The Best Ways to Save Money on Groceries at Target

Target is awesome for all sorts of things: towels, toiletries, sports bras. It can also be a great place to buy food — especially if you know how (and when) to shop.

If you haven’t checked out Target’s grocery selection recently, you should: There’s so much more than just Archer Farms! Plus, you’re already there picking up makeup, pens, and leggings anyway.

Thanks to the megastore’s redesign, the experience is about to get even better. In the future, there will be a separate entrance for those who want to order online, then get in and get out. You’ll also be able to pay for your loot on the floor (think: Apple store-style checkout), and the produce section will have a more Whole Foods-like vibe.

So what’s the best strategy if you want to make it out with your budget intact? Here are five smart tips for scoring the best deals.

According to the website AllThingsTarget.com, the Market (read: food) items go on sale the second day of the work week. If your store also sells fresh produce, get friendly with a manager and ask what day(s) they receive shipments for the freshest stock.

Did you know that Target does price matching? They do! Keep the circulars of your other local stores handy — as long as the item you want is an exact match for what Target is selling, you won’t have to make that second trip to the other store to get the same deal.

“Target pushes the use of its Cartwheel app more than any other major store by offering tons of exclusive coupons through it,” says Benjamin Glaser, features editor with DealNews. The same coupons are available on the Cartwheel website (cartwheel.target.com) too, if you’d prefer to print coupons at home before you go.

You can use both manufacturer and Target coupons on a single item, compounding your savings. An app like Grocery IQ makes quick work of this by alerting you to coupons on the items you buy most frequently.

It pays to be eco-friendly — literally. Target offers a 5-cent credit for every reusable bag you bring for your shopping trip. It may not seem like much, but if you take a quick eyeful of just how many plastic bags you’ve accumulated under the sink, you’ll see the dollars saved in no time.

• 10 Things to Buy from Target for Your Patio

• What to Register for at Target