30 Dollar Saving Secrets That Target Don’t Want You To Know About
1. The online prices are actually CHEAPER than in-store!
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A VERY sneaky secret that Target won't tell you is that the online prices can sometimes be MUCH cheaper than the store prices. It gets sneakier...you don't even need to purchase the item online and collect it in-store to save money. You can actually look the item up online, show the cashier when you go to pay, and they will match the online price for you.Advertisement
2. THESE are the days' Target marks down each department...
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When we saw Christy Palmer - AKA All Things Target blog - sharing the Target clearance schedule, we felt like we'd uncovered a State secret! By referring to this guide, it's a SURE-FIRE way to get the best pick of the clearance before the shelves are emptied.Here is your Target clearance bible:Monday: Electronics, Accessories, Kids' clothing, Books, Baby & StationeryTuesday: Household Goods, Women's Clothing, Pets, KitchenWednesday: Men's Clothing, Health & Beauty, Diapers, Lawn, FurnitureThursday: Houseware, Lingerie, Shoes, Toys, Sporting Goods, Decor & LuggageFriday: Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, Jewelry
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3. You can claim the sale price of an item EVEN if you bought it at full price
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We've all felt that sinking feeling when we go into a store, only to find the super expensive kitchen gadget (we definitely did not need) has suddenly had the price slashed by 50%! Believe it or not, at Target, if an item that you've bought goes on sale within 2 weeks, Target will give you the sale price. This is going to save me SO many dollars!Advertisement
4. Both Amazon & Target have this money-saving hack in common
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You may not have spotted these signs around the stores...or maybe you did and thought it was TOO good to be true. Surely Target won't match the lowest price in the market? In fact - just like Amazon - Target have made a promise that if you see the same product in a different store for a cheaper price, they will match it...AMAZING!Advertisement
5. Target employees will offer you a 'rain check' on a sold-out sale item
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I find it SO annoying when I can see there's a sale tag on the shelf edge, but when I look to find the item on the shelf, all I see is a big empty gap! We all hate feeling like we've missed out on a good deal and it seems Target ACTUALLY has a solution for this! If an item you want is out of stock, you can ask a Target employee to issue you a "rain check" that will basically give you 45 days to purchase the product at the sale price.Advertisement
6. Target will accept Walmart coupons!
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Quite often on manufacturer's coupons, you may see that the coupon is redeemable at Walmart or another store. However, according to the Krazy Koupon Lady, even if it's not explicitly mentioned that the coupon is redeemable at Target, if the item is stocked there it's very likely that Target will accept it!Advertisement
7. How to know if a price has reached its LOWEST markdown
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Every store will have a different system when it comes to marking down items. Usually as a rule of thumb; The longer an item hasn't sold for, the more likely it will continue to be marked down even further. But how exactly can you know that you're buying the item at its cheapest price? Well...this simple hack should help you to know whether it's worth buying the item or holding out a little longer. Just take a look at the price tag -if the price ends in $0.04- this usually means the price won't go much lower.Advertisement
8. The best time of year to treat the kids to new toys...
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If you want to treat the kids (or the big kids) in your life to some new toys, there are a couple of times during the year you're likely to find the very best deals. Target holds semi-annual toy sales during January and July, as well as offering some CRAZY good deals during the holidays.Advertisement
9. Clearance items are marked down to certain levels in a certain order...
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We mentioned before how to check if an item has been marked down to its cheapest price. But, what if the price doesn't end with $0.04- how can you tell how much more it's going to be discounted? It's actually pretty EASY! First, items will get marked down to 15% or 30% off, then to 50% off, and finally if they've still not sold they will end up at 70% off. You can see how much they've been discounted by looking at the number in the top right-hand corner of the price tag.Advertisement
10. The sure-fire way to get 50% off your holiday shopping
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We all know that buying things in advance can save you money, but how about buying things 364 days in advance? Turns out that shopping for your Halloween or Christmas decorations for the following year, just a couple of days after the holiday season, will save you a TON of money. Stores will look to clear through holiday items as quickly as possible after the day is over, so you will often find Christmas trees & Easter bunnies as cheap as 90% off...which is basically FREE!Advertisement
11. There is NO limit to how many coupons you can use at once
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Whilst some stores can be strict about not being able to use coupons in conjunction with each other, Target doesn't openly share this, but they're more than happy to let you use as many coupons as you'd like. Don't be afraid to hand the cashier a Target coupon and a manufacturer's coupon...the more the merrier!Advertisement
12. ANYONE can use Targets wedding registry to get 15% off
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Whilst tying the knot may be a slightly extreme tactic to save some dollars on your Target shop, a little-known secret is that ANYONE can create a wedding or baby registry to save on expensive items. Create a registry of the items you need, and then wait until a few days after the date of the event. Target will send you a coupon for 15% off the remaining items on your list...RESULT!Advertisement
13. Get cash back for doing...NOTHING?
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Cashback sites are one of those things which seem too good to be true, but thankfully for your purse, it really is THAT easy to save money. By using sites and apps like Ibotta, Ebates, or BeFrugal, you can claim money back for selected items you buy at Target or other stores.Advertisement
14. Using gift cards can save you extra money!
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Another way you can get cash back for purchases at Target is to buy a gift card through sites like Gift Card Granny or Raise. These sites allow you to buy a full-priced gift card, but then receive a % of the amount back as cash! You can then just spend the cards in-store as you would normally.Advertisement
15. The multibuy discounts are actually costing you MORE money
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It's no big secret that stores are always looking for ways to make you buy MORE items and spend MORE money. One of the really sneaky tactics Target uses, is the misleading way they advertise their multibuy discounts. Target will often label discounted items as "2 for x-dollars," but you don't actually NEED to buy two items to get the lower price, often you can buy just one item for the discount!Advertisement
16. Buying your product from a different Target store may save you extra dollars
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If you're planning on heading out to your local Target to buy a specific item, it's always worth searching for the item's DPCI number (you can find this on the online listings) on a site called BrickSeek. If you are lucky enough to live between a couple of Target stores, you can look on Brickseek and see where the best price is, before heading out to shop, as an item may be on clearance in one store, but not in another!Advertisement
17. Get paid for helping the planet!
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A really easy way you can save the planet AND some dollars is to use your own reusable bags at the checkout. Every time you do, Target will give you a 5-cent discount for each reusable bag you bring. Not only is this a great way to cut down on plastic trash, but it saves a little bit of money.Advertisement
18. Target offers FREE returns
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I personally always prefer shopping online if I'm buying an expensive purchase. It gives me more time to think about it and I'm less likely to make any impulsive decisions. However, I do sometimes worry about having to pay expensive returns fees if I'm not 100% happy. Thankfully this fee is one less thing to worry about if you're shopping online at Target. If the order is over $35, returns are completely FREE!Advertisement
19. You can trade in gift cards from other stores
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Gone are the days of unwanted holiday gift cards collecting dust in your purse. One of the many little-known perks that Target offers, is its gift card trade-in program. They'll let you exchange your unwanted gift cards in return for Target credit - sadly it won't be the full amount, but if you weren't going to use the gift card anyway it makes sense to trade it in!Advertisement
20. Target's own brand items have a longer return period than other brands
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In an effort to help drive sales on Target's huge amount of private brands, they offer a MUCH longer return window on their own brand lines like Universal Thread, Mossimo & Threshold. You have up to a whole year to return these brands if they're not up to scratch, whereas for all other items, they must be returned within 90 days.Advertisement
21. Target accepts returns on products most other stores won't!
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Speaking of returns; Another reason to love Target is that they will accept returns on most products that other stores wouldn't! For example, beauty products -even if they've already been opened - can be returned within 90 days of purchase as long as you've kept hold of the receipt.Advertisement
22. Target has its own app to get you even cheaper prices
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If you've already maxed out on manufacturer coupons, stocked up on sale items, and claimed all your cashback... we may have ANOTHER trick to help you save some money! Not many people know this, but Target has its own savings app called Cartwheel. The app is full of downloadable coupons that you can use around the store which can bag you anything from 5-50% off the store price!Advertisement
23. REDcard holders get a LOT of perks
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If you're a real die-hard Target shopper it may be worth looking into getting a Target REDcard. Cardholders get access to exclusive discounts, can claim 5% off on ALL their purchases, get free shipping on online purchases, and even get an extra 30 days to return almost any item purchased either online or in-store.Advertisement
24. Look out for THESE colored end caps to find the best deals
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Whilst most stores will often scatter clearance items throughout the shelves, Target is much more organized in their approach. The ends of every aisle - also known as the yellow "end caps" - are always stocked with clearance items, so make sure you don't neglect these often-overlooked shelves when hunting out a deal!Advertisement
25. Try to hold your nerve when buying a product that's just gone on sale!
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Like most stores, Target has a system for managing items on sale, where essentially the longer an item has been on sale and the fewer units which have been bought, the deeper the discount will be on the item. This means that it's always worth waiting until a week or so after an item has gone on sale to get the best price!Advertisement
26. ...and THIS is how to know whether it's worth holding out any longer
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It's always a gamble knowing when to buy sale items- buy it too soon and you may have missed out on further discounts, but wait too long and it may be out of stock! One way to know if an item is likely to be reduced again is to look at the price tag. If the price ends in a $0.06 or $0.08... it's pretty likely to be discounted again in a week.
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27. All the cheapest deals end up in the Dollar Spot section
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Remember one of our previous tips about looking out for the yellow end caps in store? Well, another place you MUST look if you're wanting to snag a discount is the "Dollar Spot" section, which sits directly in front of the store entrance. You can usually pick up stationery items, home decor, candy, and so much more, for $3 or less!
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28. Target will donate any items which don't sell to thrift stores
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At the end of every Target sale, there are always certain items that just won't budge, even at the deepest discounts! Target will send these unwanted items to Goodwill and TJMaxx, where they are sold at even cheaper prices. It's always worth heading to one of these two retailers to see if you can bag a bargain.
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29. Use Coupons From Other Sites
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As we mentioned before, Target put no limit on the number of coupons you can stack at the checkout. Before you go shopping, make sure to check out sites like RetailMeNot, Groupon and DealCatcher, where you can usually find tons of extra discount codes and coupons to add to your stack!Advertisement
30. Using a Target Subscription can save you 5% each time!
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If there's a product you find yourself buying pretty regularly - like nappies or laundry detergent - it's always worth checking if Target has a subscription discount available. Every time you receive your Target Subscription items in the mail, you will get 5% off every order and free shipping. Even better, if you're a new parent and sign up for the Baby Subscription, you'll get 10% off every order!Advertisement