You already know the basics. Circle deals. Maybe stacking some Ibotta offers with a manufacturer coupon or two. But I promise, there’s more. This is the stuff Target coupon pros are doing to save significant money.
In this guide, our KCL shopping experts share insider info to help you coupon smarter. Get ready to learn all the tricks and tips that make Target one of our favorite places to coupon.
KCL TIP: Download the free Krazy Coupon Lady app to make saving at Target simple. And check out our Target deal breakdowns, telling you exactly what to buy and which coupons to use.
Pro Tips for Couponing at Target
Let’s start this Target deep dive with some advanced couponing tips and rules you’ll need to know if you want to take your savings game to the next level.
1. Category offers are limited to one per item : You can’t buy a bottle of moisturizer and use a 15% off beauty items coupon along with a 20% off home and health coupon. Pick the one that will save you the most money.
2. You can't use Ibotta offers with store pickup: When you place an order on the Target app and choose “Store Pickup,” they don't give you a paper receipt that you can submit to Ibotta to redeem cash-back offers. To make matters worse, Ibotta doesn't accept the receipt that you can print out via the Target app. Hopefully this gets sorted out in the future, but for now you have to shop in-store (or use in-store pickup) and get a paper receipt to submit to Ibotta.
The only workaround that I know of is going to Target customer service for a refund; then rebuy the item and get the actual paper receipt that way.
3. Know manufacturer coupon rules : Target limits you to four identical manufacturer coupons per household, per day, and they can even be used on clearance items (unless otherwise noted on the coupon.) But here’s the rub: most manufacturer coupons have a limit of two or three uses per shopping trip, which overrides Target’s policy.
Also, there are no limitations on how many manufacturer coupons you can use in a single transaction, meaning if you have multiple items, you can use a manufacturer coupon on each item if available.
4 Target says no to overages : If the value of your coupons is more than the purchase value of the products you’re buying, they won’t give you cash back for the difference.
5. Printable coupons have different rules : These can’t be on your smartphone, nor can they be copied, scanned, or altered in any way. But they will take print-at-home coupons as long as they have a scannable barcode on them.
6. New Circle offers drop every Sunday morning : Don’t like the current batch of Circle deals and coupons? Check out all the new ones on Sunday and plan your shopping accordingly.
7. Earn unlimited Target gift cards : Target doesn't limit how many gift cards you receive per transaction, making them a sneaky good deal. You can do promos like “buy four household items, get a $10 gift card” multiple times in the same trip. So you could buy 12 things in one transaction and get three $10 gift cards.
8. Clearance items don’t mix with Circle offers : While you can use manufacturer coupons on clearance items at Target, you can’t use Circle offers on clearance items. Look for clearance deals in aisle endcaps, especially endcaps toward the back of the store.
9. Make your in-store checkout easy: Add a payment card to your Target account, either via the app or through their website. Then you can simply scan the Wallet barcode in the app once, and you’ll pay for your purchase and get credit for all your Circle discounts and coupons in one scan.
Extra Credit: Target Circle Card, Circle Bonus Offers, Target Price Match, and Clearance Hacks
How to Manipulate Circle Bonus Offers
Target’s been quietly using Circle Bonus offers to nudge you into spending more. The more you spend, the higher your bonus threshold is going to be. If you’re the kind of shopper who routinely spends $150 a trip, don’t be surprised when your bonus requires you to spend even more to unlock rewards. Meanwhile, someone who only spends $40 a trip gets a much lower threshold to hit.
You can use this information to your advantage with our Circle Bonus offers hack:
Set up multiple profiles.
Start by creating separate Circle accounts, maybe one for you and one for your partner. Then use one for big grocery trips and another for smaller personal buys. Be sure to use a different email and phone number for each. You’ll end up getting distinct thresholds on each account, making it much easier to hit bonuses.
Split large orders.
If you’ve got a “Spend $100 four times to get $40” bonus deal, consider breaking it into smaller chunks. So instead of blowing through all $400 in one big trip, break it up into four $100 trips so you actually trigger the bonus.
If your last trip is $200 or more, you should split it up. Put half on your account to finish your bonus; then use your partner’s Circle account for the rest. If they’ve got the same bonus deal, you’re now stacking two separate bonuses without spending a penny extra.
Shop in the same categories.
If you keep buying the same types of stuff like snacks, home goods, or beauty items, Target will definitely notice. They’ll start giving you Circle Bonus offers with lower spending requirements in those categories because they know you’re already likely to buy.
So if you get an easy “Spend $15, get $5” type of bonus in a category you shop often, use it, even if you just need a few things.
Target Price Match
Target now only prices matches lower prices on Target.com, your local Target, the Target app, and stuff sold by Target Plus partners.
So if you see something cheaper on Target.com while shopping in-store, just show the lower price to the cashier. You’ll get that price on the spot or a price adjustment within 14 days of your purchase.
With that said, did you know that Target in-store price tags often lag behind online pricing within the app? it happens more often than you think. I’ve seen products tagged as $24.99 that scan at $14.98 with the Target app price scanner.
This is especially the case in electronics, toys, and home decor. And if the price is lower in the app, it’ll usually ring up that way at checkout. Worst case, just show the cashier your app screen, and they’ll manually adjust the price.
Use the Target App for a Target Price Match:
1. Scan the item in the Target app first. Do this to check the in-store price and the online price.
2. Get a price match. If the online price is lower, ask for a price match at checkout.
3. Then stack your coupon (paper or digital via Target Circle). Price matching doesn’t cancel out Target Circle offers or digital manufacturer coupons.
4. But you can’t use Target Circle Bonus offers with a price match. This is the big catch. So if the Circle bonus offer is better than the price match, you'll have to decide which discount wins.
The Clearance Hack No One Talks About: Save Your Gift Cards
Target basically goes on autopilot after every big holiday event or when seasonal stock changes. Like clockwork, seasonal stuff goes from full price to 30% to 50% off the next day. Then, a week later it’s often 70% off. Stick around long enough (and pray your store hasn’t been picked clean), and you might just grab something for 90% off. The expert move is saving those free gift cards from weekly Circle promos and cashing them in when the Target clearance sales hit.
Think about it — those “Buy three, get a $10 gift card” promos happen constantly, and most people blow the gift card right away. Don’t. Instead, wait for Target clearance sales. That’s when you can walk in, pay nothing out of pocket, and walk out with $80 worth of stuff you paid very little real money for.
For in-store purchases, there's no limit to the number of gift cards you can use on a single transaction. For online purchases, there's a limit of 10 gift cards per order.
KCL TIP : Don’t wait for the holiday to end. I’ve seen managers start quietly moving seasonal stuff to clearance a week before the actual holiday. Check those seasonal aisles early and often, especially if the next season’s merch is already creeping in.
Smart Ways to Score a Target Coupon
College Student 20% Coupon : Every year between June and September, Target offers a 20% off coupon to college students. After verification of your college status, the 20% off one-time-use coupon will show up in your Target Wallet under "Saved Deals. "
The best part? It stacks with Circle offers and digital manufacturer coupons and can be used in-store or online. To make it happen in the app, go to "Settings → Student verification" and submit proof of enrollment which includes a class schedule, tuition receipt, or a college ID with your name on it.
Target Wedding Registry: If you or someone you know is getting married, creating a Target wedding registry gets you a one-time 15% off coupon to finish buying whatever’s left on your list. They’ll send it to your Circle account the week of your big day.
You can use the 15% off coupon on whatever you want (as long as it’s in your registry), and you can stack it with other Circle offers. So be sure to fill your registry with big-ticket items and stuff you actually need for your home, even if you would never expect a wedding guest to buy it for you. Then you can buy your wish list items with the 15% discount, and they'll give you a whopping six months to do it.
Target Baby Registry: This one's very similar to the wedding registry coupon. Earn a 15% off coupon when you create a Target baby registry. The only difference is Target will send you the coupon eight weeks before your due date so you have plenty of time to finish the baby’s room and buy all your supplies.
The Truth About the Target Circle Card
The Target Circle Card is their proprietary payment card, with three variations: a credit card, a debit card linked to your checking account, or a reloadable card. We recommend the debit card (or reloadable) versions over the credit card, simply because there are fewer potential negative consequences. As long as you don’t overdraft your checking account, there aren't any fees. With the credit card, if you miss a payment or pay late, you could end up paying sky-high interest, incurring fees, or even damaging your credit report.
Who the Target Circle Card Is Great For
People Who Don’t Carry a Balance: If you’re grabbing the credit version, the math only works if you’re paying the bill in full. The interest rate is high (like 28.95%), and it will quickly wipe out your 5% savings if you let a balance sit.
Frequent Target Shoppers: If Target is your go-to for everything from groceries to holiday shopping to home goods, the 5% discount adds up quickly. Even casual monthly runs can make a dent in your bill with that discount. We compared prices at Walmart and Target, and Target's prices consistently won when including the 5% off with a Target Circle Card.
Parents: When you’re stocking up on dorm essentials, back-to-school gear, or diapers and snacks on the regular, it makes sense to save a little extra every time you shop.
People Who Should Skip the Card
Occasional Shoppers : If you only wander into Target a few times a year, that 5% won’t do much for you, especially compared to a cash-back card that gives rewards everywhere.
Better Cash-Back Card Holders: Some general cash-back cards offer 2% to 3% on everything or bonus categories like groceries, which can sometimes beat the savings of the Circle Card if you shop smart elsewhere.
Impulse Buyers: This one’s sneaky. If 5% off psychologically convinces you to spend more, you’re not saving anything; you’re just buying more stuff you didn’t plan on.
