Ways to save at home improvement stores

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- If you're thinking of sprucing up your home, there are several ways you can get extra savings at home improvement stores that you might not know about.

"Fall is a busy time here at Lowe's. People will spruce up their outdoors with shrubs, trees, perennials, as well as indoor with windows, as well as winterization," said Lowe's employee Chris Clark.

If you are purchasing plants, hang on to the receipt! If the plant dies within a year of the purchase date, both Lowe's and Home Depot will replace it for free.

It always pays to compare prices, but Lowe's goes one step beyond that.

"If you find an identical item at a local competitor, we will match that price and beat it by 10 percent," Clark said.

That includes online prices, which are sometimes cheaper than those in the store.

Another secret is that often times the big box home improvement stores will accept each other's coupons. You might have to ask the cashier, and then most likely it will need to be approved by a manager.

To help make your projects a little easier, both Home Depot and Lowe's offer free cutting services in the store.

"Here at Lowe's, we have free "we cut" service for lumber, pipe, glass, plexi glass, mini blinds, and rope and chain," Clark said.

Home Depot and Lowe's offer contractor packs for additional savings. When you buy certain products in bulk, you'll save on the per item price. You can save on anything from baseboard trim to caulk to light bulbs by purchasing this way.

"We want to be a service to the community and help them with their projects. There are a lot of ways to save money here at Lowe's," said Clark.