If you read my blog regularly, you know that I have a deep and abiding love for Target. If I had to pick only one store to shop at for the rest of my life, it would be Target, hands down. There are so many reasons to love that place...here are my top five!
5. ONE STOP SHOPPING: Where else can you pick up some toilet paper, a big screen TV, a pair of Converse sneakers, a set of non-stick pots and pans, and a ballet leotard all in the same shopping trip? There is nothing you can't find at Target. And I really feel like they are stepping up their game lately...lots of big designers are putting out clothing lines at Target, there are new lines from chefs like Giada DeLaurentis & Paula Deen in the kitchen section, and they even have some bigger designers right now in their "Great Save Event"section. There really is something for everyone from super cheap up to...well, less cheap, but still affordable.
4. THE PRICES: I don't have a Super Target nearby, but my Target has a pretty good grocery section. I have found that the regular prices in the grocery section at Target are almost always better than my grocery store. I had always assumed that the opposite was true...that grocery stores would naturally have cheaper prices than a store like Target. But I have to say that I have compared prices on a lot of items and in many cases Target wins. Of course it's not ALWAYS the case, but next time you head to Target, take note of what you pay for a few staples and see if Target can beat those prices.
3. TARGET COUPONS: Target accepts manufacturer coupons like most stores, but they also put out their own Target Store Coupons that you can use in addition to the manufacturer coupons. So, you can use BOTH a manufacturer coupon AND a Target store coupon for the same item, which really increases your savings. You can find Target coupons online HERE and they also occasionally mail them out to customers (though no one knows the rhyme or reason behind why some people get coupons in the mail and some people don't).
2. DOLLAR SECTION: That little dollar section just when you walk in the door is the best for many reasons. I get a lot of party favors for birthday parties, stocking stuffers, travel toys, and seasonal decor in this section each year. It's also a great place to take your children for a reward...they can pick out anything they want and it's only going to set you back a dollar!
1. CLEARANCE: If you are a bargain shopper, you know the thrill of the little red sticker. I could go on and on about Target Clearance, but I'll try to sum it up in a couple of sentences. Target clearances items all over the store all year long. Just check their "end caps" in each section for the current selection. Once Target puts something on clearance (usually starting at 15-30% off), it will keep getting cheaper and cheaper until it's 75% off (or 90% off in the case of holiday sections) unless someone buys it first. I love to see something at 30% off and come back a few weeks later to snag it at 75% off. This sometimes requires a large amount of stalking and visiting Target everyday until the markdown team visits that area and marks your item down (I scored a grill last fall for 75% off this way...the Target employees knew me by name in that section!). But when you finally get your hands on that coveted item at a fraction of its retail price...victory!
So there you go...the reasons behind my love affair with Target. And I didn't even mention the fact that in the Kansas City area you can get a Target credit card and save 5% on EVERYTHING, every time you shop. I'm sure that most of you feel the same way about Target as I do, but if you aren't a Target lover like me....try it....you'll like it!