the item and trade up for the better model. According to Harbor Freight shoppers, all you have to do is just go into the store (preferably with a receipt) and ask to swap the item. However, there are disagreements on whether you need to do it within the store's 90-day return window. According to one shopper, you don't even need an active warranty; as long as you bought the extended warranty, you can return the tool even if the warranty has expired. 

Just make sure to empty it of gas if it has a fuel tank. Since better tool models are generally more expensive, you are technically saving money by accidentally purchasing a weaker item (plus the warranty) and then trading up. However, depending on the difference in power, you might have to pay for said difference in cash, plus a potential restocking fee. But depending on coupons and Inside Track subscriptions, you could save money on these additional costs.

When most people purchase an item, they buy it under the assumption it is immaculate. However, some people are willing to put up with the aggravation of cosmetic blemishes or even severe damage. Why? Because you can't save more money than getting something for free. If you want to save the most money possible at Harbor Freight, you might want to try dumpster diving. The activity involves rooting around Harbor Freight's dumpsters for salvageable tools. These items are almost always damaged, but they can be serviceable if you are willing to engage in DIY repairs. 

One Harbor Freight employee allegedly rescued a 56-inch toolbox from the dumpster. The item had a large dent that prevented the drawers from opening. However, the employee took it home and pounded out the dent good as new. He got a $900 item for free. While you can save the most money at Harbor Freight through dumpster diving, this activity is easily the most unreliable means to save cash because the contents of a dumpster are always a roll of the dice. 

You might luck out and find salvageable treasure, but usually the trash bin will only contain, well, trash. Plus, dumpster diving sits in a gray area, legally. Unless local law expressly prohibits dumpster diving, it is generally considered permissible so long as you don't break any other laws in the process (such as trespassing). That, and dumpster diving can prove dangerous, so if you go rooting around in a Harbor Freight dumpster, make sure to bring gloves and stay up to date on your tetanus shot.

Most purchases are subject to a sales tax. The amount on its own isn't a lot — anywhere between an additional zero and 10% depending on the state — but the additional cash you have to pay adds up quickly. Nine times out of ten, you can't avoid paying a sales tax; but some purchases at Harbor Freight are the other one out of ten. Certain Harbor Freight purchases aren't subject to sales taxes. However, these are on a case-by-case basis determined by the shopper. 

Aside from using gift cards, you can buy from the store and save money on sales taxes if you represent an organization that is itself exempt from sales taxes. However, before you do so, you need to apply for an exemption certificate. Once it is filled out and registered, you can buy anything from Harbor Freight at a discount. But in order for the certificate to work, you have to purchase in physical stores or contact Harbor Freight's customer support.

Harbor Freight's sales tax immunity also extends to local laws. For instance, disabled veterans or the surviving spouses of deceased disabled veterans (until remarriage) who live in states such as Oklahoma don't have to pay sales taxes on most purchases, including in Harbor Freight. This is honestly one of the few ways veterans can save money when shopping at Harbor Freight since the chain doesn't offer military discounts.

As previously established, Harbor Freight mostly sells its own tool brands, such as Hercules and Bauer. So when the store offers a sale on these tools, you can only get those discounts at Harbor Freight because you can only buy Hercules and Bauer at Harbor Freight. However, the chain offers a more flexible pricing model for its non-exclusive items. Harbor Freight does its best to match the cost of certain items using "compare to" prices. Anything sold at the chain that goes on sale at another retailer is eligible for this practice, which includes products such as Gorilla Glue, WD-40, and Pennzoil motor oil.

Unfortunately, you will not save a ton of money thanks to Harbor Freight's price matching guarantee due to the nature of these items. Not only do the applicable products make up a small percentage of Harbor Freight's offerings, they are usually inexpensive to begin with. Depending on what you want to purchase, Harbor Freight might also have some active coupons, which could stack with the price match for even more savings. But even if Harbor Freight's price match doesn't net you too much savings, a dollar off a can of WD-40 is still a dollar you can spend toward other items.