Style, Decor & More: In-Depth Guide To Saving Money at Macy's

Macy’s has long been a fixture in the American department store landscape. They were founded in 1858 in New York City and started out as a dry goods store. In the more than 150 years that have followed, the store has evolved into one of the largest and most enduring department stores around. Macy’s has centered itself on carrying high quality merchandise and popular brands at affordable prices. The great thing about shopping at Macy’s is that even an amateur shopper can get good prices there, but if you’re an extremely savvy shopper, you can get amazing prices.

The first and best way to maximize your savings at Macy’s is by joining the Plenti Rewards program. The program began in May of 2015 and is operated by American Express, but it doesn’t have to be linked to a credit or debit card at all, and there’s no commitment. The great thing about Plenti Rewards is that it includes other partners, such as AT&T, Rite Aid, Enterprise, Hulu and more. It works just like grocery loyalty cards. You earn 1 point for every $10 of qualifying purchases at Macy’s, and 2 points for every $10 in beauty and fragrance purchases. Every 100 points you earn equals $1 in rewards, and you can start using your points when you get to 200 points. It’s also great because you can earn points elsewhere and still redeem them at Macy’s. In order to take full advantage of the program, you may want to sign up for Macy’s American Express card, which multiplies your points times 10. So whereas with the normal card, you would earn 1 point for every $10, you earn 1 point for every dollar with the credit card. This is obviously a huge jump, so if Macy’s is somewhere you shop a lot, it can be worth it. In order to maximize your savings, save up your points and spend them all at once on an item that doesn’t go on sale often. But be careful not to let your points expire, because they only last two years. To stay on top of things, download the Plenti Rewards app and track your points there.

Macy’s is really great about having new promo codes and coupons all the time. You do have to be careful about the coupons, though. First, pay attention to the exclusions. There is always a huge list of exclusions, even when it appears that the coupon is store-wide. Pay attention from week to week also, because the exclusions do change. So if there’s a certain item you want to use a coupon on, you may want to wait a few weeks and see if there’s a coupon that includes it. Macy’s tends to release new coupons on Friday because they like to encourage weekend shopping. Pay attention to mail coupons as well as the coupons that are in the newspaper if you like to shop in-store.

Macy’s has a huge inventory because they are such a big store with so many departments. They are also all about staying on top of trends and staying in-season. These elements all add up to great clearance sales. Because Macy’s uses their clearance sales to make space and clear out all the old items, the deals are often fantastic and hugely discounted. Find great deals during Macy’s clearance sales by shopping smart. Buy things that are off-season. For instance, look for winter coats at the very end of winter, so late February or early March. Buy swimsuits at the end of August or beginning of September. This also applies to year-round staples in seasonal prints and colors. So if you need a tablecloth with a spring pattern, shop for it at the very end of spring. Macy’s is big enough that there’s pretty much always some sort of clearance section in every department.

Signing up at Macy’s.com gets you a 15 percent off coupon automatically. All you have to do is fill out the profile -- with your name, address, email, birth date and gender -- and they email you the coupon. If you don’t already have a profile with them, wait until there’s something specific you’re going to use the coupon on to sign up so that it doesn’t go to waste. If you need another 15 percent off coupon and you’ve already got a profile on the website, see if you can use a friend or family member’s information and use their coupon.

You can download the Macy’s app for additional savings. There’s a “My Wallet” feature where you can store promo codes and coupons and they’ll automatically apply when you check out. There’s also an “Offers” tab so you can browse different sales and coupons. One of the best parts of the app is that you can opt in to push notifications so you won’t miss out on any big sales or coupons. The app also allows you to order online and pick up in the store, so you can avoid paying for shipping.

Another way to get really great savings at Macy’s is by following them on social media. They’re not that active, which is actually great because it means it’s not annoying to follow them. Macy’s announces things like free gift with purchase events on Facebook. There are also often Twitter announcements of surprise in-store events as well as interactive giveaways. Social media is also a great way to reach Macy’s customer service quickly and without going through the long, laborious comment forms on the website.