While the idea of stacking coupons is not a new idea, and one that I’ve discussed in detail in the past, Target takes the practice to a whole new level. A level that deserves it’s own blog post so you too can become a money saving ninja on your next trip to the red bull’s eye. If you shop at Target regularly, especially for grocery, health & beauty, and baby items, you can easily knock 20% off your annual bill by stacking Target coupons. Here are the steps to make it happen.

Step 1: Find a Manufacturer’s Coupon

The first thing you’re going to want to do when becoming a coupon stacking pro at Target, is to hunt down free manufacturer coupons for the things you need to buy.

A few great places to start include Coupons.com, CouponMom.com, and Savings.com.

All three resources keep very accurate and up-to-date databases of the newest manufacturer coupons available and allow you to print them out for free.

Step 2: Find a Target Coupon

Next, you’ll want to find a coupon specific to Target stores to stack on top of the manufacturer coupons that you’ve already found.

Hit up the section of their site designed specifically for Target coupons, and quickly search and print the coupons for the products that you need to shop for.

Popular coupon categories include cleaning supplies, beauty products, food, and baby items.

Step 3: Find a Target Circle Discount

Next, be sure to sign up for the free Target Circle program. By doing so you’ll get instant access to hundreds of coupons and rebates when checking out.

Be sure to check out the websites Totally Target and The Krazy Coupon Lady as they both do a great job breaking down the current Circle Deals so you can plan your next “coupon stacking” trip effectively.

And before you ask, YES, you can stack Circle offers on top of any manufacturer or Target coupons that you’ve found.

Pretty cool, huh?

See Also: Here’s Where Target Sends Their Liquidated Items (Go Save Some Money)

Step 4: Use Your REDcard Too

But wait, we aren’t done saving money at Target yet.

Have you ever heard of Target’s proprietary REDcard that gives you an extra 5% off EVERY time you use it?

It comes in 3 flavors, a debit card, credit card, or a reloadable Visa Cash Card.

The debit card works like a check by drawing money straight from your existing checking account.

The credit card version allows you to charge your purchases, both online and in-store, and comes with no annual fee.

Lastly, the reloadable card allows you to add cash for free at Target and spend it anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

Buyer beware on the credit card, it comes with an APR close to 23%, so it’s only a good option if you pay your bill in full every month.

Otherwise your 5% savings will quickly get wiped out by the high interest charges.

Also, by using the REDcard you get free shipping at Target.com and an extra 30 days to return items which is kinda cool. It basically comes down to how often you shop at Target.

If you’re a weekly shopper, it’s a bit of a no-brainer as the 5% savings is fairly significant over the course of an entire year.

Especially after you stack all of the above mentioned coupons on top of your 5%.

BONUS Tip: Price Match…Then Use a Coupon

Target has a pretty killer price-match policy in place, one of the best actually.

It allows you to match both local competitors prices, as well as 29 online retailer’s pricing.

But most shoppers aren’t aware that you can get a price match, then add a manufacturer’s coupon on top of the new price to save even more.

Simply show proof of the lower price at the customer service desk and hand them the coupon at the same time and you’ll be out the door with extra money in your pocket in a matter of minutes.

BONUS Tip #2: Use an Independent Shopping App

Another killer way to get even more savings on your next Target purchase is to download a free shopping app to your smartphone. Here are a few of my favorites, and yes, you can submit your Target receipt to more than one of these apps, if not all.

• iBotta: Basically the app unlocks a bunch of secret rebates on products you’ll probably be buying anyways from Target. Examples include $1 back on a pack of Oreos, 25 cents back on a gallon of milk, or $1 back on a box of Wheat Thins. Next, after shopping, tap the “Redeem” button, snap a picture of your receipt, and verify your purchases. Once verified, you’ll get your rebate money added directly to your Ibotta account. Reach the $10 minimum and request a deposit to your PayPal or Venmo account, or get paid via a gift card.
• Checkout 51: The app lets you buy groceries from Target, scan your receipt, and easily get cash back on certain items. Reach $20 and they’ll send you a check in the mail.
• Snap: This one comes from the folks at Groupon and it works by offering a bunch of weekly cash back offers on products that Target sells. So all you have to do is “snap” a picture of your Target receipt after buying cash back products and the app will verify your purchase and credit your Snap account. You then get paid via check when you reach a $20 balance.
• Saving Star: When shopping at Target, you simply select grocery offers, buy those items, scan your receipt into the app (or sync with your store card), then get cash back added directly to your Saving Star account. Once your account reaches $5, you can request a withdrawal via PayPal, direct deposit to a bank account, or donation to a charity.

Happy savings.

By Kyle James

Photo by Mike Mozart.