Couponing at Big Lots: How to Save at Big Lots Using Coupons, Rewards & Rebates

Big Lots offers overstock and closeout items with great deals and savings options. Use this guide to get the most for your money at Big Lots using coupons, rewards, and rebates.
Emily Finlay
Updated November 19, 2017

Big Lots is the best store for shoppers who want a great deal on overstock and closeout items.

First opened in 1987, Big Lots has become one of the biggest store chains in the discount retail industry. With other stores, such as Odd Lots, Pic ‘N’ Save, and Mac Frugal’s Bargains and Closeouts, Big Lots provides brand-name products at a much lower and more affordable price. Shoppers can find food, electronics, toys, furniture, seasonal items, and much more.

At Dealspotr, we are wholeheartedly committed to bringing you the best deals possible, so we have created this guide to help you get the best savings at Big Lots using coupons, rewards, and rebates.

Shop 20% Off Weekends

Every few months, Big Lots offers a special weekend promotion for shoppers. Usually, Buzz Club members will receive an additional 20% discount on their entire purchase on Saturday, then the promotion will be made available to everyone on the following Sunday. This coupon can be applied to all items storewide, usually excluding gift cards and dairy, and can rake in massive savings. These events happen multiple times a year, so keep an eye out for this promotion.

Join the Buzz Club

What It Is

If you like rewards programs, you’ll definitely like Big Lot’s Buzz Club. Completely free to join, the Buzz Club offers several rewards for Big Lot’s shoppers. When you sign up, you’ll receive exclusive access to special shopping events, discounts, special offers, and coupons. Members also get a first look at the weekly digital flyers, two days before they are released to the general public.

How It Works

Every purchase you make at the discount retail store helps you earn more rewards, as long as you use your rewards card or log in online. This applies to both in-store and online purchases made for regular-priced, sale, and clearance items, with a few exceptions. If you don’t have your card, don’t panic. Your cashier can use your email address to look up your account.  

To earn more perks, you have to make more purchases. The more frequent your purchases are, the more frequent your rewards will be. Earned rewards and special offers are sent to your email for you to print or loaded onto your rewards card. Rewards can be redeemed for most items, with only a few exclusions. The best part? The purchases you make with your rewards discounts help you earn your next reward!

Insider Tip

If you need to make a return for an item purchased within the last 30 days, you can use your rewards card as a receipt substitute. Just bring your rewards card and the item to your local store and the clerk will be able to look up your receipt using your rewards account.

Apply Coupons to Your Purchase

Whether you’re a frequent Big Lots shopper and Buzz Club member or an infrequent visitor, you can find incredible savings with coupons and promo codes at this discount retail store.

Big Lots offers multiple coupons, including rewards, full order discounts, and discounts on specific items. You can find a full list of the current discounts in the store’s weekly ad or find individual coupons on our page. If you are a Buzz Club member, you will receive your coupon rewards through your email.

Big Lots does not accept manufacturer or competitor coupons, so make sure the coupons you have are from the store before trying to apply them to your purchase.

Shop Through a Rebate Site

If you like to shop online, you may want to consider joining a rebate site for your shopping. Websites such as Ebates, Swagbucks, or BeFrugal offer discounts and cash back to shoppers who make purchases through their sites. Once you make an account, you can get up to 40% of your purchase back in cash. You can also apply coupons and promo codes when shopping through these rebate sites. You can currently receive 2% of your Big Lots purchase back in cash.

Buy Discounted Gift Cards

If you are a frequent Big Lots shopper, you may be able to save a ton of money by purchasing discounted gift cards. You can find these gift cards on websites such as Raise.com or GiftCardGranny.com with a guaranteed discount and free shipping. Right now, Big Lots gift cards are available with a 5% discount on both websites. These discounts can change, so be sure to check back often.

Find the Grocery Clear-Out Carts

When Big Lots has packages of almost-expired food, they usually place this food in a grocery cart near the door at the front of the store. This food is often heavily discounted and available for under a dollar. You will have to eat it fast, but the extremely low prices make this food well worth it.

Wait to Buy Seasonal Items

If you visit your local Big Lots and find a seasonal item you love, wait a few days before purchasing it. Seasonal item prices tend to drop quickly, so go back every few days to see if the price has dropped to your satisfaction. If you want the best deals, wait to buy any seasonal items until after the season or holiday is over. You’ll be able to get these items with deep discounts, some even 75% off!

Visit Your Local Store Frequently

Big Lots is full of overstock and closeout items, so they rarely have consistent inventory. They get new shipments regularly and none of these shipments are the same. If you want to find the best deals on items you can use and love, visit your local store often. You may be able to find inexpensive organic food, handy electronics accessories, or the perfect curtains for your new home. And if you don’t find what you want, plan to come back next week. You may find it then.

Look for Orange Stickers

If you see an item with an orange sticker, you’re in luck! When Big Lots holds a quick sale on certain items, they tag them with orange stickers. These products are often on sale with a discount as low as 75%, so snatch it up before someone else does!

Look Through the Clearance Racks

Every Big Lots store has a section reserved for clearance items. You can find anything from food to toys to furniture, all with 70-90% discounts. Whether you are at the store for something specific or you’re just browsing, be sure to give this section a quick walk-through. You never know what you’ll find.

Follow Big Lots on Social Media

Big Lots offers sale alerts, recipes, news, contests, charity updates, fun projects, and opportunities to interact with other shoppers on its social media pages. With accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram, the store offers several ways to connect with them for inspiration and assistance. If you have customer service questions or just want to get involved, be sure to give them a like or follow!

Ask for an Additional Discount on Damaged Inventory

If you find an item with a scratch, dent, or tear, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. Big Lots is usually very good about offering an extra discount for damaged merchandise, often offering an additional 10% discount for the damage. Be sure to look for misprinted items, as well, as this can also get you an extra discount