Target 101

My Favorite store is definitely Target! You will find me there every weekend and every Wednesday (they do their markdowns on Wednesdays, obsessed much? I think so!) There are great deals to be had by pairing Target sales and promos with store coupons, manufacturer coupons, mobile coupons, & the target cartwheel app!

Target Store Coupons

Target store coupons can be found in Sunday coupon inserts, postal mailers, and coupons printed from Target.com. Store coupons usually include  the limitation of “one like coupon per transaction”, meaning you can only use one identical Target store coupon per transaction. Target allows stacking a store with a manufacturer coupon.
Target accepts one Manufacturer Coupon and one Target Coupon for the same item (unless prohibited by either coupon).

Mobile Coupons

Target sends out Mobile Coupons directly to your Smart Phone about twice per month.  If you want to sign up to receive monthly mobile coupons from Target, you can do so by texting Offers to 827438. Target will send you the coupons, which are redeemed as store coupons by scanning the barcode image on your phone.  Mobile coupons may be stacked with a manufacturer coupon but cannot be stacked with Target store coupons.

Mobile Coupon App

Target launched Cartwheel, a free savings program! Cartwheel is similar to shopping apps, like Ibotta, in that the offers can be combined with other coupons.

The site states: “Start saving on the things you already buy at Target.” 


Details:

The program may be accessed at cartwheel.target.com with a smartphone, tablet or computer. A Facebook account or your email is required. Offers are easy to add: just click on the image and you're done! To redeem a Cartwheel offer, either present a printed copy of your Cartwheel barcode or show it on a mobile device at checkout. It only needs to be scanned once because all offers connect to the same barcode. Offers are valid in U.S. Target stores only. After signing up, a user automatically gets to add up to ten offers. “Unlock badges” to access more. Sign up now! Want a more step by step introduction to it? Then click here!

Gift Card Promotions

Target often runs “Gift Card Promos” in their weekly ad and other unadvertised promos throughout the month. When purchasing items that are part of a Gift Card Promotion, you can stack a manufacturer and a store coupon on the item and still receive your gift card!  Also, these Gift Card Promos can be rolled.  This means you can buy the participating items, turn around and buy the same items in your second transaction, use the gift card as part of your payment, and receive a new Target gift card!
OFF! Repellent Travel Size Spray $3.69
Buy 3, Get a $5.00 Gift Card
Use $1.00/1 OFF! Repellant Travel Spray (coupons.com) You will need 3 computers
And Use $1.00/2 OFF! Repellant Items Target Store Items (target.com)
And Use 10% OFF! Repellant Spray Cartwheel Offer (cartwheel.target.com)
Total: $6.35, Get $5.00 Gift Card, Making them $0.45 each wyb 3!

Price Cuts

Look for yellow “price cut” signs or flags throughout Target. These temporary price cuts can run anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 weeks long before going back up to full price. Match these discounts up with coupons, and you could score some great deals!
Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover, 22 oz $1.75, Price Cut through 10/15
Use $1.50/1 Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover (clorox.com)
Total: $0.25

Trial and Travel Size

Target has an extensive trial size section comprised of items priced around $1.00. When coupons do not exclude trial/travel size items, you can score some free products! If your coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the cashier will need to adjust the price of the coupon down to meet the product’s cost.
“Coupon amount may be reduced if it exceeds the value of the item after other discounts or coupons are applied.”

Clearance Markdowns

Target is famous for their orange clearance stickers. But did you know you can use coupons on clearance merchandise?!  Find items on end caps at the backs of aisles and pair those prices with your coupons. Target often discounts clearance items on a gradual basis, starting with 15%, then 30%, 50%, and then finally 75% if they last that long!  I look forward to Target’s Toy and Back-to-School Clearance all year long! Look for their toys to be clearanced in July and January (right after Christmas) and the School Supplies to be marked down (up to 90% off) once school has started!  Also Look at the Clearance tags, if the price ends in 8, it will be marked down again. If it ends in a 4 or in another number, then that is the lowest it will be. 

Target's Mark Down Schedule is as follows:

  • Monday: Girls Clothing, Boys Clothing, Infants, & Electronics.
  • Tuesday: Women's Clothing and Juniors
  • Wednesday: Men's Clothing, Food, Stationery, Health, & Laundry
  • Thursday: Sleepwear, Athletic, Pet, Paper, Shoes, Houseware, & Toys
  • Friday: Domestics, Auto, Accessories, & Beauty

Price Matching

To Price Match at Target, simply bring in your competitor store ad and check out at customer service. While some stores are capable of checking you out at the regular registers, it’s going to be easier to check out from customer service, especially if it’s your first time price matching.
The competitor’s ad must be local and current, and the product must be the identical item, brand name, quantity and model number. . . Photos, photocopies, or mobile phone versions of the ad cannot be accepted as verification of competitive pricing. They will not price match CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Dollar General, or hhgregg BUT they will match Amazon. 

The best part about price matching at Target is that you can use manufacturer coupons in addition to the price match!  Here’s an example: 

Runner Runner DVD $2.99 (Price Matched from Amazon)
Use $5.00 off Runner Runner DVD or Blu-ray (coupons.com)
Total: Free!

Stacking Coupons

Here's a little thing I picked up on from shopping at Target to get the maximum savings. I always give them my cartwheel first, manufacturer coupons second, and my Target Printable or Target Mobile coupons last. You cannot use a Target Store coupon and a Target Mobile Coupon on 1 item. it has to be one or the other.

Skintimate Shave Creme, 6 fl oz $2.99
Use 10% Off Skintimate Shave Gel, Target Cartwheel Offer (exp 11/2)  (cartwheel.target.com)
AND Use $1.00/1 Schick, Edge or Skintimate Shave Gel, excludes 2.75 oz from SS 10/6 (exp 11/17)
AND Use $1.00/1 Skintimate Moisturizing Shave Cream, 6 oz, limit one coupon or offer per guest, Target Coupon (target.com)
Total: $0.69

When doing a gift card scenario for the first time, make sure you keep one of those gift cards on hand for the future. It's always better to have it on hand to lower your out of pocket in the future and roll the gift cards over. And by rolling, I mean, you pay with a gift card you received from an old purchase you did that had a gift card promo and you receive one in return due to the promo they currently have running.