10 Secrets You Need To Know Before Shopping Target

Love shopping Target? Me too! There are a ton of ways to save at Target (which can quickly become overwhelming), but with a little patience and determination you can learn all the best ways to save while you're there. Here are my top 10 ways to save every time you shop Target.

1. Take advantage of mobile coupons.

Target offers various coupons when you text a certain word to the number 827438. These are all store coupons, and can be used in conjunction with manufacturer coupons AND Target coupons to get great savings. Often Target includes coupons like $1 off vegetables, $1 off fruit or even $1 off meat, so this is a great way to save on items you usually can't find deals on. Here are a few current mobile coupon offers at Target:

• Text CLEAN to 827438 to save $15 on $50 or more in cleaning supplies (expires 8/22/15)
• Text OFFERS to 827438 to save on fresh produce, Excedrin, Colgate, Up & Up and more (expires 8/19/15)
• Text BABY4 to 827438 to save on Huggies, Gerber, & more brands for baby (expires 9/9/15)

2. Also check Target.com for printable store coupons.

In addition to mobile coupons, Target offers a ton of store printable coupons. There are dozens of Target store printable coupons available to print on their website. These are typically store coupons, however occasionally you can find a manufacturer coupon on that site that can be used at any store.  If the coupon says “$1 off when you buy” it will most likely be a manufacturer coupon, however if it says” $1 off (the item)”, it should be a Target store coupon.

If it's a Target store coupon, the coupon normally states “limit one coupon or offer per guest” so you will be limited to using it only once during your trip. However, you can stack it with a manufacturer coupon on the same item to get even more savings.

3. Save even more with Target Cartwheel coupons.

Target Cartwheel coupons are extra savings you can use in addition to your manufacturer and Target store coupons. They typically are for a fairly small amount off ~ for example 5-10% off a specific item, however sometimes they have offers up to 50% off. You can choose to either have these loaded to your phone or to print them directly at home to take to the store. There's also a place to search for specific coupons at the top of the page, and you just click on the coupon to add it to your cart.

Once it's added, click on “my Cartwheel” at the top of the page and any coupons that you've added will be right there for you.  Then click “redeem in store” to either print the offers or download the Cartwheel App to your phone so you can just scan it in the store.

4. If you have a Smartphone, take a screenshot to make checking out go a little smoother.

5. If you sign up for a Target Redcard, you'll automatically save 5% off your Target purchases.

6. Get $.05 off your order for each bag when you bring your own bags to carry your groceries home in.

7. Watch for markdowns at Target.

• Monday – Accessories, Books, Baby & Stationary, Kids Clothing, Electronics
• Tuesday – Food, Pet Supplies & Women's Clothing
• Wednesday – Diapers, Furniture, Health & Beauty, Lawn & Garden, Men's Clothing
• Thursday – Decor & Luggage, Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Toys
• Friday – Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, Home Goods, Jewelry

8. Target price matches competitor prices.

If you find something at another store for less than it is at Target, Target will price match that item. To price match, you'll need to bring in the printed ad from the store you'd like to price match to, or you can show the price on a mobile device from the competitor's website. Read more HERE.

UPDATE: Starting 10/1/15 Target will price match an additional 29 online retailers. The best part is they'll price match it for up to 14 days AFTER your purchase, so hang onto those receipts because it should help you save big!

During the holidays these savings can really add up, because you can price match a sale item on Amazon (I usually use my Amazon App), and if you have a manufacturer coupon Target will let you use that coupon in addition to the sales ad. (See an example of that over HERE.)

9. Don't forget that Target offers great gift card deals each week, and you can even roll those gift card deals to do more of a similar deal.

10. Don't miss the Target One Spot deals.

See all the top deals at Target this week, and create your Target shopping list before you shop.