Unlock Hidden Savings: Expert Tips for Finding the Best Deals at Walmart

A girl is in a shopping cart.

Everyone knows about Black Friday deals and after-Christmas clearance sales, but those are neither the only Wal-Mart bargains nor the best. If you're a bargain hunter, you've probably already discovered the clearance isle. If not, check it out. More and better bargains are available in other parts of the store. Take your time when shopping. Assume nothing. Look for markdowns not only in clearance areas but throughout the store. Doing so can save you big money.

Step 1

Look for discounts on meats. The day before the sell-by day for fresh meat, Wal-Mart discounts the meat by 30 percent. Meat markdowns are usually made in the morning, often by 8 a.m., although the time varies even within the same store. It's best to do your shopping in the morning to have the best chance of finding a bargain.

Step 2

Purchase bakery goods, including donuts, breads, pies, and cakes, the prices of which are reduced by 40 percent as their expiration nears. To extend their usefulness, try freezing them. Many Wal-Marts have more day-old baked goods than they can mark down. A good many are simply thrown away. If you're in the store when day-old items are being pulled, ask the associate for any particular bakery item you are seeking. You might get lucky. This only works in the mornings before the excess day old products are destroyed.

Step 3

Explore overstocks. The best bargains are found on overstocks of products that expire. Overstocks occur when a product doesn't sell as well as anticipated or when Wal-Mart sends a store far more than can be sold before the product expires. This latter situation occurs on a regular basis.

Step 4

Search for bargains scattered among full-price items. While some products are pulled from the shelves and placed in a special clearance area, others are left in place on the shelves. This is especially true of refrigerated products. Look for "Save Even More" price tags.