7 Ways to Save Money at Target

While Target consistently offers promotions and discounts, you can often save even more money by taking a few simple steps. If you shop consistently at Target, you could take a substantial amount of money out of your expenses with even a small percentage off of full price.

You might only be able to take advantage of a few of these ideas on each trip, but your savings will still add up over time. Let’s take a look at five of the most effective ways to save money when shopping at Target.

1. Install Shopkick

Shopkick is a cash-back app that enables users to earn gift cards simply by shopping online and in physical stores.

After downloading Shopkick on an iPhone or Android, you can earn Kicks by walking into a Target, scanning specific barcodes, and uploading your receipt after buying certain products.

Kicks can be redeemed for gift cards to a long list of popular brands including Amazon, Starbucks, and Walmart.

If you’d like to see me show you exactly how to use Shopkick at the store, be sure to check out this video.

Also, use my Shopkick promo code LOGAN to get a $5 bonus when you download the app and earn at least 10 kicks within 7 days!

2. Check the Weekly Ad

The weekly ad is a great place to start if you’re looking for good deals on Target products. Check the Target website to view the current weekly ad as well as a sneak peek at next week’s promotions.

On top of the base weekly ad sales, Target Circle members should also browse through the ad for member-exclusive offers. Some promotions are also only available for pickup through the Target app.

3. Use the Target RedCard

Target RedCard is a special rewards card that’s available as either a debit or credit card. Purchases made with a RedCard at Target.com or a physical Target store automatically have 5% shaved off the sale price, which can add up to a lot of savings over weeks, months, and years.

The RedCard also comes with additional benefits like five percent off at Starbucks plus two-day shipping and 30-day return extensions on most items.

Neither the debit nor credit version comes with any annual fee, so all the money you save will go straight back into your account rather than covering the annual fee.

However, you should carefully consider your options before applying for a Target RedCard — particularly the credit card, which could have a negative impact on your credit score.

4. Look at the Clearance and Top Deals Sections

If you’re shopping at Target.com, make sure to take a look at the Clearance and Top Deals areas of the site in order to find the best offers. You’ll be able to search for Target.com promotions as well as prices at local stores, so this can even help you save money if you’re planning to shop in-person.

These listings also show what the price was before the discount, giving you a better idea of how much you’re saving. Keep in mind that you can also use search filters to find promotions when looking for products on Target.com.

5. Sign Up for Target Circle

Target Circle is a free program that enables customers to earn rewards on every Target purchase. You don’t need to pay or apply for a card to take advantage of Target Circle rewards—you’ll automatically be enrolled after creating a Target.com account.

With Target Circle, you’ll receive one percent back on every Target purchase you make, including both online and in-store transactions. To trigger your rewards, just remember to enter your phone number or scan your account barcode at the point of sale. You can also upload receipts to earn retroactive rewards up to seven days after the initial purchase.

Additional Target Circle benefits include five percent off an entire birthday shopping trip and exclusive offers that aren’t available to non-members. Members can also currently access four free months of Apple TV+, Apple Music, and 50 GB of iCloud storage plus six free months of Apple Arcade. It only takes a minute to sign up, making Target Circle one of the simplest ways to save money while shopping at Target.

6. Take Advantage of Price Matching

Like most other major retailers, Target provides a relatively generous price matching policy that covers their own prices as well as prices from other brands. You can bring evidence of a lower price from “Target.com, select online competitors, or Target’s or local competitor’s print ad” and get the best price at the point of sale. Don’t forget to check Target.com as well as competitor websites, particularly before making any major purchases.

Furthermore, Target will even match prices from any of those retailers for a full 14 days after you make your purchase. If an item goes on sale within the first two weeks after you buy it, just bring that information to your local Target to get back the difference.

Target also has a unique price matching program that’s available throughout the holiday season. According to their price match guarantee, any online or in-store purchases made on or after October 10th can be brought in for a full price match anytime before Christmas Day. Don’t forget to keep the receipt or order confirmation email on hand in order to take advantage of any price matches.

7. Buy Store Brand Products

Target offers store-brand alternatives to a variety of brand-name items. Shoppers who want to spend less money at Target should check the price gaps between store-brand and name-brand products.

For example, we found a 10.8-ounce box of Honey Nut Cheerios for $3.49 on the Target website, while a 12.25-ounce box of Target’s store-brand alternative was available for just $2.99.

At roughly 32 cents per ounce for Honey Nut Cheerios compared to 24 cents per ounce for Honey Nut Hoops, Target is currently providing roughly 25% in savings relative to General Mills prices. Of course, store-brand alternatives may be the same price as or even more expensive than their name-brand counterparts in some cases.