Anyone who knows me knows that I loathe WalMart.  I often joke that if I’m a really bad person in this life, I will be condemned to an eternity spent at WalMart.  The list of reasons I hate WalMart is very long, so I’ll spare you my usual ranting.  At any rate, there’s a solution: Target.  It is my go-to place for “drug store brand” beauty products, as well as some brands you can only get at Target.  Here’s why I love Target…

Free Beauty Bags:  A couple times a year, Target gives away a mini beauty bag filled with samples and coupons.  The easiest way to find out about them is to follow Target Style on Facebook.  Here’s a look at the one I got in the mail yesterday:

Contents: samples of L’Oreal Evercreme shampoo, conditioner, & masque, Fekkai Shea Butter shampoo & conditioner, Jergens lotion, Clear shampoo & conditioner, Pixi foundation primer, leopard print travel bag, coupon book (not shown)

On their Facebook page, I saw a post saying they’d given away their “final” beauty bag.  I hope they meant the last of this one or last one of the year, because I really look forward to getting these!  Usually, I love the little bag it comes in (it’s generally one of the name-brand ones you can get in their stores), and although this one isn’t as cute as the ones I’m used to getting, I can always use it for a gift or donate it to charity.

Coupons:  These beauty bags come with a coupon booklet.  Often, they’re the same coupons you can print off their website, but some of them “match” the sample items.  The great thing about Target coupons is that you can combine them with manufacturer’s coupons.  If you’re lucky enough to have a Target near you with a good clearance section, you can really rack up the savings!  Check the Target website (scroll to the bottom under “ways to save”) for current coupons.

Target Red Card:  Target also has their own credit/debit card (debit links to your checking account.)  When you use it, you instantly get 5% off your total purchase price.  Additionally, you can designate a school to get an extra 1% of your spending.  My only complaint about this (debit) card is that when I first got it, all the charges came off my checking account instantly (like when I use my non-Target debit card.)  However, the charges have been processed later and later, so now it’s more like writing a check.  Annoying.

Maybe a Little More Expensive:  Some things at Target are more expensive than at that other mass merchandiser.  However, with my Target Red Card savings, and combining coupons, I’m able to more than make up the difference.

Target Brand:  They have their own line of products called “Up & Up”, which closely mirror the products they’re meant to replace.  While I think some brand-name products are better, there are a lot of things that aren’t worth paying more for. (trash bags, food storage items, etc.)  The Target brand items are a good way to save money – and sometimes they have coupons for them, too!

And:  The lines are shorter at Target and the store associates are a lot more friendly.  My time is worth something to me, so I often don’t even care if I’m paying 10 cents more for a few things.  As an added bonus/motivation for me – the closest Target to my house has a lower sales tax rate than even the WalMart does.  It’s a little further down the road,  but at least I don’t have to deal with my vision being assaulted by The People of WalMart.