Target

Here are 10 tips on how to stretch your dollars a little further at Target:

Use Cartwheel

Target’s Cartwheel app is one of the easiest and most effective ways to save money on each of your Target trips. This free app allows you to search available deals on hundreds of items throughout the store, ranging anywhere from 5% to 50% off. You can also scan items as you shop using Cartwheel to see if there any savings available on them. Cartwheel has recently expanded to include manufacturer’s coupons as well.

No scissors required — just have the cashier scan the bar code at checkout.

If you don’t have a mobile phone or don’t want to download the app, you can do the following:

• Visit the Cartwheel website online
• Select the offers you are interested in
• Print out a bar code to scan at checkout

*As of August 2017, Target has moved Cartwheel offers into the main Target app*

Sign up for a REDcard

The Target REDcard gives you the following everyday benefits:

1. 5% off every day on every purchase (at Target stores and Target.com)
2. Free 2 day shipping on most items on Target.com
3. Extended returns (extra 30 days)
4. Early access to special events, products & promotions
5. 5% off purchase at Starbucks stores inside Target
6. Exclusive extras, including special items, offers & a 10% off coupon on your REDcard anniversary

If you’re hesitant to sign up for another store credit card, you can go the debit card route. The debit card links to your existing checking account and gives you the same benefits, without an extra credit check or extra monthly bill to worry about.

Use Coupons

• Target accepts accepts manufacturer’s coupons for both regularly priced and sale items (see their coupon policy here)
• There are a number of coupons for groceries, clothing, housewares, office supplies, etc. available to print at coupons.target.com
• You can also find digital coupons in the Target (Cartwheel) app
• After checking out, a few Catalina coupons may be given to you with your receipt for purchasing certain items
• Coupons also come periodically in the mail for some customers, so be on the lookout
  • MSQ Tip: Create a free online account at Target.com to receive coupon books and fliers

Stack Deals

If you have more than one coupon for an item, they can be stacked — meaning a Cartwheel deal, manufacturer’s coupon, and weekly deal could all be used at once to obtain big savings.

Be sure to check Cartwheel, the weekly ad, and to search top deals on Target.com before you head to the store to see where potential stacks may be. You can even get items for free by doing this.

Stacking Formula = Total Purchase Coupons + Target Coupons + Cartwheel + Manufacturer Coupons + Gift Cards

MSQ TIP: Follow such blogs/websites as Totally Target that will do all the work for you by showing you tons of deal ideas

MSQ TIP 2: Target will occasionally offer a Target gift card when you buy a certain number of specific products

Take Advantage of Price Matching

One thing you may not be aware of is that Target offers a price match guarantee.

Target will match the price if “you buy a qualifying item at Target then find the identical item for less at Target.com, select online competitors, or in Target’s or competitor’s local print ad“. Price matches may be requested at time of purchase or within 14 days after purchase.

You will have 14 days after your purchase to get a price adjustment if an item you just bought goes on sale elsewhere for a lower price. Make sure to hold on to your receipts, as they will be required as proof of purchase.

The full list of online competitors is available online or at Guest Services.

Although the savings may not be huge with this step, saving a few dollars here and there can add up over time.

Rainchecks

If a sale item you’re looking for at Target is out of stock (sold out), you can request a rain check. For the next 30-45 days (varies by state), a rain check allows you to purchase the particular item at the sale price when it is back in stock.

Target can’t guarantee product availability or hold merchandise and does not provide notifications when the product is available. However, substitutes are offered whenever possible. Exclusions:

• Price Cut, Temporary Price Cut and Everyday Low Price items that are excluded from the Weekly Ad and items that state “No Rain Checks” can’t be rain-checked.
• No rain checks or substitutions are available for contract cell phones.
• Music, movie and software titles can’t be substituted.
• Rain checks are not offered on Target.com.

Create a registry

Target has gift registries for all of life’s milestones. If you are having a baby, going to college, or getting married start a registry at Target.

⇒ Baby – get a Welcome Kit that includes $50 worth of coupons & handpicked samples

⇒ College

⇒ Home

⇒ Wedding – those buying for the bride and groom get free shipping on items over $25

Depending on the type of registry you’ve created, you’ll eventually receive a 15% discount coupon to complete it. Target is also known for sending out $10 off $50 coupons.

Shop Clearance

Target clearance deals are among the hottest bargains of all the big box stores, Here are some tips to consider when shopping for clearance items at Target.

⇒ Look at back end caps

Most of the clearance items will be found on back end-caps. Walking the outside perimeter of the store is a fun way to find them. Don’t limit yourself JUST to looking there, however, as you will find clearance in regular aisles as well.

⇒ Know your store(s)

Certain departments get marked down on certain days. Here is a typical guideline:

Target’s Weekly Markdown Schedule:

Monday → Infants, Kids Clothes and Electronics

Tuesday → Women’s Clothes and Domestics

Wednesday → Men’s Clothes, Garden, Toys, Health and Beauty

Thursday → Lingerie, Shoes, Housewares, Sporting Goods, Luggage

Friday → Cosmetics, Hardware, Auto, Home Improvement and Jewelry

Pay attention when you are in the store and if you see mark-downs happening (usually in the morning), jot down the day.

⇒ Understand how things get marked down

Clearance items typically get marked down every two weeks. Target marks down its clearance in increments – 15, 25, 30, 50, 70% off (the first reduction amount varies by department). If you see a non Holiday/seasonal item at 70% off, that will be the lowest it will go. The best months to find clearance deals are January, July, and August.

Holiday and seasonal items

If you can wait, once the season has passed, markdowns can get as high as 90% on Holiday/seasonal clearance items.

Here’s a general guide to shopping after holidays:

50% off → the day after the holiday
75% off → three days after
90% off → a week after

Toys

The big toy clearance happens at in late January and the end of July/early August (on a Thursday) every year, where you will see many toys at 70% off.

⇒ Know how to read the clearance sticker

You can easily tell how much of a discount you are getting by looking in the upper right of the red markdown sticker. You’ll often times see 30, 40, 50 and even 70. That number yields the discount you are receiving off the original price, which is in the bottom left corner.

Clearance items with prices ending in $0.06 or $0.08 could possibly get marked down again during the next cycle, as long as there is inventory. If the price ends in $0.04, it could mean that it’s the last time an item will be discounted.

⇒ Use the price scanners

Sometimes the clearance team misses an item that should have been re-stickered with a lower price. If it is something you want, always check the price with a scanner.

MSQ TIP: Did you know that Target also has a clearance section online, that includes just about every department?

Bulleyes Playground

If you’re really looking for a deal, make sure to stop by Bullseye’s Playground at the very front entrance of the store. Formerly the One or Dollar Spot, this section houses all sorts of items from $1 to $5. Here are some of the type of items you can find:

• Seasonal items
• Apartment decor
• Gifts
• Kid-friendly items
• Books
• School supplies
• Stationary
• Small toys

Buy generic

Target carries store brands like Up & Up, Market Pantry, Simply Balanced, and Archer Farms that deliver the same quality at lower prices.

If you’re worried about quality, Consumer Reports often rates these brands very high and even sometimes better than their brand named equivalents. Also, if you buy a Target brand and don’t like it, you can return it for a full refund, according to the return policy.