8 IKEA Shopping Tricks

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Similar to other large box stores, there are ways to maximize your savings and time at IKEA. Here are eight such hacks that'll help you walk out the doors with a great deal on your next visit.

1. Make Your Shopping List Online

A great way to make your next trek to IKEA a faster, and more pleasant experience, is to first create your shopping list online at IKEA.com. Just add items to your virtual "Shopping List" and print it out. The reason this is such a great idea is because your list will tell you the exact location of each item in the physical warehouse, right down to the aisle and bin number. You'll end up savings oodles of time as you can head directly to your items without wandering the cavernous warehouse.

2. Always Enter Directly Through the Exit

With your shopping list in hand, enter through the exit. By doing so, you'll end up in the actual warehouse where you can quickly find the aisles and bins of the items on your list, and you'll skip the shiny showroom and all those temptations.

3. Use Lowe's Kitchen Design Service Before Going to IKEA

A kitchen facelift, or full remodel, is easily one of the more expensive home improvement projects you can undertake. A great way to save money on a kitchen remodel is to take advantage of Lowe's free kitchen design service and then use those plans when purchasing cabinets from IKEA. By doing so, you'll get a free professional kitchen design, plus easily save 30%–40% at IKEA compared to buying custom cabinets from Lowe's, Home Depot, or a cabinet shop in your local area.

4. Shop the "As Is" Section on a Monday

An often overlooked section of any IKEA warehouse is the "As Is" department, which is typically hidden away near the cash registers. This is where they store their discontinued items, damaged products, and returns, and they always sell them for a hefty discount. Try to always shop the "As Is" section on a Monday morning, as most returns happen over the weekend.

Plus, many of the items are already assembled, which will save you a bunch of time and frustration. Also, you'll get an extra 10% off all "As Is" items every Wednesday if you sign up for...

5. IKEA's Family Program

If you shop at IKEA at least a couple times a year, you should definitely sign up for the free IKEA Family Program. Not only will you be emailed exclusive coupons and discounts, but you'll also get 90-day price protection and a chance to win a $100 IKEA gift card. Throw in a free cup of coffee or tea on every visit, and the extra 30 minutes your kids can spend playing in SmÃ¥land, and it's a total no-brainer.

6. Moving Soon? Score a $25 Coupon

IKEA rarely has a coupon available for public use. But if you're moving in the near future, you'd be wise to take advantage of their Moving Program which entitles you to a coupon good for $25 off your next $250+ purchase. Simply enter your existing address and your new address, and the $25 coupon is yours.

7. Buy IKEA Items From Amazon to Save on Shipping

Did you know that you can now buy hundreds of IKEA items on Amazon? If you're an Amazon Prime member, this is a fantastic way to get IKEA items delivered to your home with free two-day shipping. A word to the wise, prices on Amazon are roughly 25%–40% higher than the physical IKEA warehouse. But in many cases, if you don't have an IKEA near you, prices on Amazon will still beat other local furniture outlets.

8. Missing Parts? Don't Return to IKEA

If you've ever attempted to put together a piece of IKEA furniture, you already know how many parts and hardware come in the box. Inevitably you'll run into a situation where you're missing a part or screw. The next time this happens to you, don't get in the car and drive all the way back to the warehouse as you'll do nothing but add to your frustration.

Instead, examine your instruction manual and determine the exact part number you're missing. Then, call your local IKEA and they'll happily mail you your replacement parts. When calling, bypass the operator immediately by asking for the specific department your item is stocked in. Those are the only employees who can quickly get your parts in the mail.

What are some of your favorite IKEA items and did you score a deal on them?

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