1. Pick Your Day
Because most Targets mark down certain departments on specific days for clearance, knowing the schedule can help you find the best Target deals.
“For instance, you’ll find the best deals on clearance electronics on a Monday and sporting good clearance on Thursday,” said Christy Palmer, founder of the All Things Target blog.
Here’s a schedule Palmer said is good for most Targets:
Monday: Electronics, accessories, kids’ clothing, books, baby, stationery
Tuesday: Domestic goods, women’s clothing, pets, market (food items)
Wednesday: Men’s clothing, health & beauty, diapers, lawn & garden, furniture
Thursday: Houseware, lingerie, shoes, toys, sporting goods, decor & luggage
Friday: Auto, cosmetics, hardware, jewelry
2. Check For Price Adjustments
Here’s a moment everyone has felt and no one likes: You finally buy that dress you’ve been wanting only to see it go on sale the next day. Well, at Target, you can get the difference between what you paid and the new sale price refunded, said Palmer.
So, if an item you bought goes on sale within 14 days of purchase, just bring in your receipt and Target will adjust the price for you. Some exclusions do apply, so make sure you read Target’s policy before requesting a price adjustment.
3. Shop Amazon
Wait, you can shop on Amazon to save money at Target? Correct, because Target is one of many retailers with price match guarantee.
As expected, there are some rules and restrictions. But in general, Target will match the lower price from select online or local retailers.
4. Know the Clearance Codes
Clearance items are some of the best deals at Target, Palmer said, and they are marked down to certain levels in a certain order. “First, items will get marked down to 15% or 30% off, then to 50% off and finally end up at 70% off,” she said.
If you’re on the hunt for clearance items, they should be marked down in red or yellow stickers, according to Palmer. The new price and the percentage of the markdown will be in the top right-hand corner without a percent symbol.
“Check the number in the upper-right corner of the price tag,” said Palmer. “If it says ’70,’ it’s been marked down to 70% off.”
If a price ends in $0.04, this usually indicates it’s reached its lowest markdown.
5. Shop For the Holidays Early — or Late
Want Halloween or Christmas decorations, Easter baskets or back-to-school items that are practically free? Wait a few days or a few weeks after the holiday to buy them.
Holiday items will be cut by 50% the day after the holiday — 30% for candy. But wait a week or so, and products could go down to 70% off. Then, a few days later, if anything is left, they’ll go to 90% off, which is practically free.
Here’s a list of days and times of year that Target offers holiday sale prices, according to All Things Target:
- Valentine’s Day
- Easter
- Summer
- Back-to-School
- Halloween
- Christmas …
6. Stack ‘Em and Save
If you’ve done your pre-Target-run prep properly, you might have more than one coupon for a single item. No problem: Target lets you stack coupons.
Don’t be shy about handing the checkout person a Target coupon, a manufacturer’s coupon and even a third coupon, such as a Target Cartwheel discount for the same item.
7. Use a Cash-Back App or Website
To save even more money at Target, sign up for an Ibotta, Ebates or BeFrugal account. These online programs and smartphone apps give you money back for selected items you buy at Target or other participating stores.
Every service is slightly different, but the bottom line is you receive cash back for the items you buy.
8. Use Target’s Wedding Registry — Even If You’re Not Getting Married
Even if you’re not actually getting married or having a baby, creating a wedding or baby registry is a sneaky way you can save on big-ticket items.
“What I do to save money at Target is that I create a registry for items that I need,” said Becky Beach, founder of MomBeach.com. “After the date of the registry [event, Target gives you a coupon] for 15% off [the remaining items]. That’s how I was able to get a brand new TV set cheaper after our toddler broke the one we had.”
Stack the 15% off deal with the 5% you get for shopping with a REDcard and any Cartwheel discounts, and you can save big bucks.
9. Buy Discount Gift Cards
You can shave even more off your bill by buying discount gift cards at sites like Gift Card Granny or Raise. The cards are real gift cards that you use like cash, so the bonus is that the gift card savings are in addition to any savings with coupons or sales.
10. Don’t Rely On Advertisements
Periodically, Target might have unadvertised markdowns on items. These bargains will be labeled with red and white sale signs, and the signs will have dates on the bottom telling you how long the sales are valid, Palmer said.
“Some are valid longer than a week, some sale prices will last a month or more,” she said.