Everything You Need To Know About Target's Cartwheel App

It is no secret that I love Target - I have written many articles detailing the different ways you can save money there. But what really got me to make Target a permanent part of my actual shopping was their new app, Target Cartwheel, which is shockingly underused, considering how awesome it is, especially with the latest update.

Although Cartwheel is available on both Android and iOS, you don't necessarily need a smartphone or tablet to use it. You can also go directly to http://cartwheel.target.com and log in using your Facebook account.

The whole point of Cartwheel is to add items that you want to buy to your "cartwheel" that you want to save money on. Depending on the item, you can save anywhere from five to thirty percent. You can add up to seventeen items to your cartwheel to use at one time. The best deals usually are for Target's generic brands, such as Up & Up, Simply Balanced, Market Pantry, or Archer Farms.

When you are finished selecting all your items, click on the redeem in store button on the top right corner. You can then print out your Cartwheel-specific bar code, along with the list of items you want to buy. The list includes the item, the amount of, the number of items you can buy per offer, and the offer expiration date. Once you've found all your items, you can show the list to the cashier, and the cashier will scan the bar code to give you the discount.

Of course, if you know how to stack your coupons and various Target-related discounts, you can save even more on your purchases. Here are some good tricks I discovered since I've started using the app:

• The latest update allows you to use your phone's camera to scan items in the store or at home. Once the item is scanned, then the Cartwheel app searches its database for a match, and if there is a match, you have the option of adding it to your Cartwheel. This feature is perfect for last-minute purchases. 
• Stack your coupons. Target allows you to stack Cartwheel savings with one Target coupon, plus one manufacturer coupon per item. Target coupons can be found at http://coupons.target.com, and manufacturer coupons can be found at sites like Coupons.com, or SmartSource. In order to print the coupons, though, you will need to install the printer apps from the websites. The printer app tracks how many coupons you've printed, as some coupons have limits. 
• Additional savings can be had when you bring in your reusable tote bags and use your Target Red Card. For every tote bag you bring in to hold your groceries, you get a five cent discount. Many cashiers often forget, so remind them if they don't give you the discount. Your Target Red Card will net you 5% off every purchase.
• You can only use one Cartwheel barcode per transaction, but you can do up to six Cartwheel transactions a day. 
• You are limited to seventeen items per Cartwheel. If you try to add more items than allowed, you will be asked to remove an item before adding new ones.