Target is one of the most popular stores in the country.
They are well-known for their store cleanliness, friendliness, and general offerings.
But if you’re anything like me, you tend to overspend while shopping at Target – they just always have more things you think you need!
To save money, here are 7 hacks to use next time you find yourself at a Target store or shopping on Target.com.
1) Use the Target REDcard
Target offers its own store card, the Target REDcard, which supplies users with discounts on nearly every purchase.
But the Target REDcard is unique as it does not have to be a credit card. You can get the debit card version that links to your bank account. I highly recommend going the debit route instead of a credit card, as there are better credit cards available and there are no special perks for the credit card versus the debit card. Many don’t realize that you can get it as a debit card and are kicking themselves when they finally find out and wish they had gotten it a long time ago.
The Target REDcard offers an immediate 5% discount on all your purchases, both online and in-store. With the REDcard, you are also eligible for certain additional perks, such as early access to sales and free shipping.
The REDcard is one of the easiest ways to score discounts every time you shop. Why would Target do this? Most likely to have your shopping history in one place. If you’re like me, though, giving up your shopping history for 5% off every purchase is a fair trade!
2) Download the Target App
Formerly known as the Cartwheel app, the Target app now houses additional discounts and coupons available to shoppers. You can download the app for free and reap the rewards of even more savings.
Before you go shopping, quickly scan the app to see if there are any coupons for items on your shopping list. Alternatively, there is a scanner built into the app where you can scan the bar code of things you are purchasing and if there’s a deal it will pop up, at which point all you have to do is click “add.” To get your discounts, all you have to do is open the Target app and have the cashier scan your code.
3) Buy in Bulk
If you’re walking around a Target store, you will likely notice a few incentives advertised. For example, these incentives might say, “Buy 3 packages of paper towels and receive a $5 Target gift card.”
Target wants you to buy in bulk and will reward you for doing so. This is a great way to save on regular products you always need, such as toothpaste, paper products, razors, and other household goods.
4) Understand the Sale Schedule
The sale schedule may vary slightly by store, but typically, Target sales start on Sunday and go through Saturday.
The best way to keep track of the sale schedule is to simply ask a worker at your local Target. From my experience, they are happy to give you insider tips to score the best deals.
5) Utilize Cash Back When Shopping Online and in Stores
Shopping in stores isn’t for everyone – many of us much prefer to do our shopping online.
Fortunately, shopping online has a few additional benefits. When you shop online at Target.com, you can use online cash back portals to save even more money. Ebates is one of my favorite cash back portals because it automatically applies cash back when I make a purchase on Target.com.
Ibotta is another popular cash back app that allows you to claim cash back offers, scan your receipt, and earn money.
6) Check Out the Pricing Codes
There’s nothing worse than making a purchase, only to see it on sale a week later.
Luckily, Target has a not-so-secret structure to it’s pricing system. Once you learn it, you can ensure you are always getting the best deal available.
Commonly, you will see items on sale for prices ending in $0.08, $0.06, or $0.04. These numbers are key to their pricing system. Often, you will see items on sale with different ending prices, but those are just regular sales. Pay attention to the key numbers.
If the price tag ends in $0.08 or $0.06, the item will be marked down again, as long as there is inventory available. You can keep an eye out for these markdowns on the next sale cycle.
However, if the price tag ends in $0.04, that signifies the final clearance price. The price will not decrease from there – that’s the best deal they will give you.
For instance, if you find a shirt on sale for $14.08, then it will have another markdown coming in the next few weeks, so long as it doesn’t sell out. On the other hand, if you find a shirt on sale for $10.04, then that is the final sale price. If you like the shirt, that’s the time to snatch it up!
7) Don’t Forget About Coupons
Lastly, if you happen to find a coupon for an item you regularly use, don’t forget to bring those with you to Target.
Whether or not you’re a coupon fan, it only takes a few minutes to scan through the mail to see if you can save a few cents on a product you regularly use. Of course, you can save quite a bit of money by being an extreme couponer, but most of us aren’t interested in that kind of work.
I’m not a big couponer, but I always keep my eye out for coupons for items I know I need. It doesn’t take much time, and it never hurts to save a little extra cash.
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Do you shop at Target? What tips do you use to save money when shopping? Do you have any additional Target savings tricks we missed?
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Love this and love Target! They have some of the best store coupons, and the cartwheel app saves me at least $5 or so everytime I go. Granted, sometimes I still overspend (darn you Joanna Gaines!), but I love looking at my savings by the end of the trip.
Right? The Magnolia collection always gets me, too!