24 Brilliant Kohl's Shopping Tips

Kohl's shoppers who understand the game can save more than 50% without breaking a sweat. Kohl's, on the other hand, makes it difficult. To save at Kohl's, we must navigate a complex set of rules that apply to each coupon and sale.

But that's why we're here: to help you make sense of Kohl's couponing — and keep your money in your pocket.

We'll start with a breakdown of Kohl's Cash and rewards, then cover the best Kohl's sales and clearance secrets, and — finally — all the nitty-gritty rules like price matching, price adjusting, and dealing with Kohl's customer service issues.

Remember to bookmark JoinSavvy.com and make Kohl's your favorite store! We'll keep you updated on all Kohl's sales, coupons, and promo codes.

1. Receive $10 in Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent.

One of the best aspects of shopping at Kohl's is Kohl's Cash. It's essentially free money that Rewards members receive every time they shop. Kohl's Cash, on the other hand, is given to customers who shop during special earning sales or make an Amazon return.

Concerning those special earning opportunities. Normally, you receive $10 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent, but occasionally you will receive $5 for every $25 spent. Kohl's will notify you via their homepage or advertisements. Earning events are rarely more than two weeks long, and they are followed by a few days of redemption.

Three important facts:

You must reach $50 after applying all applicable discounts and before tax.
Kohl's Cash always takes precedence over percent-off coupons and discounts.
Kohl's Cash comes in two colors: green and blue, which only matters if you don't use it before it expires.

2. Expired (green) Kohl's Cash can be used for up to 7 days.

Don't throw away your Kohl's Cash!

Despite what the Kohl's website says, you can use expired Kohl's Cash in store or online for up to 7 days from the date of expiration. Give the Kohl's Cash to the store associate to apply to your order.

If you're shopping online, go to Kohls.com and find the item you want to buy, then call (855) 564-5705 to place your order. Your expired Kohl's Cash will be applied to your order by the associate.

As previously stated, this will not work with blue Kohl's Cash earned through the Rewards program. Kohl's Cash earned through Rewards is only valid for one month.

SAVVY SECRET: If the in-store associate refuses to accept your expired Kohl's Cash, simply call the number above and place an order from home. Many store employees are unaware that they can accept Kohl's Cash for up to 7 days after it has expired.

3. With the Kohl's Rewards loyalty program, you can earn 5% Kohl's Cash all the time.

Sign up for Kohl's Rewards in-store, online, or through the app. Simply present your Rewards card, mobile device, or email when paying. Then, 5% of every purchase will be deposited into your Kohl's "Wallet." When you pay with a Kohl's credit card, you'll earn an additional 2.5%, making it 7.5% Kohl's Rewards on every purchase.

It is simple to keep track of rewards. You can view your rewards balance by tapping the "wallet" icon in your app, visiting your profile on Kohl's.com, or even asking a store associate to look up your account using only your name and phone number.

You'll receive special Kohl's coupons and promo codes throughout the year, in addition to regularly accruing rewards with each purchase.

Just don't make the silly mistake of not providing your birthdate when you sign up. Don't you want a birthday discount?

4. Get free shipping at Kohl's when you shop online or through the Kohl's app.

Spend $35 or more at Kohl's online and get free shipping. There are other ways to get free shipping at Kohl's. Place an order through the Kohl's app or during online checkout, select "free ship to store."

Here are the two ways to get free shipping from Kohl's, both of which require a trip to your local Kohl's:

When you enable location services in the store. When you shop in-store, you can get free shipping by ordering from the Kohl's app. Turn on your location services so Kohl's knows you're ordering in-store!
Choose the ship-to-store option.You'll have to drive to a Kohl's location, but you won't have to pay shipping on the item you got for free with Kohl's Cash.

If available, you can always choose free store pickup during checkout.

5. Sign up for Kohl's text and email lists to receive 15% off and Kohl's coupons.

The key to saving money when shopping at Kohl's is to obtain as many Kohl's coupons as you can. Aside from finding promo codes on Kohls.com, here are a few other surefire ways to get a coupon:

You can get a 15% off coupon by texting SAVE02 to KOHLS (56457).
Join the Kohl's email list to receive another 15% off coupon (opt in to emails when you create your Kohl's Rewards account).

6. Receive a 15% - 25% off coupon or $5 Kohl's cash when you return an Amazon item to Kohl's.

It's simple to make an Amazon return at a Kohl's location.

Simply use the Amazon app to request a return and select "Kohl's Dropoff." Then, bring your item to your local Kohl's store's designated Amazon returns drop-off area. You don't even have to worry about packaging it!

Show the associate the return code that Amazon sends to your email, and Kohl's will package and return it to Amazon on your behalf. You've now earned a Kohl's coupon (I've seen them offer 15% - 25% off) or $5 in Kohl's Cash.

7. As a Kohl's credit cardholder, you'll get 15%, 20%, and 30% off Kohl's coupons every month.

If you shop at least once a month, the Kohl's credit card is worth considering. When you are approved, you will receive a 35% off coupon to use with your first Kohl's Card purchase.

The best cardholder benefit, however, is that Kohl's sends 15%, 20%, and 30% off coupons every month. Shopping at Kohl's once a month just got a whole lot easier.

By the way, if you spend more than $600 in a year, you'll be considered one of Kohl's "Most Valuable Customers." The flattery is nice, but my favorite feature is the $0 minimum free shipping. Yep. Kohl's MVCs never pay for shipping.

8. Use the Kohl's app to scan paper coupons and redeem them online.

Never miss another deal again — save them to your phone so they're always available. Scan your physical coupons by selecting "Wallet" from the Kohl's app on your smartphone. Tap "Scan to Enter," and you'll have it with you the next time you visit Kohl's — or if you shop online.

Of course, if you make a purchase on Kohls.com, your Kohl's Cash will be automatically credited to your account and displayed in your app. The app is especially useful for those annoying (but lovely!) paper coupons.

9. You can combine up to four Kohl's coupons per purchase.

Like we said before, never shop at Kohls.com without a coupon code! Kohl's coupon policy states that you can use up to four promo codes per order (or two if you're using a mobile device). However, there are two major caveats:

Per transaction, you can only use one percent-off coupon.
Kohl's coupons have a long list of brand exclusions (yet another reason I prefer Kohl's Cash, which has only a few exclusions).

Don't forget to look for Kohl's coupons on JoinSavvy.com, Kohl's website, and your local Kohl's weekly ad.

10. Your savings will be computed in the following order.

Regardless of the order you enter your coupon codes or present your coupons in store, the Kohl's system will calculate them as follows:

Department-specific, dollar-off coupons ($5 off a $20 fragrance purchase).
Percent-off, Kohl's coupon codes (for example, 15% off women's beauty purchases) will be applied to qualifying items.
Dollar-off coupons (Kohl's Cash first, then sitewide coupons such as $10 off a $50 or more purchase) will be deducted from your subtotal.
There will be only one sitewide, percent-off coupon (15% off an entire purchase) applied.
After applying all other discounts, the free shipping code will be applied if you spend at least $75.

11. Use mail-in rebates to save even more money after you buy.

Kohl's mail-in rebates can save you up to $40 or $50 for only a few minutes of work! Prepaid Visa cards, cash back, valuable credits towards future purchases, and other incentives are examples of rebate offers.

Always check Kohl's rebates before purchasing small appliances, pots and pans, or small electrics (such as an electric razor), as we've seen rebates on these items throughout the year.

12. Use discounted gift cards to save money in addition to coupons and discounts.

Another excellent way to maximize your Kohl's dollar is to purchase discounted gift cards online and use them to make your purchase.

Raise, for example, has provided up to 5% savings on the face value of Kohl's gift cards.

Kohl's doesn't know (or care) that you purchased the gift card at a discount, so your savings are built in.

13. Take advantage of Kohl's sales schedule to save 40 to 70% on bedding, bras, and swimsuits.

Unless you intend to do a year's worth of Kohl's shopping on Black Friday (hey, I wouldn't blame you — more on that sale below), it's a good idea to be aware of Kohl's sales schedule and plan your shopping trips accordingly.

And, hey, one of the benefits of tracking the best Kohl's deals every week for years is that you get a sense of when their best sales are. Here are a few that you won't want to miss:

January: Kohl's White Sale: 40-65% off bedding and home, plus $10 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent.
March: Kohl's Semi-Annual Intimates Sale: 60% off bras with $10 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent.
Late May/early June: Kohl's Memorial Day Sale: 50-70 percent off swimsuits, 65% off women's sandals, and $5 in Kohl's Cash for every $25 spent.
August: Kohl's Semi-Annual Intimates Sale: 60% off bras with $10 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent.
September: Labor Day Sale at Kohl's: 70% off The Big One bedding, 40% - 50% off shoes, 60% off kitchen appliances, and $5 Kohl's Cash for every $25 spent.

SAVVY SECRET: If the savings in these sales don't impress you, shop Kohl's clearance section the weekend after these events end to save 10 - 20% more — if not more — assuming you're lucky enough to find items in your size.

14. Shop Kohl's online Black Friday sales for the best deals and save up to 50%.

Kohl's Black Friday deals on Nintendo and Fitbit, as well as pjs, slippers, comforters, and towels, are usually among the best.

Because the prices and Kohl's Cash are the same in store and online, there's no reason to visit the store. Unless you enjoy crowds, chaos, and not being the first to find the best deals.

Why is Kohl's one of the best Black Friday shopping destinations? Because their prices are comparable to those of Target or Walmart, but at Kohl's you earn Kohl's Cash with every purchase, such as this Fitbit smartwatch, which will earn us $30 in Kohl's Cash.

15. Save 60-80% off shoes, Under Armour, and Nike at Kohl's Clearance.

The best savings can be found on Kohl's clearance, particularly on brands like Under Armour and Nike, which are typically not eligible for coupons. This is true if you plan to shop at Kohl's outside of the sales we mentioned above.

The majority of the clearance items I find are between 55 and 70% off the regular price.

Clearance prices will continue to fall by 5% every few weeks that an item does not sell. That's why it's unusual to see 80% off, but we have saved 80 - 90% on clearance items enough times to know it's worth looking. Remember that you can use Kohl's coupons on clearance items, as we did here to save 80% off a pair of women's loafers.

16. Look for the yellow sticker on the clearance price tags at Kohl's.

How do you know when something will be on sale? Look for a yellow sticker on the price tag—this indicates that the item has reached its lowest price of the season, and it will not be reduced again... unless it receives another clearance markdown.

17. Kohl's physical stores will match a lower Kohls.com price.

Kohl's online prices are sometimes lower than in-store prices. Fortunately, Kohl's stores will match Kohls.com — simply show customer service the lower online price, and they should adjust it for you.

However, Kohl's general policy for matching competitor prices is a little confusing because there is a long list of brands that Kohl won't match. Also, Kohl's physical stores will only match competitor physical store print ad prices.

Kohls.com, on the other hand, will match competitors' online prices. To request a price match for a competitor's online sale price, call the Kohls.com service center at (855) 564-5705.

Price matching is not available on clearance items (only sale items), during Black Friday week, or on Buy One Get One (BOGO) items.

18. Get paid if the price drops after you make your purchase.

Yes, Kohl's makes price changes!

If an item you purchased goes on sale within 14 days of your purchase, show your original receipt as well as proof that the price was reduced from the final price you paid. Clearance and BOGO markdowns are not eligible. Unfortunately, you cannot apply a new promo code or coupon to an existing order.

Make a price adjustment request at the customer service desk. Here is Kohl's price adjustment policy.

If you ask for a price adjustment, any coupons you used on your original purchase must still be valid, or you will be unable to apply them to the new, lower price.

19. You can even get a price adjustment if you used a price match to purchase the item.

If you price match an item at Kohl's and they sell it to you at the lower price of the competitor, and then your item goes on sale at Kohl's for even less within the 14-day price adjustment period, you can march back into the store with your receipt and request a price adjustment.

Kohl's will refund the difference as if it were a regular price adjustment.

20. Small appliances and clothing are the best purchases at Kohl's all year.

Honestly? Almost everything is the best thing to buy at Kohl's. If you twisted my arm and forced me to pick just a few, I'd say small appliances and clothing, because we routinely see unrivaled savings on these items, thanks in large part to the Kohl's Cash program. I used to increase my savings rate well above 60%.

21. Toys and beauty products are the worst things to buy at Kohl's.

Now, we're not saying never. Toys and beauty items, on the other hand, are two categories at Kohl's where you cannot use coupons, making them some of the less-awesome items to buy at Kohl's.

The list of Kohl's coupon exclusions is lengthy, but not every brand on the list is a "do not buy."

22. Visit Kohl's on Wednesdays to take advantage of their senior discount.

If you're 60 or older, you can get a 15% discount at Kohl's on Wednesdays. Because this is a sitewide discount, you can combine it with dollar-off discounts but not with other percent-off discounts.

Sadly, regular Kohl's coupon exclusion rules remain in effect.

23. On Mondays, get a military discount at Kohl's.

This discount isn't just for active-duty and retired military personnel. On Mondays, you can get 15% off if you have an active Military ID or Form DD214.

This means that if you served one tour and were honorably discharged, the discount is also yours.

The same rules apply to the senior discount.

24. You can return your Kohl's item for up to six months after purchasing it.

Kohl's return policy allows customers 180 days to return most items and still receive a full refund. You don't even need to provide a receipt (just a phone number or your Kohl's Rewards account number). If they can't find any proof of purchase, you'll still get a refund based on the item's lowest 13-week sale price.

So, what's the catch? The most major drawback is that Kohl's charges for return shipping on all items. However, you can easily avoid this by returning your items in-store.

Don't worry if you're returning an item purchased with Kohl's Cash. Kohl's will issue a refund for your Kohl's Cash. If it's no longer valid, they'll replace it with a new Kohl's Cash coupon of the same value.

Please let us know if you need any additional information on any of these tips, and we will gladly help you in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Gift Cards Travel 24 Brilliant Kohl's Shopping Tips