How to Save at Macy’s: Star Rewards, Coupons, and Sale Calendar (2026)

A practical guide to saving at Macy’s: Star Rewards tiers, coupon stacking rules, the 2026 sale calendar, and Backstage deals explained. Learn which strategies actually work.

Our team regularly tests the deals and codes mentioned in this article.

Most people think saving at Macy’s means finding a random promo code and hoping it works. That’s the least effective strategy you can use. The real savings come from understanding how Macy’s layers its discounts, when the best sales hit, and how to time your Star Rewards earning to squeeze the most value out of every dollar. Here’s the playbook we use at DontPayFull after years of tracking this retailer.

The Macy’s Star Rewards Program Explained

Star Rewards is the backbone of every Macy’s savings strategy. It’s free to join and has four tiers that determine how fast you earn rewards and what perks you unlock.

Bronze is the entry level. No credit card required. You earn 1 point per dollar spent at Macy’s, and you can pay with any card you want. Free shipping kicks in at $39.

Silver requires a Macy’s credit card and $1 to $499 in annual Macy’s card spending. You earn 2 points per dollar and get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.

Gold unlocks at $500 to $1,199 in annual spending. The earning rate jumps to 3 points per dollar, and here’s where it gets good: free standard shipping with no minimum purchase.

Platinum is the top tier at $1,200 or more annually. You earn 5 points per dollar on every Macy’s purchase, every day, with no merchandise exclusions. Free shipping, no minimum. That 5% back rate makes the card competitive with general-purpose cashback cards, but only at Macy’s.

Every 1,000 points converts to $10 in Star Money. But watch the clock. Star Money expires 30 days after it’s issued, and your points disappear if your account goes 12 months without a qualifying purchase.

How Star Money Bonus Days Work

Here’s the detail that trips up most shoppers. If you’re at Silver or Gold status, you can only earn points during Star Money Bonus Days. Not on regular shopping days. Only during those specific promotional windows that Macy’s runs several times per year.

Platinum members earn on every purchase and get bonus points during those same windows, so the gap between Silver and Platinum is even bigger than the per-dollar rate suggests.

These bonus events can be lucrative. A recent MAC promotion gave Star Rewards members $10 in Star Money for every $40 MAC purchase in a single transaction. That’s an effective 25% reward before any other discount. Keep an eye on macys.com/starmoney for upcoming dates.

Macy’s Credit Card Benefits Worth Knowing

Macy’s offers two credit card versions, and you don’t get to pick which one you receive. You submit one application, and Macy’s (through Citibank) decides whether you qualify for the American Express version or the basic store card.

The basic Macy’s Credit Card works only at Macy’s, macys.com, and Macy’s Backstage. No annual fee. The APR sits at 27.49% variable, which is steep.

The Macy’s American Express Card works anywhere Amex is accepted. Same $0 annual fee, same APR. But it earns 3 points per dollar at restaurants, 2 points at gas stations and supermarkets, and 1 point everywhere else outside Macy’s. That outside-Macy’s earning feeds into the same Star Money pool.

So what’s the catch? All those points, whether earned at Macy’s or a gas station, can only be redeemed as Star Money at Macy’s. No cash back, no transfer partners, no flexibility. If you don’t shop at Macy’s consistently, a general-purpose cashback card will serve you better.

New cardholders typically get around 20% off in-store and 30% off online during their first two days after approval, up to a dollar cap. That’s a decent one-time perk, but make sure you time your big purchase for that window.

Free Shipping Thresholds by Tier

Shipping costs eat into your savings faster than you’d think. Here’s the breakdown:

• Non-card shoppers: free shipping on orders $49 or more
• Bronze Star Rewards: free on $39 or more
• Silver: free on $25 or more
• Gold and Platinum: free standard shipping, no minimum

Furniture, mattresses, oversized rugs, and shipments to non-contiguous U.S. addresses are excluded from all of these. Worth factoring in if you’re buying big-ticket items.

How to Use Macy’s Coupons and Promo Codes

The easiest Macy’s coupon to get is the 25% off signup code. Sign up for emails, and you’ll receive a promo code for 25% off your next order. Signing up for text messages gives you the same deal. These are separate channels, so you can use one or the other (not both on the same order).

To apply a promo code on macys.com: add items to your bag, click the bag icon in the upper-right corner, paste your code into the “Enter Promo Code” box, and click Apply.

One important rule: Macy’s allows only one promo code per order. That’s it. Choose wisely. The right move is to pick the code with the highest effective discount for your specific cart.

And here’s where the fine print matters. Macy’s coupon exclusion lists are notoriously long. Many premium brands, designer categories, Apple products, furniture, mattresses, and select items are carved out. Always check the exclusion list before assuming your code will work on what you’re buying.

Coupon Stacking at Macy’s: What You Can Combine

You can’t stack multiple promo codes. But you can layer different types of discounts, and that’s where the real strategy lives.

Macy’s applies discounts in a waterfall: first the item-level sale or clearance markdown, then any category-wide promotion, then your one promo code applied to the remaining eligible subtotal. Shipping and taxes don’t count toward promo thresholds.

So a practical stacking strategy looks like this: shop during a sale event, apply the single best promo code you can find, earn Star Money on the purchase, and then use cashback through a service like Rakuten (which currently offers up to 12% back at Macy’s).

During Friends and Family events, this layering gets even better. The FRIEND code gives you up to 30% off eligible items. Many designer brands are excluded from the code, but Macy’s often runs Star Money bonus offers on those excluded brands at the same time. So you earn accelerated rewards on the items the code doesn’t cover.

From tracking Macy’s promotions for years across our platform, we’ve noticed that the single biggest mistake shoppers make is grabbing the first promo code they see instead of comparing available codes. A 25% off code and a “$20 off $100” code give you very different results depending on your cart total. On a $75 order, the $20 off code saves you more. On a $120 order, the 25% wins. Tools like our DontPayFull extension can test available codes at checkout so you don’t have to do the math yourself.

Macy’s 2026 Sale Calendar: When to Shop

Timing matters more at Macy’s than at most retailers because the sale events are predictable but the discounts vary significantly.

January: Semi-Annual Clearance. This is one of the two deepest markdown periods of the year. Expect up to 75% off winter clothing, holiday decor, and seasonal items. If you’re not in a rush, this is the best month to buy coats, boots, and winter accessories.

February: Presidents Day Sale weekend. Solid discounts on home goods, bedding, and small appliances.

March-April: Spring sale events pick up. Friends and Family typically runs in late April, predicted around April 23 to May 2 for 2026. Up to 30% off with code FRIEND.

May: Memorial Day Sale. Strong deals on mattresses, outdoor furniture, and summer clothing. Mother’s Day beauty promotions usually offer gift-with-purchase deals on cosmetics and fragrance.

June-July: Semi-Annual Clearance returns in July. Second deepest markdown of the year. Summer Friends and Family event usually falls in June. This is your window for swimwear, sandals, and warm-weather clearance.

August-September: Back-to-school sales. Best month for kids’ shoes and sneakers. Dresses and occasionwear go on sale as stores transition to fall inventory.

October: Fall Friends and Family event. Good for coats and outerwear before winter prices set.

November: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Macy’s typically offers up to 60 to 75% off across categories, with early access for Star Rewards members and cardholders. Black Friday falls on November 27, 2026.

December: After-Christmas clearance starting around December 26. One Day Sales may run twice in December. Macy’s Money earning events usually fall between Black Friday and Christmas.

Best Time to Buy by Category

Not every sale is created equal. Some categories have clear best-buy windows:

• Coats and winter gear: January and February clearance
• Boots: Black Friday and January clearance
• Dresses and occasionwear: January through February and August through September
• Kids’ shoes and sneakers: Late July through August (back-to-school)
• Small appliances and cookware: Holiday weekends, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday
• Beauty and fragrance: Mother’s Day promotions and the November-December gifting season

Friends and Family Sale: How to Maximize Your Savings

Friends and Family runs three to four times per year, typically lasting one to two weeks each window. The spring event is usually the biggest.

The discount structure: up to 30% off clothing and accessories, and 10% to 25% off beauty, jewelry, and mattresses via a special promo code (usually FRIEND). Many designer and prestige brands are excluded from the percentage-off code, which is where the fine print frustrates people.

But here’s the smart play. During Friends and Family, Macy’s often runs parallel Star Money bonus offers on those excluded brands. So you might not get 30% off a Ralph Lauren jacket, but you could earn $10 to $20 in Star Money for every $100 you spend on it. Think of it as a deferred discount you can use on your next purchase.

What most guides miss is the interaction between Friends and Family timing and Star Rewards status. If you’re close to hitting a new tier threshold, a big Friends and Family purchase can push you into Gold or Platinum status. That unlocks better earning rates and free shipping for the rest of the calendar year and the full next year.

Macy’s App: Exclusive Deals and Features

The Macy’s mobile app is worth downloading even if you prefer shopping on desktop. Macy’s regularly runs app-only promo codes: 25% off for new app users and periodic “$20 off $100+” offers that don’t appear on the website.

Beyond codes, the app offers price drop alerts so you can track items and get notified when they go on sale. There’s a barcode scanner for in-store price checks, style quizzes for personalized recommendations, and direct access to your Star Rewards wallet where you can view and redeem Star Money.

One practical tip: if you find a code that only works in the app but you want to shop on desktop, buy through the app and use the desktop for browsing. The extra step is worth it when the app code saves you more than what’s available online.

Macy’s Backstage: The Hidden Discount Section

This is the savings channel that almost nobody talks about. Macy’s Backstage is essentially an off-price section, available in select Macy’s stores and online at macys.com/shop/backstage, with everyday discounts of 20% to 80% off on overstock and closeout merchandise.

The inventory includes clothing, shoes, home goods, beauty products, and accessories. Think of it as Macy’s answer to T.J. Maxx or Nordstrom Rack, but located inside the main store.

One caveat: Backstage items are generally excluded from additional promo codes and most storewide promotions. The prices are already marked down, so what you see is what you get. But for everyday basics and brand-name items at off-price levels, it’s consistently one of the best-value sections at Macy’s.

From processing thousands of Macy’s coupon codes on our platform, we’ve found that Backstage consistently offers lower effective prices than applying a typical 25% off code to regular-price merchandise. The exception is during Friends and Family or Semi-Annual events when the combined sale price plus code can beat Backstage pricing on specific items.

Macy’s Money Events

Macy’s Money works differently from Star Money and operates on its own calendar. During earning periods (usually about one week, often between Black Friday and Christmas), you earn $10 in Macy’s Money for every $50 spent, up to a maximum of $40 per transaction.

The redemption window is usually the week immediately following the earning period. Macy’s Money functions like store credit, and it’s separate from your Star Money balance.

These events don’t happen often, but when they do, they’re worth planning for. If you’re already making a holiday purchase, the $10-per-$50 earning rate effectively adds a 20% rebate on top of whatever sale or promo code you’re using.

Price Adjustments: Get a Refund When Prices Drop

Here’s an underused savings tool. Macy’s offers price adjustments within 10 days of your order date. If an item you bought goes on sale within that window, you can request a refund for the difference.

The catch: the adjustment doesn’t apply if you used a promo code or discount on the original purchase. So this works best for full-price purchases or items where you used a store card discount that doesn’t disqualify you.

For online orders, call 1-800-289-6229. For in-store purchases, visit your nearest Macy’s location. This is worth remembering when you’re debating whether to buy something now or wait for a sale. Buy it, and if the price drops within 10 days, get the difference back.

More Ways to Save at Macy’s

Cashback services. Rakuten currently offers up to 12% back on Macy’s purchases, and services like Swagbucks and Capital One Shopping offer similar deals. Cashback stacks with promo codes and sale prices.

Klarna buy-now-pay-later. Macy’s checkout supports Klarna, which splits your purchase into four interest-free installments. No hidden fees for eligible customers. This doesn’t save you money directly, but it makes larger purchases more manageable.

Wedding registry perks. Create a Macy’s gift registry and get 10% to 25% off at signup. After the event, you receive 10% to 20% off remaining items on your list for up to 180 days.

Birthday surprise. Macy’s cardholders who’ve made at least one purchase in the past 12 months receive a birthday perk during their birthday month. Reports suggest it’s typically around $10 off a purchase. You need to opt in to promotional emails to receive it.

Last Act clearance. This is Macy’s final-markdown section, available online and in stores. Items in Last Act have already been through multiple markdowns, and some additional coupons apply here (check exclusion lists).

Tracking deals across hundreds of stores every day, one pattern keeps showing up with Macy’s: the shoppers who save the most are not the ones with the biggest coupon codes. They’re the ones who time purchases to stack Star Rewards earning with sale events and cashback. Getting 25% off is good. Getting 25% off plus Star Money earning plus 8% Rakuten cashback on an item that’s already marked down 40% in the Semi-Annual sale? That’s where the savings get serious.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Macy’s have a student discount?

No. Macy’s doesn’t currently offer a dedicated student discount. Students can still save through email signup codes (25% off first order), Star Rewards enrollment, and timing purchases around major sales.

Can you stack coupons at Macy’s?

Not exactly. You can only use one promo code per order. But you can layer that code with sale prices, Star Rewards earnings, Star Money redemption, and external cashback services. The total effective discount can be substantial.

How do I check my Star Rewards points?

Log into your account at macys.com or open the Macy’s app and tap the Star Rewards icon. You’ll see your current tier, points balance, available Star Money, and how far you are from the next tier.

What is Macy’s return policy for items bought with a coupon?

Macy’s accepts returns within 30 days of purchase, either in-store or by mail. Refunds are based on the discounted price you actually paid, not the original retail price. Star Rewards members get free return shipping. Non-members pay $9.99 for return shipping.

How do I sign up for Macy’s Star Rewards?

Visit macys.com and create an account to join as a Bronze member for free. No credit card required. For Silver, Gold, or Platinum status, you’ll need to open a Macy’s credit card and meet the annual spending thresholds.

Does Macy’s price match other retailers?

No. Macy’s does not match prices from other retailers. They do offer price adjustments on their own merchandise if the price drops within 10 days of your purchase, as long as you didn’t use a promo code on the original order.

Sources

1. Macy’s Star Rewards: Official program details including tier thresholds, earning rates, and Star Money rules
2. Macy’s Credit Card Rewards: American Express card earning structure and out-of-store benefits
3. Macy’s Card Benefits: New account discount details and cardholder perks
4. Macy’s Star Money MAC Promotion: Example of Star Money Bonus Day earning rates (2026)
5. Macy’s Promo Code Stacking Rules: Discount waterfall and code eligibility details
6. Macy’s Friends and Family Sale Dates: Historical and predicted 2026 event dates
7. Macy’s Friends and Family Tips: Stacking strategies and Star Money bonus offers during F&F events
8. Macy’s 2026 Sales Calendar: Month-by-month sale events and best-buy categories
9. Rakuten Macy’s Cashback: Current cashback rates for Macy’s purchases

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