19 ways to save at Target
Target is pretty much the definition of a one-stop shop. Hit up your local store and you could walk away with groceries, your nephew’s birthday present, an ottoman for your living room and dumbbells to keep you fit.
And that’s just the beginning.
Although the chain has some pretty great prices already, it’s hard to leave the store without stocking up on multiple items. So to help you keep receipt totals down, here are 19 ways to save at Target.
1. Start at the home page
Target.com should always be your first stop when it comes to shopping. Current sales are listed at the top of the page, which makes it easy for you to stock up on birthday or holiday gifts or items you need for your own home.
2. Check out the weekly ad
Target posts a weekly circular listing items for sale in your area online at weeklyad.target.com. The little countdown clock to the right of the page lets you know how much longer you have until the current sales go away.
3. Click for weekly deals
Check out the weekly deals section on Target.com for sale items that might not be included in the weekly ad.
4. Shop the clearance section
Check out items on clearance by category on Target’s website, and be sure to check out the clearance section in-store, too. It’s usually loaded with seasonal items and placed directly at the front entrance as you walk in.
5. Know where to look in-store
While you’re likely to find deals throughout Target, be sure to especially check the end caps — or the shelves that appear at the end of each aisle — because that’s where additional in-store clearance items tend to end up (besides the display when you first walk in).
6. Score coupons
Visit coupons.target.com for coupons available directly from Target, then peruse sites like Retail Me Not, Groupon and Deal Catcher for others.
7. Read your receipt
From time to time you’ll find coupons printed directly on your receipt, so be sure to glance at it before you file it or throw it away.
8. Have coupons sent to your phone
Skip looking for coupons yourself and have them sent directly to your phone with the Target mobile text-alert coupon program.
9. Don’t forget manufacturers’ coupons
Target accepts manufacturers’ coupons as well, so be on the lookout for those in your paper or search for them online.
10. Do some comparison shopping
Target offers a price-match guarantee when you find the identical item for less on Target.com, select online competitors or in Target’s or a competitor’s local printed or digital ad. Learn all the details here.
11. Apply for the Target REDcard
Become a Target REDcard carrier and get free shipping on most orders at Target.com, 5 percent off purchases every day and access to additional savings with exclusive coupons. We’ve got a full review of Target’s REDCard credit card here. (It also offers a debit REDcard.)
If you’re interested in the credit card, be sure to check your credit before applying. (You can see two of your credit scores for free on Credit.com.) You’ll want to be sure you can handle the inquiry. You can find more credit cards that can keep you shopping stress-free here.
12. Use the Target Cartwheel program
Download the Target Cartwheel app on your Android or iPhone and start saving more. Use the app to select from discounts on items from 5 to 50 percent and add them to your personalized Cartwheel barcode. Scan the barcode every time you shop at Target to save on those purchases. The greatest part is you can use the discounts as many times as you want before they expire.
13. Stack cartwheel savings with your Target REDcard
You can use Cartwheel app discounts along with your Target REDcard daily discount to save even more, plus...
14. ... stack Cartwheel Savings with your Target REDcard and other coupons
Pay the least amount possible when you scan your Cartwheel barcode and use your Target REDcard and use any additional coupons (like weekly ads!) to pay at checkout.
15. Install a coupon aggregator on your browser
You can skip searching around for coupons altogether when you add a browser extension like Honey on your computer, since it automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout for you.
16. Look for free gift card deals
Target sometimes offers free gift cards with certain purchases, so be on the lookout for those deals both in-store and online.
17. Purchase discounted gift cards
Check sites like Gift Card Granny to find Target gift cards for less than their face value.
18. Follow the brand on social media
Add Target on Facebook and Twitter to ensure you see all the latest deals and coupon offers. (Follow TargetDeals on Twitter, too.)
19. Create a registry
Create your wedding registry with Target and get a 15 percent discount on everything left after your wedding, plus bonus gifts from select brands with qualifying purchases. Do the same with your baby registry and you’ll get the same perks, plus a welcome kit with $50 worth of coupons and handpicked samples to get you started.