Filling up your CO2 tank from the big hardware store might seem convenient, but you may be spending more on that convenience than you would if you filled up at the gas station. If you use CO2 in your fish tank or grow lights, you may be wondering if it’s worth the money to fill your CO2 tank at Lowe’s. Lowe’s offers CO2 tanks to their customers for use with garden plants, and if you rent the tank from them, you can return it anytime after it runs out of CO2 and get it refilled.
But you need to be aware that the cost of this service could end up costing you more in the long run than buying your own tank would have. Find out why in this article on whether or not Lowe’s fills CO2 tanks.
Here are three things to consider to know, is it Worth the Money to Fill the CO2 tank at Lowe’s?
Advantages of using Lowes
Many home improvement and sporting goods stores will fill tanks for their customers, but not many can beat Lowes’ prices.
- Many competitors charge 10% over Lowes’ prices, which can really add up if you use your tank frequently.
- On top of that, some home improvement stores may require you to buy paint or other supplies in order to have them fill your tank; Lowes won’t make you do that.
- The only real drawback here is that you can’t return a completely empty tank; you have one day from when you buy it before they won’t accept returns on full tanks, so make sure you have time between when you purchase a new one and when you go back to Lowe’s for refills! You should also keep an eye out for sales—Lowe’s often runs promotions where you can save even more than usual by buying refills.
In our research, we found that even with sales discounts factored in (10% off a $50 tank) filling at Lowes was still cheaper than most of its competitors. If convenience is key to you (and who doesn’t want more beer?) then buying directly from Costco could be another great option—their gas fills are $3 less per fill than any competitor we checked out.
However, keep in mind that it takes an extra two days to process an order with Costco compared to Lowe’s–not quite as convenient!
Disadvantages of using Lowes
The cost of getting a Lowes CO2 refilled is much higher than a local gas supply store. The local supply stores are less expensive and offer you more savings over time.
- The costs vary depending on your location, but be sure to check prices before using Lowes as they will add up quickly!
- You may also need to make an appointment with Lowe’s, which can be inconvenient especially if you are in a rush.
- This makes it a hassle for shoppers who are not interested in paying more for their refills just because they do not want to go out of their way.
- There have been numerous complaints about Lowe’s customer service representatives providing misinformation or giving wrong information that has lead many customers to being overcharged by these representatives.
- Customers should always double-check any information given by store representatives as mistakes can happen easily during busy hours.
- Many of these complaints claim that after leaving the store and realizing they were misinformed, employees refused to refund the money unless they returned with their receipt or could prove they were charged incorrectly based on another employee’s statement. By no means should customers have to pay again just because there was a mistake made on behalf of one of Lowe’s employees.
- Additionally, most people simply do not enjoy shopping at Lowe’s due to its massive size and hard-to-navigate layout.
- Many would rather spend half of their day waiting in line only to find that Lowe’s does not sell what they were looking for, or worse—never find what they are looking for. Overall, while lowe’s seems like a quick solution initially, it often leads to more frustration and wasted time than convenience and value.
- And let us not forget: why drive all around town when we have several CO2 refill locations right here in the community that charge much less?
Tips on how to save money
When you’re trying to figure out how to save money and live a frugal lifestyle, it can be tempting to resort to extreme measures.
- Just because a lot of people want something, though, doesn’t mean that you should buy it. Think about what you need versus what you want.
- Is there any way that an expensive purchase could fit into your budget without stretching too far?
- What can you sacrifice in order to spend less?
It may take some creative thinking, but with some perseverance and patience, there are always options for saving money in any budget. There are many simple things that can help us do things more economically and efficiently.
These tips not only help us save money, they help us keep our environment healthy as well. Save those pennies!
You never know when they will come in handy. If nothing else, have fun with them by tracking your savings so you can see exactly where all your hard work is going.
The best thing about keeping track of your finances is seeing them grow over time. That’s why having separate accounts for investments and retirement is crucial.
These accounts shouldn’t be used for frivolous spending; rather, they should only be used if you are saving specifically towards those goals.
Sock away that money so you can continue working years down the road.
The earlier you start investing (or even better) paying yourself first, the sooner it will begin to grow on its own, allowing these funds to build up by themselves each month or quarter until one day…you’ll look back and realize just how much money you’ve saved over time.
