How-To Save When Shopping At Target ($1,000 GIFT CARD!)

As if you need yet ANOTHER reason to love or to head to your closest Target store, I'm here to give you one.

I don't know many girls that hate Target...it's just one of those things. Today, you can actually make your unhealthy obsession sound like it's a good thing.

Allow me to explain. One of the best decisions I've made when it comes to shopping was getting a Target Red Card this past summer. The red card is different than your typical store credit card. It's actually a debit card that allows you to save 5% on every purchase. On top of that, it stores your receipts to make returns even easier and you get free shipping on all Target.com purchases (no minimum ladies). This was a no-brainer to me...SOLD.

I figured if I'm already spending on average $50+ each time I go to Target, I might as well get the debit card and save 5%. I can't tell you how much I have saved over the past 6+ months, but I can tell you that it's a lot of moolah and my husband is extremely happy about it.

Here's the real kicker...Target has recently come out with their free Cartwheel App that allows you to save even more. Cartwheel can be used on your desktop, tablet, mobile web or iPhone and Droid apps and it CAN be combined with other store offers. The thing is, I think I've gotten pretty good at saving money at Target between this app AND my red card...

What I like to do is write out the things we need at the beginning of every week and then I will go straight to the Cartwheel App to see if there are any coupons for those items. Most of the time there is a coupon for what I need because the app has over 700 coupons available. Seriously.

You just log in via your facebook account or email then you have access to all of the coupons. 20% here...10% there..it all adds up!

I also like to use the app when I'm shopping in the store. My favorite thing about this app is that you can use your iPhone (or Droid) to scan any item's bar code to see if that item has a Cartwheel offer on it. How awesome is that? 

Besides scanning the bar codes, if you are at home making a list, you can browse by category or search for a specific item, save the coupons you want (they are stored under "my Cartwheel"), then when you are checking out you just have the cashier scan your bar code and the savings come right off. 

None of this ripping paper coupons out and having to remember to bring them to the store stuff...

 

And did you know that one of our favorite bloggers THE Kelle Hampton has her own collection where you can shop her picks?

I'm always using this app when I shop at Target now. It's too easy not to, and when I see my receipt with multiple savings on it I can't help but smile and feel like I'm the smartest woman in the world. Go ahead, shatter my thoughts...this is just common sense.

The trick is (with coupons in general) is to just make sure you aren't buying random things you don't need because there is an coupon for it - that's where my list comes in handy. It keeps me focused on the things we actually do need. Or at least it tries to.

Have you used the Cartwheel App yet? If not, you better get on it!

**To be entered for a chance to WIN a $1,000 Target GiftCard®, tell me below in the comments what your favorite things about Target is!

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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

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This sweepstakes runs from 1/30 - 2/28.

Be sure to visit the Target Cartwheel brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!