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The tricks arent coupons - theyre policies, timing, and scoring used tool deals

• Price match identical items, then hunt yellow tags: .06 = clearance, .03 = final markdown (check the tag date)

• Do a 10-second app check in the aisle. If its cheaper online, buy online and choose store pickup

• Use the money-saver lane: check Daily Deals, save receipts with free Pro Xtra, and rent or buy retired rental tools instead of buying new

The Home Depot is one of those stores where its easy to overspend because a tool often looks like a deal and you think you cant live without it. The trick to saving at Home Depot isnt about a being a coupon wizard or DIY expert. Its all about knowing a few policies + pricing secrets + timing tricks that consistently cut your total bill.

Here are 7 Home Depot hacks that will change the way you shop in the land of orange aprons moving forward.

Get a Home Depot price match

Home Depots price-match policy is pretty clear, as long as the item is identical (same brand/model/size), and the competitor has it in-stock, theyll match the lower price.

Heres how to make it happen in 60 seconds:

• Pull up the competitors product page on your phone.
• Zoom in on the model number and the in-stock message to make sure it qualifies.
• Bring the exact Home Depot listing to an employee and theyll verify it and get you the lower price.

Pro tip: Keep in mind that most price-match attempts fail because people show similar items. Home Depot tells you up front that the item must be identical, down to the color.

Learn to decode the Home Depot price tag

Over the years Ive had several friendly Home Depot employees help me decode their price tags. Information you can use to figure out how good of a deal youre actually getting in-store.

Heres what you need to know:

• Prices ending in .06 on a yellow price sticker: An employee who handles price changes at his store told me a yellow tag with a price ending in .06 is on clearance and typically has about six weeks before the next markdown.
• Prices ending in .03 on a yellow price sticker: The employee also told me that if an item still hasnt sold after that 6-week window, it may drop again to an ending price of .03. Thats basically the last call price. In his experience, once an item reaches .03, it has about three weeks before its liquidated and removed for good.

Pro tip: Always check the date printed at the bottom of the yellow tag. Its a great clue for how long the item has been sitting on the shelf and whether another markdown is likely coming soon. If theres a lot of inventory, and its almost been six weeks since the tag was created, wait and come back next week and get it even cheaper.

Always check online vs. in-store pricing

The Home Depot website explicitly says that HomeDepot.com will not match their in-store prices, and stores do not match their online pricing.

The translation for smart shoppers is that the same item can often be cheaper depending on where you click/pay. Ive even had employees verify this over the years and they always tell me to shop one against the other, and always look for the best price.

The fastest way to stop overpaying:

• When standing in an aisle at The Home Depot, pull out their app and search the exact item.
• If the online price is cheaper, dont overthink it. Just buy it online, choose store pickup, and grab it on the way out and move on with your life.

Why it matters:

If Home Depot wont match their own website (and the website wont match the store), your discount is sometimes going to be simply choosing the cheaper checkout lane.

Start with Daily Deals before you pay full price

Most shoppers are not aware that Home Depot has a Daily Deals / Special Buy of the Day page that rotates deals across appliances, home dcor, and home improvement items.

This is where you should always check first when your purchase is not time critical, especially if youre not shopping for a particular brand, just the best deal.

Look for great deals on the following:

• Lighting
• Rugs
• Storage/organization
• Small appliances
• Some tool bundles

Heres what the smart shopper does:

• If your project can wait 4872 hours, be sure to check Daily Deals first.
• If todays deals arent in the category you need, check back again tomorrow.

Home Depot literally tells you its a one-day deal setup, so the savings often comes down to timing and the ability to wait for the deal you need.

Join Pro Xtra even if youre not a Pro

Home Depots FREE Pro Xtra program is framed as a Pro loyalty program with some cool perks, promos, and the ability to track your spending.

Heres why regular shoppers should care:

Home improvement returns and price adjustments live and die by your proof of purchase. If youre doing a project over several weeks or months, that paper receipt is basically guaranteed to vanish.

Use Pro Xtra for the boring money-saver stuff:

• Track purchases/spend (useful for projects and warranty claims)
• Keep receipts organized instead of digging through your car console

If you dont want to sign-up for a Pro Xtra account, at least be aware that Home Depot offers the ability to look-up your receipt through your regular account.

Pro tip: If youre knee deep in a DIY project and still in the planning phase, be sure to look for quantity discounts from Home Depot before you make any purchases. You can get savings up to 20% when buying large quantities of lumber, building hardware, insulation, and even roofing materials.

Rent the expensive tool youll use once

Most Home Depot locations have a full tool and equipment rental operation. Using their tool rentals is one of the most practical save hundreds moves because buying tools for one project is how budgets explode.

Renting usually beats buying for:

• Floor sanders
• Pressure washers
• Tile saws
• Post-hole augers
• Carpet cleaners

Quick decision rule (simple, not perfect):

• If you wont realistically use it 23 more times, renting is often the cheaper path.

Also, renting forces you to finish the job quickly as youre getting charged by the day. This basically forces you to save money and get the job done in a timely manner.

The underrated hack: buy retired rental tools

Heres a Home Depot trick most shoppers dont even know exists. Some stores actually sell their retired rental tools at a huge discount.

That means you can sometimes get a legit brand-name tool for way less because its being cycled out of their rental fleet.

How to use this without wasting a Saturday:

• Go to the stores Tool Rental area.
• Ask: Do you sell retired rental tools? What do you have right now?
• Inspect it like youre buying a used car:
  • Check the cord/battery contacts
  • Look for cracks, missing guards, stripped screws
  • Ask whats included (case, charger, accessories)
• Or visit their Used Tools page on their website and enter your Zip Code to see if your local store has used tools available for purchase.

Why its worth it:

If you want to own an expensive tool but cant justify the brand new price, retired rentals can really help your budget. Think of them as cheaper than new, but way better than sketchy marketplace tool listings.

What consumers should know about online sweepstakes casinos

• Dozens of lawsuits accuse sweepstakes casinos of operating illegal gambling platforms

• Utah has emerged as a focal point due to its strict gambling ban and double-damages law

• Attorneys warn companies to avoid states taking aggressive enforcement stances

A wave of class action lawsuits is targeting companies that offer online sweepstakes casino games, with plaintiffs alleging the platforms amount to illegal gambling in states that strictly prohibit wagering.

At least 23 class actions were filed in federal court in Utah last month alone, according to court records, marking a sharp escalation in litigation against companies that allow users to purchase virtual coins to play casino-style games that can lead to cash-equivalent prizes. The lawsuits are part of a broader national trend that has drawn increasing scrutiny from regulators, courts, and gaming attorneys.

Utah becomes a litigation hotspot

All of the recent Utah cases were brought by plaintiffs firmPeters Scofield and Hedin, which accuse sweepstakes operators of violating Utahs explicit ban on online gambling. The complaints allege that companies market their products as legal entertainment or promotional sweepstakes while, in practice, running unlicensed gambling operations.

Under Utah law, gambling is broadly defined as risking anything of value on a game of chance, and the state permits plaintiffs to seek double damages for losses tied to illegal gambling. That combination has made Utah an attractive venue for class actions, even when the companies involved are based elsewhere.

One complaint describes a sweepstakes platform as a dangerous and plainly unlawful gambling enterprise that allows players to spend money to acquire in-game currency used in slot-style and casino games.

The lawsuits seek injunctions blocking the platforms from operating in Utah, refunds of money spent by players, and statutory damages.

How sweepstakes models are being challenged

The cases focus on the dual-currency business model common among sweepstakes casinos. Players typically buy gold coins for entertainment purposes and receive sweepstakes coins as a bonus. Those sweepstakes coins can be used to play games of chance and, in some cases, redeemed for cash or cash-equivalent prizes.

Plaintiffs argue that the structure is a legal fiction designed to evade gambling laws and that the sweepstakes coins function as a thing of value under state statutes. Several complaints allege the platforms mirror traditional online casinos in everything but name, offering the same economic risks and rewards without regulatory oversight.

Defendants named in recent suits include operators behind brands such as Pulsz, JefeBet, and other popular sweepstakes casino platforms. Similar lawsuits have also been filed in states including Ohio, signaling that the legal risk is not limited to Utah.

What consumers should know about online sweepstakes casinos

They may be illegal where you live
Sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area. While companies often market the games as free-to-play promotions, courts and regulators in some statesespecially Utahsay the platforms may violate state gambling laws. Whats legal in one state may be illegal in another.

Buying virtual coins can still count as gambling
Most sweepstakes casinos use a dual-currency system, where players buy one type of virtual coin and receive another that can be used to play games of chance. Lawsuits argue that if those games can lead to cash or cash-equivalent prizes, the activity may still qualify as gambling under state law.

You may have limited consumer protections
Unlike licensed casinos, sweepstakes platforms often operate without oversight from state gaming regulators. That can mean fewer safeguards around fairness, dispute resolution, or responsible gamingand less recourse if something goes wrong.

Refunds are not guaranteed
If a court ultimately finds a platform is operating illegally, players are not automatically entitled to refunds. Some lawsuits seek repayment and damages, but outcomes vary, and cases can take years to resolve.

Terms of service can limit your options
Many platforms include arbitration clauses that require disputes to be resolved privately instead of in court. Some judges have enforced those clauses, which can limit consumers ability to join class actions.

Check your state laws before playing
Consumer advocates recommend reviewing your states gambling laws before spending money on sweepstakes casino sites. If a platform appears to require payment to play games of chance with prize outcomes, it may carry legal and financial risk.

Legal experts urge caution for operators

Gaming attorneys say the surge in lawsuits reflects growing skepticism toward the sweepstakes casino model, particularly in states with aggressive enforcement histories.

Jeremy Kleiman, a member at Saiber who advises gaming and technology clients, has warned companies to steer clear of states that have brought enforcement actions against sweepstakes operators or are considering legislation targeting the industry. Even where companies ultimately prevail, the cost of defending dozens of class actions can be substantial.

Some operators have succeeded in slowing litigation by pointing to arbitration clauses in user agreements, but courts have not been uniform in their rulings. In several cases, judges have allowed claims to proceed past early dismissal stages.

Broader pressure on the industry

The class actions come amid heightened regulatory attention to online gaming models that blur the line between entertainment and gambling. State regulators and attorneys general in multiple jurisdictions are reviewing whether sweepstakes casinos comply with local law, while advertising platforms have tightened policies governing how the sites can be promoted.

Consumer advocates argue the lawsuits highlight gaps in oversight that leave players exposed to financial harm without the protections that apply to licensed gambling.

As litigation continues to mount, legal observers say the sweepstakes casino industry may face a pivotal momentone that could force major changes to business models or push lawmakers to clarify whether the platforms can legally operate at all.

Digital redlining could result, the group warns

Study finds lower risk of heart attacks and strokes in people with type 2 diabetes

• Real-world data show semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) are linked with lower risk of major heart problems in people with type 2 diabetes.

• Researchers used national insurance claims and trial emulation to compare cardiovascular outcomes in clinical practice.

• Both drugs offered similar heart protection when compared head-to-head, supporting their use beyond weight control.

Injectable medications originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes and aid weight loss, like semaglutide and tirzepatide, are increasingly showing benefits that go beyond the scale.

Recent research suggests these drugs may also help protect the heart a key concern for many people living with diabetes and obesity, who face elevated risks of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death.

These findings come from a large study published in Nature Medicine that looked closely at cardiovascular outcomes for people taking these medications in everyday clinical care, not just in tightly controlled lab settings.

Both substances have a cardioprotective effect, researcher Dr. Nils Krger said in a news release. Our data show that the benefits emerge from early on, indicating that the effect goes beyond weight loss alone.

The study

To understand how these drugs perform in the real world, researchers analyzed insurance billing and prescription data from U.S. health care programs between 2018 and 2025.

Instead of conducting a traditional randomized clinical trial, they emulated the design of established cardiovascular outcome trials using observational data a method that lets scientists approximate trial conditions while including more diverse patients.

In practice, this meant comparing large groups of adults with type 2 diabetes who were prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide with others taking different diabetes medications with known neutral cardiovascular effects (like sitagliptin or dulaglutide).

The research team carefully matched patients on factors such as age, health history, and diabetes severity using statistical techniques to make the comparisons as fair as possible.

Finally, the study even compared semaglutide directly with tirzepatide to see if one drug was significantly better than the other at reducing the risk of major heart problems.

The results

The results showed meaningful cardiovascular benefits for both medications:

• Semaglutide was associated with about an 18% lower risk of serious events like heart attack and stroke when compared with a medication (sitagliptin) that doesnt influence heart risk.

• Tirzepatide was linked with a 13% lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or death compared with dulaglutide, another common treatment.

• When semaglutide and tirzepatide were directly compared, there were only small differences in their heart-protective effects suggesting that both provide similar benefits in routine practice.

Importantly, the protective effects appeared to show up early and were likely not just because people lost weight. Scientists think the drugs might influence heart risk through other biological pathways, though exactly how remains an area of active investigation.

Bottom line: For people with type 2 diabetes, especially those at risk of heart disease, semaglutide and tirzepatide may offer powerful advantages that stretch beyond glucose control and weight loss potentially helping protect the heart itself.

"We hope our findings will provide clarity to physicians about how these new medications perform in clinical practice, Dr. Krger said. Our transparent study design is also intended to support open scientific discussion about whether and how modern GLP-1 drugs should become part of the standard therapeutic repertoire in cardiovascular medicine.