Money Saving Hacks - Tool Buying Guide
Who likes tools? Who likes saving money? I know I like both! Let me share how I find deals online for tools and supplies I use in my woodworking shop. You can use these tips no matter if you are a weekend warrior, full time business owner or even if you DIY. Let’s get started!
If you want to see these deals in action, check out my Tool Buying Guide YouTube video. https://youtu.be/g7ImZlQfbOs
I like to shop for deals online while I'm having breakfast or drink my coffee in the mornings. But the good thing about online shopping, you don’t have to shop at any certain time. The online store is always open. I bookmarked all of the following websites and put them in a folder. I check them daily. So without further delay here are the sites!
Slickdeals
My go to website for keeping up with the latest and greatest deals online is https://slickdeals.net/. I recommend setting up an account with slickdeals It’s free! Setting up an account will allow you to set an alert on any online item that you want. For instance if I was in the market for a Wen Planer, you can add that to your alerts. They will email you if your item goes on sale. It’s a great tool to save you money on items that you don’t need immediately. You just have to have patience. You can also type in the search bar "tool deals" and bookmark those results. That way you can check tool deals daily on Slickdeals.
CamelCamelCamel
My next recommended website for saving money is https://camelcamelcamel.com/. This site is an Amazon price tracker website. You can copy a link from an Amazon product and paste it into the search bar on camelcamelcamel or simply search for the product name. Camelcamelcamel will show you the highest and lowest price of that item over its history on Amazon. From there you can input a price that you think is a good deal and camelcamelcamel will alert you (if you set up a free account) when that particular item drops below your set price. This is great for stuff you buy all the time or that 1 tool you want but don’t “need.” For instance, I use a ton of Kreg pocket hole screws. Using Camelcamelcamelcamel, I get alerts when they drop below a certain price. How awesome is that!
Home Depot and Lowe’s
Delta 36-725 Table Saw
Of course, I check the 2 big box store’s websites. They both have daily deals. The only caveat is they don’t always have tools on their daily deals. They have flooring, water faucets, drapery, heaters, etc. You just have to check everyday so you don’t miss those tool deals. A bonus is that if you are in the market for flooring or drapery, etc. you may luck up on a deal.
https://www.homedepot.com/SpecialBuy/SpecialBuyOfTheDay
Simply checking those 4 websites daily could save you hundreds of dollars a year if you buy tools and supplies on a regular bases. Below is a list of other websites that I check regularly as well.
DeWalt DWS779 Miter Saw
Other sites that are specific to woodworkers include Rockler.com, Woodcraft.com, Grizzly.com and others that are listed below. Check their deal pages to keep up with the latest deals.
If I know that I am going to shop in store, I always check for in store or printable coupons that may be available online. Retailmenot.com is a good site to check for these coupons. Believe it or not, ebay.com is a great place to find printable coupons. For instance when I purchased my Delta 36-725 table saw and my DeWalt DWS779 miter saw, I bought coupons from eBay that saved me $50 off each purchase. Simply search, "Lowe's coupons" on eBay and look for a $50 off coupon or whatever is available at the time. Mine were $50 off a purchase of $300 or more. I paid less than $2 for each coupon. The seller, emailed me a pdf that I could print and take to the store with me. I recommend looking for a seller with a good rating.
Other Deal Websites
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/clearance.aspx
https://www.woodcraft.com/categories/specials
http://www.rockler.com/rockler-promotions/current-promotions
https://www.woot.com/category/tools
https://www.amazon.com/Deals-Tools-Hardware/b?ie=UTF8&node=760330
https://www.dealnews.com/c197/Home-Garden/Tools-Hardware/
There you have it! I use those websites on a regular basis to save money. I hope you can take these tips and sites to save money for you! What websites or techniques do you use? Leave them in the comments below.
Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee that any of these methods or tips will actually save you money. Results may vary. These are only suggestions and results from my personal experience. Please follow all laws and regulations. This post contains affiliate links.