Target 101: Tips Every Target Shopper Needs to Know to Save Money
There’s nothing I enjoy more than a good bargain hunt. Growing up, whenever I got money for a birthday or holiday, I would do everything I could to stretch out my dollar. I’ve never been one to spend all of my money in one place. I prefer to hold onto my money and wait for deals to pop up. One of the BEST places to shop if you’re on a budget or just want to save money is at Target! I love that you don’t have to carry a bunch of coupons in your purse to save there. I thought it would be fun to share my favorite ways to save money at Target with you guys!
How To Save Money At Target
Target is my favorite one-stop shopping store. Have you ever noticed you go in looking for laundry detergent and leave with new shoes and candles? I can’t even help myself. I love that I can buy everything from home decor and beauty products to groceries and toothpaste. With a few easy tips, you’ll be saving money on nail polish and coffee creamer in no time!
Target Shopping Tips
Pick The Best Day To Shop
Did you know Target stores stick to weekly markdown schedules? That means, specific departments have sales on specific days of the week. The schedule can vary depending on your location, but generally the schedule is:
Monday: Electronics, Accessories, Kids and Baby Clothing, Books and Office Supplies
Tuesday: Womenβs Clothing, Pets and Groceries
Wednesday: Menβs Clothing, Toys, Health and Garden
Thursday: Homeware, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Decor and Luggage
Friday: Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware and Jewelry
Generally, the sales start around noon in each department. So if you’re looking for something in particular, wait until the specific day that markdowns Β begin. Holiday supplies always go on sale, but generally are on a different schedule. I’ve noticed that the day after every holiday, all items are 50% off. This is a great time to stock up. I usually head in for Christmas decorations a day or two after Christmas and find some amazing deals.
Another cool fact is that Target marks items down in increments.
Things get marked down in order: 15% – 30% – 50% – 75% – 90%. That means, if you see something on sale for 15% off, if you wait a few days, it will probably be marked down again. A lot of times, items that are discounted to 90% and don’t sell are donated directly to the Goodwill. So if you head to your local Goodwill, you should find some new Target items.
To find clearance items, head to the section of the store the items are located in. Clothing clearance sections are usually the easiest to find. But other stuff can be a little trickier and unorganized. Head to the end caps of the aisles or walls in the back of the store.
Know that most clearance markdowns typically start with 30% off and can go to 90% off. Β The clothing clearance sections are pretty easy to find, but as for food/housewares, the end caps of the aisles or the walls at the very end of the store are where most of the clearance items are at.Β (They want you to walk through the store and find other pretty things to buy first!)
Look at the small number in the upper right corner of the price tag. If it says β25β, itβs been marked to 25% off, if it says β75β, itβs been marked down to 75% off, etc. Another trick: if the price tag ends in a $0.06 or $0.08, the item will be marked down again as long as there is inventory in the store. BUT, if the price tag ends in $0.04, it is final clearance and wonβt be marked down again.
How Do Target Markdowns Work?
As I mentioned, there’s generally a cycle for the markdowns. Target usually marks things down near the end of a season or during semi-annual sales. For example, there is a toy clearance that happens in late January and again in late July (on a Thursday) to make room for new toys.
The best times of year to shop for holiday clearance sales are Valentine’s Day, Easter, Summer, Back to School, Halloween and Christmas. Once school is back in session it’s a great time to stock up on school and office supplies because the stores have to get rid of extra stock. You can also find clearance prices on unmarked items in most sections. For example, seasonal groceries are normally mixed in with other groceries and go on sale frequently. I always scan the shelves for deals. My favorite deals are in the baking section because you can usually find deals on different cake mixes, frostings & ingredients!
Download the Target CartwheelΒ App
The Cartwheel App can be accessed from your phone and has tons of coupons in it that can be stacked with sales and manufacturerβs coupons, resulting in some awesome deals. You can actually stack a Target Store coupon, with a paper manufacturer’s coupon AND a Target Cartwheel discount all on one item most of the time.Β You can find Target coupons on Target.comΒ and in the Sunday Newspaper.
Don’t forget that Cartwheel offers are deducted after the Target store coupons and before theΒ manufacturerβs coupons (meaning, make sure you hand over your Cartwheel barcode last). Afterwards, you can save even more by looking for cash back rebates with other free apps likeΒ IbottaΒ andΒ Retail Me Not.
Sign Up for the Target REDcard
Normally, I don’t promote signing up for a credit card. But, Target has a debit card version of the REDcard that has all of the same benefits as the credit card. Basically, it just links up to your bank account and works the same way as your debit card. But you’ll get some added bonuses like:
- 5% off on all purchases (online and in store)
- Free 2 Day Shipping
- Extended returns up to 90 days
- 5% off on all in store Starbucks purchases
Use the Target Website for Coupons & Deals
When you visit the Target website, click the “deals” option from the drop down menu. Here you’ll find the clearance section, top deals, REDcard exclusives and the Cartwheel App.
The Clearance section has categories broken up into different deals on clothing, toys, furniture, home, patio & garden, sports & outdoor, beauty & personal care and baby. You can also browse through all clearance items. From there, you can also filter by items that are in stock at your local store!
The Weekly Ad is a great way to check what’s going to be going on sale at your local store. When you put in your zip code, you’ll be able to pick the store you shop at and see what offers are available for the week. You can also sign up to get the week ads emailed to you directly when they go live.
When you click on the “Top Deals” section, the site will prioritize the best deals on specific products, as well as sales on specific categories. For instance, there may be a sale on home goods (example 25% off on all home), then for a limited time you may be able to get an additional 15% off on rugs. Most of the time, it will tell you what code to use when you checkout to get the deal.
REDcard exclusives gives you extra deals and early access if you have a Target REDcard. You can also get additional discounts here for creating subscriptions.
Don’t Forget to Price Match
Did you now Target offers price matching!? They’llΒ 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 orΒ competitor’s local print ads. Price matches may be requested at the time of purchase or within 14 days after purchase. Some of their competitors include:Β Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com.
This is a great option if you’re buying something big, or during Black Friday promotions!
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