These TJ Maxx Hacks Will Help You Get The Best Prices For Quality Pieces

Featured Image Source

Is there anyone who doesn’t love shopping at TJ Maxx? I look at my partner about once a week and ask him to join me in a romantic walk down the aisle…of TJ Maxx. 

But one thing that I’ve always wanted to know is if there is a secret to finding the best deals at TJ Maxx — hacks, if you will. That is, if there is truly a way to find the Maxx for the minimum that goes beyond just going into a store and buying everything you want. My curiosity got the better of me and I can officially say I am a true Maxxonista. Here are the best TJ Maxx hacks for the ultimate deals.

Stock Up On Groceries

You might have seen the huge bags of chips at TJ Maxx and breezed past them, thinking they had all expired or been picked through by the time they got on the shelf. While I don’t want to promise anything, I have never been let down by TJ Maxx’s food. The store often stocks up on interesting finds. While you might not find everything on your grocery list, there are numerous fun and festive foods down those aisles. My favorite food item is coffee because it’s always flavored and only $5!

Treat Your Pup

Did somebody say puppy play date? You can bring your dog to TJ Maxx if you want to go shopping with your furry companion! Just make sure they stay on the leash and are well behaved. While you’re on your pup date, check out the pet aisle as well. There are always dog beds and name-brand treats, clothes, and even costumes for your pet!

Schedule Your Shopping

I grew up going to TJ Maxx on Thursdays because that’s when our local store got restocked. Usually, TJ Maxx stores will get shipments three to five times a week, so if you want to go multiple days, we won’t fault you! Wednesday mornings are typically when things get priced down. That’s not to say that employees won’t continue to mark down items throughout the week, but across the board Wednesdays are usually the best time to go!

Someone Has Your Size!

If you see a clothing item you have to have, but they don’t have your size, don’t worry. Your size might be hiding in another section, another size, or at another store. If you want to call another TJ Maxx that is nearby or a Marshalls, they usually have your size waiting for you!

Check the Price Tag Colors

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked something up, looked at the price, and said, “I’ll come back when it’s on sale”. If my mom’s reading this, I blame you. But if you’re confused about what the price tags mean: white means normal or ‘full’ price, red means the price has been marked down once, and yellow means that’s the product’s final price. An ex-employee said that TJ Maxx can continue to mark down the yellow tags, but we would suggest not waiting too long on those.  

If you see a purple price tag, that means the item is off the runway — it’s high-end clothing from last season. You’ll probably find more purple-tagged items the closer you live to a big city. So sorry, small-town folks, you might be out of luck. 

Buy for Next Season

Am I the only one who finds joy in buying for Christmas in January? TJ Maxx has the biggest markdowns during July and January. During these months, the store will put the majority of its merchandise on clearance. And we mean mega clearance. Have you ever had to buy something because it was 105,000% off? *Cue Lorelai Gilmore shopping for Luke in that one episode.* July and January are the times to find that 500% off sale that we’ve all been searching for.

The “Compare At” Prices Aren’t Always True

I’m not saying that TJ Maxx is lying, but you shouldn’t buy something just because it was marked down from the ‘original price’ — it’s probably not a hack like you think. *Sadly discard Lorelai Gilmore shopping for Luke.* The high prices that you might see on the tags could be true, or they could be exaggerated prices.

Check Online As Well

Many people will price-check their TJ Maxx finds with Amazon’s prices. While that might give you a better idea of the ‘Compare At’ price’s validity, TJ Maxx’s competitors are actually Macy’s and the clearance sections of Saks and Nordstrom.

TJ Maxx Makes Their Own Clothes

This sounds a little shady at first, but TJ Maxx has been known to make some brand knock-offs. If you see a brand-named item that has a suspiciously low price, check on the bottom inside tag to see if the designer’s name is in it, or if it’s TJ Maxx’s name. I’m not judging any brand knock-offs, but you might just want to check before you claim that you got the best deal of your life.

Keep Looking

TJ Maxx has thousands of clothes. Some items can get overlooked. I’ve had multiple moments when I grab a dress, check out the clearance aisle, and there’s the same dress for $5 cheaper. If that happens to you, bring both dresses to the front of the store and ask for the sale price for the item you want. It always happens when the dress on sale isn’t my size, but thankfully they usually match the lowest price.

Know What Not To Get

While the prices might be tempting (especially with the inflated “Compare At” prices) we suggest you don’t get bedding or towels from TJ Maxx. Often, you’ll find better deals and better stock at Target or Macy’s. I also suggest heading to the dollar store for gift bags instead of TJ Maxx’s. The Dollar Store has bags for a dollar, so the product and quality can be a little flimsy, while TJ Maxx has similar-quality bags for $6.

Be Careful With Beauty Products

I worked at a beauty boutique in high school and I distinctly remember my coworker looking at me in horror when I mentioned buying my beauty products at TJ Maxx (I thought it was a smart hack). Turns out, the internet (and I) is 50/50 on this. I would suggest you be very careful with the makeup. A lot of people will open the makeup and even test it in the store (rude!), then put it back in the packaging if they don’t like it. I’d also suggest not to get too attached to any makeup you see because the shades sent to TJ Maxx are usually the least popular colors or limited/holiday collections, so you won’t see them again.

Check For Damage

This also has happened a few times. I’ll get home from a TJ Maxx spree and I’ll try on my dresses. Everything’s fine until I turn around and see London, France, and my little butt through the hole in my dress. TJ Maxx’s return policy is pretty amazing, but if the item is on final sale, I suggest you check twice before checking out. If you do happen to find a small tear or stain that you could fix, *kindly* tell the cashier. My mom has gotten countless discounts on clothes that have a little rip in them. If the rips are small enough, you can get the deal, go home, sew it up, and look like the cat that ate the canary the rest of the day.

When In Doubt, Go Online

Online shopping is my weakness. I have the apps and the emails and the websites pulled up constantly. Even though I love TJ Maxx, it can be a little overwhelming. Their website isn’t though! TJ Maxx’s website offers the same deals, just not with as much selection — not a problem when it comes to this affordable hack.

If you’re thinking about going out during Black Friday or a major holiday, check out the website first to see if you can snag some deals. The online clearance section is usually where you’re going to find the best deals as well because it hasn’t been as picked over as the one in the store. And the ‘sort by: price low to high’ feature online is a game-changer.

Who’s ready for a shopping trip to TJ Maxx? I’m heading out right now! Did you know any of these TJ Maxx hacks already? Tell us below!

For More Affordable Fashion Finds, Read These:

These Lululemon Dupes From Amazon Are Affordable And Just As Fashionable

These Top 10 Under $100 Finds Will Make You Effortlessly Edgy