Due to nature of DIY projects, the Home Depot return policy is one of the most used return policies in existence. Because of that, it’s nice to know exactly how it works, what the exclusions are, how receipt-less returns work, and even some insider tips for success. Here’s everything you need to know to make returning stuff to the Home Depot a breeze.

What is the “Official” Home Depot Return Policy?

90 days.

You have a generous 90 days to return an item to the Home Depot if you’re not satisfied for any reason.

Are There Exceptions to the 90 Days?

Yes, there are.

These items all have a different time window for returns.

• Furniture – 30 days.
• Mattresses – 30 days.
• Area Rugs – 30 days.
• Generators – 30 days.
• Paint Sprayers – 30 days.
• Gas Powered Stuff & Tractors – 30 days.
• Consumer Electronics – 30 days.
• Purchases made with a Home Depot Credit Card – 365 days (more on this below)

I wasn’t aware that The Home Depot sold consumer electronics but I’m guessing they mean speakers, drones, WiFi extenders, and HDMI cables, many of which they sell online.

See Also: 7 Highly Clever Ways to Save Money at The Home Depot

What’s the Return Policy on Major Appliances?

48 hours.

Always carefully inspect the appliance upon delivery to your home and “refuse delivery” if the item is damaged or defective.

If you don’t inspect the appliance carefully, then later notice an issue, call Home Depot at (800) 455-3869 within 48 hours of delivery or pickup time and they’ll help you with a return.

This policy applies to refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, washers, dryers, and some microwaves.

Lowe’s has a similar policy in place on major appliances, and based on the comments, it’s not very popular with shoppers.

Can Items Be Opened or Used?

Officially, “No”. Unofficially, “Yes”.

If you still have the original packaging, receipt, and still within 90 days, you can return most opened or used items.

With used items, it often comes down to the amount of “wear & tear” the product shows and is typically handled on a case-by-case basis.

For example, if you bought a Wooster paintbrush and use it heavily for an entire weekend then decide to return it, you’re probably out of luck.

But if you only used the paintbrush for a couple minutes, weren’t happy with, and cleaned it thoroughly, you stand a really good chance of them taking it back.

This is especially true if you’re okay with store credit or an exchange.

What If I Lost My Receipt?

In the past, if you didn’t have your receipt the return desk would try to find your order in their system using the credit card or debit card you used to make the purchase.

But recently, in an effort to thwart shoplifters trying to turn a quick profit, the Home Depot is BUCKLING down hard on receipt-less returns.

My investigation into this started when I received a comment from a shopper who was told they could not return an item without a receipt because it was valued at over $50.

As of this writing, this is NOT stipulated anywhere on the Home Depot website but I have come to find out that the new policy is rolling out nationwide as we speak.

I spoke with a Home Depot assistant manager about this issue and he confirmed the over $50 without a receipt will typically be DENIED.

He added that they use a 3rd party system who tells the employee whether or not to accept the return and it’s now out of their hands.

He also gave the great tip of signing up for the free Pro Xtra Loyalty program as it tracks your purchases and receipts for you so this will NEVER be an issue.

What’s the Return Policy w/ the Home Depot Credit Card?

365 days.

If you make your purchase with your Home Depot or Pro Xtra credit card, you get a whopping 365 days to make your return, and your purchase history and receipts are tracked for easy retrieval.

I’ve been told that the 365 days applies to everything except the products listed directly below, as well as anything that runs on gasoline.

Beware that the card comes with a high interest rate (29.99% APR), but if you pay it off every month, the extended return policy could be worth its weight in gold.

What Stuff Can’t Be Returned?

The following items are not returnable to the Home Depot…

– Custom Tinted Paint – For this reason, make sure you see the color of the paint before you buy it.

You also can’t return any “Oops” paint that you buy at a discount.

– Custom Blinds – The only blinds that can be returned say “Guaranteed to Fit” on them.

– Utility Trailers

– Generators

– Gift Cards/Store Credits

– Product Samples

I’ll keep this list updated in case new items become non-returnable.

What If I Have Receipt But Lost the Box?

In most cases, yes, the Home Depot will take stuff back without the original box or packaging.

Your mileage may vary from store to store depending on the employee you encounter, but I have personally returned stuff without the box.

What About Online Returns?

Another really cool feature at the Home Depot is their online return system.

They actually allow you to return purchases made via their website via UPS, as well as products bought in-store.

This is a handy feature if you live a LONG distance from the nearest location, or you just have trouble making it in-store for whatever reason.

To see if your item is eligible for an online return, visit this page, and click on “Return Items”. (See image above)

Be prepared to pay the return shipping costs unless the reason for the return is an error by The Home Depot.

Are There Ever Any Restocking Fees?

The only items that might incur a restocking fee are Special Order returns or cancellations.

Be prepared to pay a 15% restocking fee on these items.

What About Returning Flowers or Plants?

According to Home Depot, they will unconditionally guarantee all tropical, house, and landscape plants (only perennials, trees, roses, and shrubs) for one year.

If your plant dies just bring whatever is left of it, the original pot it came in, and your receipt, and they’ll replace it or issue a refund.

If the plant is no longer available, a store credit will be issued.

The key here is perennials, trees, and shrubs.

They don’t offer a 1-year guarantee on annuals, but they still offer a 90 day return window.

Thanks to reader Gail who informed me that clearance plants (with yellow price sticker) are NOT returnable and are considered final sale.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever had trouble with the Home Depot return policy? How did it happen and what was the end result?

By Kyle James

The Wendy’s secret menu is a very interesting one. While it’s not incredibly long and diverse, the burgers on it pack quite the punch in terms of size and flavor. The next time you step into your local Wendy’s consider one of these secret menu items and you just might be in for a tasty square burger surprise. Or maybe a burger so large you can share it with an entire wrestling team.

The Wendy’s Secret Menu:

The Barnyard Burger

The most appropriate name for any secret menu item ever.

Order “The Barnyard” of the Wendy’s secret menu and you’ll get a burger with bacon, beef patty, spicy chicken patty, and ham with a layer of cheese between each meat.

Add some lettuce and tomato if you’re feeling a bit healthy.

According to commenter Diana, if you get a blank stare when you order it, order a “single cheeseburger then tell them you want a spicy patty on top on the beef patty.”

Asiago Beef Burger

This is the regular Asiago Chicken sandwich with apple wood smoked bacon, but instead of chicken it comes with a beef patty.

Sounds weird but it’s suppose to be quite delicious with the Asiago cheese and ranch sauce.

See Also: The Burger King Secret Menu Will Make You Bow to the King

Spicy Asiago Chicken Sandwich

Thanks to loyal reader Erik for this tip.

Order this bad-boy and you’ll get the regular Asiago Chicken sandwich but with the spicy chicken patty.

According to Eric, the spicy chicken and sweet smoked bacon go great together.

Grand Slam Burger

4 is the magic number with the Grand Slam burger.

As in 4 square beef patties sandwiched between 2 slices of cheese and of course a bun.

If you’re feeling really daring, you can ask for a slice of cheese between each patty. Also, some folks will garnish the top with a couple leaves of lettuce.

If the Wendy’s employee has no idea what you’re talking about, try ordering the 1 lb quadruple burger.

See Also: The McDonald’s Secret Menu: Time to Elevate the Big Mac

Meat Cube

The Meat Cube is the same thing as the Grand Slam mentioned above.

Personally, the name kind of grosses me out so I’d order the Grand Slam burger instead.

Quadruple Baconator

Order this Wendy’s secret menu item and you’ll get 4 beef patties with 3 pieces of bacon between each patty.

Make it healthy with some lettuce and tomato added as well.

You can also order it as a quad burger with bacon, but the baconator sounds so much cooler.

Thanks to Wendy’s employee, Michael, for setting me straight on the amount of bacon between each patty.

T. Rex

This is a nine patty high burger with of course nine slices of cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and pickles, and an overwhelmed single bun.

The burger has become Internet folklore in recent years and many Wendy’s won’t make it, but it never hurts to ask.

From a commenter, the best way to order it is to ask for a “triple cheese and add 6 patties on top of that with cheese.”

This sucker will cost you about $22 give or take a buck or two.

See Also: Time to Taste the Yummy In-N-Out Burger Secret Menu

Jurassic Burger

The Jurassic burger is the same as the T. Rex above but with 10 patties instead of nine.

I’m guessing this burger is for those who like their ridiculously large burgers in groups of 10.

Ask the Reader: Ever ordered anything from the Wendy’s secret menu? Was it a good, bad, or delicious decision?

By Kyle James

Ulta Beauty recently opened a store in my hometown. Being a dude, I had never heard of Ulta until I saw their sign being erected at the local shopping mall. After a bit of research, I quickly discovered that Ulta is a huge phenomenon and an incredibly popular beauty store in the United States. WAY bigger than Sephora and Sally Beauty Supply combined. Because of the Ulta craze, I figured it was time to write an article with some insider ways to save money. I came up with 12 and hope to add even more in the future.

Get Deals Sent to Your Inbox

While I’m not a huge fan on signing up for retailers email list, Ulta is a definite exception.

By signing up at the bottom of their homepage you’ll get new deals and exclusives sent to you a few times a week. The best part is they’ll send you special offers and coupons that you’ll only get by signing-up.

If you shop at Ulta regularly, it’s a great way to be kept in-the-know.

Shop Online on Wednesdays

Every Wednesday from 10am-4pm CT, Ulta offers something called a “Beauty Break” for online shoppers.

By visiting the Ulta homepage during that time period you’ll score a bunch of cool free gifts.

See Also: Save Money at Bath & Body Works with These 11 Smart Tips

Don’t Ignore the Ulta Rewards Program

Known as the Ultamate Rewards, it’s a completely free program that will definitely save you money.

Have you ever seen someone shop at Ulta with a coupon good for $3.50 off your $15 purchase? Odds are the rewards program is how they got it.

The program works by building up points via your online and in-store purchases. You can then redeem your points on ANY product that Ulta has in-stock.

One dollar spent equals one point. But you’ll be notified via email when specific products will earn you 2x, 3x or even 5x bonus points.

Oh, by the way, the Ultamate program will also send you a free gift on your birthday!

Double Dip an Ulta Coupon

3-5 times per year Ultamate members will be sent a coupon good for 20% off your entire order.

But did you know that you can use this coupon BOTH online and in-store?

The coupon has a separate code for online and in-store use. So first use the online code via the Ulta website, then take it in-store and save 20% yet again.

The Ibotta App Has Ulta Rebates

If you’re not using the Ibotta app to save at Ulta Beauty you’re leaving money on the table.

While most shoppers think of Ibotta for grocery items, they have a cool section for retail stores and Ulta is at the top of their list.

At the time of this writing Ibotta is offering 13 rebates that range from $2 to $4 back on specific items.

Get in the habit of checking Ibotta after you shop at Ulta as you stand a great chance of being able to redeem a rebate and get some money in your pocket.

Look for Free Gifts and ALWAYS Keep Them

Whether it’s an in-store promotion that lands you a free gift with purchase, or any other free Ulta offer, it’s yours to keep even if you return the item you paid for.

Takeaway: Always buy the item that lands you the free gift or samples. You can always return the item later if you have no need for it.

Check Out The Ulta Online Ad

For some reason the Ulta online weekly ad is kind of hard to find.

But when you click on this link you’ll get access to all the newest and latest deals.

So if you know you’re heading to Ulta this week check out the ad first so you know where to find all the deals once you walk into the store.

Get Cashback at Ulta Beauty

Be sure you go through a cashback site before you do any shopping on the Ulta website.

By doing so you’ll get an easy 2-4% back on your entire purchase. Think of it as free money on shopping you’d be doing anyways.

Here are a few cashback sites that I recommend:

• TopCashBack
• Rakuten
• Swagbucks
• Mr. Rebates

Any other cashback sites that you like to use?

Never Pay Full Price for Ulta Gift Cards

Another clever way to save at Ulta Beauty is to buy Ulta gift card’s for less than face value.

For example, right now at Raise.com you can save about 10% on Ulta gift cards.

Typically the larger the gift card dollar amount, the bigger the savings.

Ulta Takes Manufacturer Coupons

If you’re a loyal Ulta shopper you’re probably aware that they also accept manufacturer coupons in-store.

But many casual Ulta shoppers probably have no clue.

Before you shop at Ulta check out a site like Coupons.com and print out any manufacturer coupons.

Brands to look for include Maybelline, Olay, Clairol, L’Oreal Paris, and Neutrogena.

Download the Ulta App

Once you download the free Ulta app you’ll have access to fun features like the Glamlab, but more importantly some cool ways to save.

Namely weekly coupons like $3.50 off $15 or more as well as deals on specific brands and product lines.

By having the app on your phone you can quickly access it when standing in the checkout line and have the Ulta cashier scan your $3.50 off coupon.

Know the Awesome Ulta Return Policy

The Ulta return policy is darn impressive and worth knowing.

Basically you have 60 days from the date of purchase to return the item FOR ANY REASON.

This means you can take home the beauty product, use it for a day for a two and bring it back it you don’t like it or have an allergic reaction to it.

Just be sure to keep your receipt and all original components.

Bonus Tip: Ask for Free Samples at Checkout

The next time you’re standing at the Ulta checkout counter, politely ask the store associate if they have a free sample or two they can hand out.

According to Ulta loyalists, you stand a 80-90% chance of scoring some cool freebies just for asking. It’s a great way to try out new beauty products without having to spend a dime.

Ask the Reader: How do you save money at Ulta Beauty? Let me know your tips and tricks in the comments section below.

By Kyle James