There are a few topics I can talk about for 30 minutes straight and how I save money using Target Circle is hands down one of them. Ask my parents: I weave it into nearly every phone call.

It’s no secret I love Target fashion, but being able to save while I shop fills my heart in ways I cannot explain. We don’t gatekeep around here, so sharing my five biggest tips on how I save over $100 a month using Target Circle.

How Does Target Circle Work?

Whoever invented Target Circle deserves multiple raises. Gone are the days where you need to save coupon codes on websites or clip them from the newspaper: they’re literally all here on an app.

Previously, you needed to manually add them to your app or search an item to see if there was a coupon, but ever since the program was redone, it’s easier than ever.

All you need to do is download the app, login and add a credit card if that floats your boat and you are ready to go! It is seriously that easy.

My Best Target Circle Secrets

Target Circle is the ultimate coupon site and saving money is so easy! There’s a little bit of strategy involved to fully take advantage of all the possible savings, so let’s dive in:

1. Look at the Deals Before You Shop

New deals are released on the app on Mondays, and I always spend a few minutes looking through them as I’m planning my week ahead. There are two types of discounts you’ll see on the app: deals and coupons.

Deals are from Target and are automatically added to your Target Circle account. Just by scanning your card, you’ll get this percentage off!

Coupons are from manufacturers and will need to be manually added. There are two ways to do this: searching though the magnifying glass at the top of the app or going to you Target Circle deals and seeing what’s available. You will need to add these to your account to use them and they’re not automatically applied.

I try to stack my purchases based around the deals and coupons. Manufacturer coupons can run for weeks but the deals typically are only valid for a week. If you can purchase ahead for the month, this is a great way to take advantage of the promotions. I’ve saved a few dollars on items doing this and that can add up quickly!

2. Type in Your Phone Number Every Time You Check Out

Whether you’re making a purchase at Starbucks or grabbing a popcorn to snack, always type in your phone number to get Target Circle earnings added to your account! When you pay with your Target Circle Card, you won’t be able to receive earnings (you receive 5% off instead) but any purchase should connect to your number. It’s literally free money!

3. Break Up Your Cart into Multiple Transactions

This is my biggest and best tip: don’t be embarrassed to break your purchases up into multiple transactions. I’ve included a picture below to show a recent trip and how I divided my cart to get the maximum number of gift cards. This particular trip fell on a time there was a deal where for every $50 spent on Home Care you would receive a $15 gift card.

To maximize this offering (again, this is free money towards items you are buying anyways) I will strategically map my items into groups of as close to $50, so I can be sure to take advantage of as many gift cards for future purchases as possible.

Earlier I mentioned buying for the month ahead and this is the most cost-effective way to do so. If your home is typically going through two packs of toilet paper a month for example, try buying a larger pack during the promotion, get a $15 gift card and apply it to a future purchase! This is the easiest way for me to save money with Target Circle.

4. Plan to Buy Specific Product Categories at Target Only Once a Month

I’ve touched on this briefly, but historically, Target Circle runs a promotion for Home Care items aligning with the first week of the month and twice a month, there are promotions for Beauty items, which also unlock gift cards.

While I am in no way promoting over consumption or hoarding behavior, I am a firm believer in buying what you need and getting the greatest return for it. If you are going to need shampoo in the next month or laundry detergent, these are great times to buy! They also run promotions on baby essentials and I know a lot of mamas use this strategy to purchase essentials like diapers and formulas for their babies.

This method takes a little planning ahead but if you can spend $100 on essentials and profit $30 for completing your monthly shopping: that’s a win to me!

5. Open the Target Circle Card

This one could be a slippery slope because everyone has a different relationship with credit cards, but for me personally: we exclusively purchase home product from Target and the 5% back on all orders with the Target Circle Card made having it worth it.

One call out: the limits on these cards are typically quite low, so I don’t recommend having this be your primary card. But if you’re looking for an additional way to save on your Target runs, this is a fantastic way to do so! In four months, I’ve saved over $400 by simply making purchases on my Target Circle card, so for my household: this is worth it!

Let me know which of these tips is your favorite or which of these you’ve already been doing. Happy shopping!