How to Be a Smart Marijuana Shopper & Save Money

March 23, 2021

Dear Budtender - My dispensary runs are getting expensive! Can you give me some tips on how to save money on marijuana?  
From, Budget Shopper 

Dear Budget Shopper - Nothing’s cheap these days, and marijuana is no exception. To help our customers, and customers of dispensaries around the country, we’ve put together a little guide to help you get smart about your cannabis shopping. This way, you can get the green you want or need without taxing your bank account.


Here are the five steps you should follow to save money on marijuana:


1. Check Dispensary Deals

Most marijuana retailers have a variety of deals and sales that run throughout the year. It can mean something as simple as getting a pre-roll tucked into your order to getting a significant deal on your favorite concentrate because it’s 4/20. Most dispensaries have websites where you can see the deals they’re running, others offer e-newsletters that promote their sales, and some keep certain deals secret to incentivize you to come to the dispensary. This is where having a good relationship with a  budtender—that you tip for their services—can help you stay on top deals and ensure you get the marijuana you want at a reduced cost.


2. Join Dispensary Loyalty Programs

It’s no secret—dispensaries don’t just want you to come back, they need you to come back to ensure that they can keep their doors open. One of the tactics dispensaries use is to incentivize regulars with a dispensary loyalty program. It can be points based, spend based, or some combination of both, or it can be something unique to that dispensary, but if you frequently visit your dispensary, you should make sure you’re signed up for any kind of loyalty program. In many cases, you’ll be notified about deals before the rest of the public are, allowing you to call dibs on your favorite strain before it’s sold out.


3. Buy Bulk Flower

Every state has their own limits, but when you purchase up to the limit of flower, there’s a good chance you’ll save money and the dispensary will even give you a deal—especially if you’re a regular.
Think about it. You make a purchase from a dispensary, get home, consume what you bought, and head back a week later to resupply. What are you spending in time, gas, and straight up dollars to do that? Instead, you could purchase in bulk, potentially get a discount from your favorite budtender in the process, save time and gas, and get a supply that lasts you longer. It’s a win for you and a win for a dispensary.

For states that have different possession and purchase laws, meaning that they allow you to possess a larger amount than you can purchase in one visit, buying in bulk can allow you to benefit from the discounts you’re offered and increase the amount of cannabis you possess at any point in time. That means less visits and less spending.


4. Pack Your Own Pre-Roll

This piece of advice depends on your dispensary and the cost of supplies. In general, it is cheaper for you to purchase rolling papers, filters, and flower—and then roll your own “joint”—than it is to buy pre-rolls. There are some times where pre-rolls can be cheaper, like during a sale, but you have to remember, pre-rolls don’t always use premium flower, and they’re not always the freshest bud in the store. This means that not only can you save money by rolling your own, you can also ensure you’re getting a better quality pre-roll than something purchased off the shelf.

Of course, it also means that you need to learn how to roll your own pre-roll. Just remember, it doesn’t have to look good, you just need to be able to smoke it, so practice rolling with a less expensive flower, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time.


5. Choose Cartridges Over Disposable

While there are a lot of incentives to purchasing disposable vape pens, like ease of use, less mess, etc, cartridges on the whole tend to be less expensive than disposable pens. This is because you can purchase the battery once (there are some that don’t even hit the $20 mark) and then add the concentrate of your choice to the battery. While it may not be huge savings up front, the cost of not repurchasing a complete device and instead purchasing a replacement cartridge does add up over time to savings you can spend on something else in the dispensary.


Be a Smart Marijuana Shopper

The most cost efficient way to smoke marijuana (or vape, ingest, etc) is to simply be aware of the programs your dispensary offers and ask if there are any ways you can save on the cost of your marijuana (like buying in bulk). Budtenders and dispensary owners want you to come back, so if you’re a regular, they’ll likely work with you to ensure you stay a happy customer, and they keep your business. It also means keeping your cannabis-buying schedule flexible, so you can hit the dispensary when you know you’re going to save money rather than going and purchasing products at a premium.




Please consume responsibly. This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.  State laws impact what dispensaries can and can’t sell to recreational customers and medical marijuana patients. Not every type of product, consumption method, dosage form, or potency mentioned on this blog will be permitted in all locations.

Blog categories