I am a Huge Fan of Shopping at Target and there’s nothing I love more than Saving Money at Target! In fact, Target is one of my favorite stores because weather you use coupons or not there are some fantastic ways to save that don’t require a lot of time investment. We post new Target Deals every week so make sure you check out our Target Deals Page for all the latest deals!
I’ve put together a HUGE list of some of my favorite ways to save money at Target! Hopefully a few of these are new to you and will help you save even more at one of my favorite stores!
21 Secrets to Saving Money at Target
1. Know the Weekly Markdown Schedule
This is sometimes in debate because it’s different depending on your store manager, but the general consensus is these categories are marked down on these days. So if you see an item you’re watching on clearance head to Target around noon on these days to see what new markdowns are in the department. Also, remember the schedule doesn’t apply to holiday items, those are typically marked down on a different schedule.
Monday: Electronics, accessories, kids’ clothing, books, baby, and stationery
Tuesday: Domestics, women’s clothing, pets, and food items
Wednesday: Men’s Clothing, Toys, Health and Beauty, and Garden
Thursday: Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Toys, Sporting Goods, Decor, and Luggage
Friday: Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, and Jewelry
Target Marks things down in order 15, 30, 50, 75, 90% – If you find something marked down 30% off try checking the next day it’s being marked down on the schedule above to get the best shot at the items freshly marked 50% off. Remember, not all items are marked down every week, but in general this is the best way to score the best deals!
Download the Free Printable Target Clearance Schedule Here
2. Search the End Caps
One of the best methods for shopping just about any store is to stick to the perimeter of the store, You’ll often find this is true of Target. You can frequently find Clearance Items piled on End Caps so make sure you scope out your stores frequent clearance locations and check them frequently for the best deals!One word of caution- Don’t be fooled by those big red signs, I often skip clearance at 15-30% off unless it’s something I really need because prices often drop lower or I can get better deals by using coupons & the Target Cartwheel App.
3. Sign Up for a Red Card
I’m not normally one to recommend Credit Cards but Target has a DEBIT Card option of their Red Card with all the same benefits that make it well worth signing up for so make sure you check it out. Here are some of the benefits of having a Red Card:
Save 5% off EVERYTHING, Every Day – No Seriously, No Coupons Needed, No limits on how much or how often you can save. I estimate I save around $5-$10 per week depending on how much I am buying that week, that really adds up fast!
Easy Returns – You get 90 days to return anything bought with your Red Card and you don’t even have to have a receipt they can scan your card and look up your recent purchases.
Free Shipping – Get FREE Shipping with No Minimum on Everything on Target.com!
You can sign up for a Target Debit Card Here to see if you qualify, you’ll start saving 5% on everything every time you use your card! It’s so easy and the savings really add up! I have an entire post on How to Save 5% at Target here.
4. Shop Weekly Deals Online
Target.com has had some amazing deals over the last year, Each week they offer a new weekly deal. If you have a Target Red Card you can also get FREE Shipping with No Minimum which makes grabbing these deals online so much easier! You can see all of the Weekly Deals Online Here.
5. Print Target Store Coupons
You can print Target Store Coupons directly from the Target Website. Typically new coupons are released on Sunday’s so you might check the website before you hit the stores.
6. Use Your Phone for Additional Coupons
Target sends out Mobile Coupons every other week, these coupons are typically valid for 2 weeks and you just click the link in the text message then show the barcode to your cashier to redeem the coupons at checkout.Text the word OFFERS to 827438 to start receiving coupons via text messages.
You will also see signs around the store with words you can text to 827438 for additional coupons. There are frequently Cartwheel Coupons and Mobile Coupons for things like Clothing and Household Items that rarely have manufacturer coupons so this is a great way to save on Clothing for the entire family!
7. Stack for Big Savings
Target allows what’s known as “Stacking” This is using a Target Store Coupon (Or mobile coupon) with a Manufacturer Coupon! If you have an item priced at $2 and you have a $1 Manufacturer Coupon + a $1 Target Coupon you’ll get your item for FREE! This is one of the best ways to save big at Target!
I have an entire video on the different types of Target Coupons & Where to find them here.
There are 5 Different ways to save a Target that you can combine for big savings —> Total Purchase Coupons + Target Coupons + Cartwheel + Manufacturer Coupons + Gift Cards! Get all the details here.
8. Use Coupons on Store Brand Items
Target is one of the few stores that issues coupons for their Store Brand. You can save Big on the Up & Up Brand Products by stacking Target Store Coupons with the Sale prices. I have personally had great luck with these products.
TIPS FROM THE PROS
Target just recently extended it’s return policy on store brand items, you can now return Store Brand Items for up to 1 year after the purchase. I know that’s a long time to keep up with receipts, but don’t forget if you use your Red Card they can look up your purchase and you don’t have to worry about finding your receipt.
9. Use the Cartwheel Collections
Download the Cartwheel App to save Big at Target! This app has hundreds of coupons including coupons for things like Milk, Eggs and Bread! You can stack Cartwheel coupons with manufacturer and store coupons for Huge Savings!
I have a Video Here on How to Save Money with the Target Cartwheel App and my FAVORITE Collections to check out each week.
TIPS FROM THE PROS
Click on Collections and look at the “Hot Deals” Collection and “Weekly Ad” Collections to find the best cartwheel coupons available!
10. Scan your Items with Cartwheel
Did you know that when you download the Cartwheel App you can scan every item before you put it in the cart. When you scan an item using the Cartwheel App it will automatically tell you if there are any coupons available for that product, this is a great way to find hidden savings you might not know about.
11. Download the Target App
If you don’t want the extra cost of Mobile Coupons being sent by Text Message make sure you download the Target App and tap on “Mobile Coupons” To sign up to receive coupons directly in the app!
12. Shop the Holiday Clearance
Target has a HUGE Holiday Clearance after each of the major holidays, this is one of the best times to buy ahead for next year.Here’s the Holiday Clearance Schedule followed by most stores:
1 Day after the Holiday: 50% off Goods, 30% off Candy & Food Items
3-4 Days after the Holiday: 75% Goods, 50% Candy & Food Items
1 Week after the Holiday: 90% off Goods, 75% off Candy & Food Items
13. Target Toy Sales Twice a Year
The Target Toy Clearance is one of the BEST times to stock up on Birthday Gifts and Christmas Gifts. Typically we see the Toy Sale in January (after Christmas) and July (Clearing the shelves before new toys arrive). When you start to see the sale hit 15-30% off start checking back every few days.
Typically the prices drop to 50% and then 75% off which is when you’ll find the best deals!The Last Week in July (Around the 25th – 30th) Typically on Wednesday or Thursday is the Best Time to Shop the Target Toy Clearance and stock up for Christmas!
14. Stock Up with Gift Card Deals
Target often offers FREE Gift Card Deals when you make select purchases. These are a great way to stock up + Don’t forget you can use your Store Coupons, Manufacturer Coupons and Cartwheel coupons on these items to lower your out of pocket! The more savings you stack the less you pay!
Check out these to help you get started if you’ve never purchased these gift card deals before!
TIPS FROM THE PROS
I always keep 1 or 2 Target $5 Gift Cards in my purse, I only spend these when I know I’ll be earning one on the same transaction that way I always keep my out of pocket on these gift card deals as low as possible.
15. Grab a Raincheck
Target has a fabulous rain check policy. Typically if an item is sold out there will be a tear pad hanging in it’s place, just pull off one of the sheets of paper and have the slip scanned at checkout. Your rain check will print and you have 6 weeks to buy the item at the sale price.
If you don’t find a rain check pad then snap a photo of the shelf tag with your phone, the cashier can enter the numbers at checkout and print you a raincheck
To redeem the rain check scan the item, then have the cashier scan the rain check, it will automatically adjust the price down. You can even try scanning a similar item and seeing if Target will accept the substitutions, a lot of times similar items will be substituted when you scan a rain check. I have a complete post on How to Substitute Out of Stock Products Here.
16. Save 5% when you Fill 5 Prescriptions
Switch to the Target Pharmacy and for every 5 prescriptions you get filled you will get a coupon for 5% off a Shopping trip! This savings applies to your entire purchase and stacks with the 5% Target Red Card Savings which means you can save up to 10%! Get the details here.
17. Learn to Read Target Clearance Tags
Target marks each item at it’s % off. You can check the price tag to see how much the item has been marked down already. If the tag ends in a $0.06 or $0.08 then it will likely be marked down again so if it’s not something you have to have you could wait and try to hold out for a better price.I’ve got an entire post on Reading Target Clearance Tags Here.
18. Price Match Online Prices
Target has one of the best Online Price Match Policies. You can match select competitor online prices in stores + You can also use your Manufacturer Coupons on top of these prices.A great example is Amazon.com deals, if you find an item on sale on Amazon and you want to use a coupon you can price match the item at Target and then redeem your coupon before you pay! You can get the official details in the Target Price Match Policy.
You can also check out this post with to learn more about the ins and outs of Price Matching at Target!
19. Get a Refund if you find a Lower Price
Target will give you a Price Adjustment if you find the identical item for less in the following week’s Target Ad or from Target.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com and BabiesRUs.com or a local competitors printed ad. Just bring the ad and the receipt to Customer Service to get the lower price within 7 days.
20. Start a Registry
Target offers awesome deals and discounts to those who have a Registry. If you’re having a Baby or getting Married make sure you sign up for a registry, you’ll get 15% off your entire registry after your event date so make sure you add small items like diapers and wipes to your registry so you can stock up with that final purchase coupon!
Also, Target has been known to include coupons like this $10 Target Gift Card when you spend $50 coupon on the front page of the printed registries, so it’s always a good idea to print a registry first and see if you get a coupon you can use!
You can create a Target Registry Here!
21. Bring Your Own Shopping Bags
For every Reusable Bag you bring in you will save 5¢ off your purchase, If you bring in 5 bags a week that’s around 25¢ not a lot, but it sure adds up if you’re consistent! This applies to all reusable bags, not just the Target Branded Bags.
Make sure you check out the Target Deals Page to see all of the Target Deals going on this week!
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