Why I Love Target (Part One)

::: Warning: Long post! But if you shop at Target too, can you really blame me? :):::

(Here is a picture of Luke I had to take yesterday before we left - he's wearing his first pair of jeans! I just love this boy - look at that little belly hanging over!)

Do you love Target as much as I do?! I always considered Target a place to get cute but cheap items, like funky jewelry or clearance t-shirts or cute stuff for the house on super markdown. I still counted on Wal-Mart to buy most of my household items and a lot of groceries. But since I had Luke, Wal-Mart has just become less and less accessible. You always have to park a million miles away and then once you finish making your way all around the store, you inevitably have to wait in line for about 20 minutes. I swear they only have like 2 cashiers working at any given time there. Also, before I became a mom I never realized how much I would need to park in those coveted spots right near the cart returns - to avoid lugging 20 pounds of carseat and baby, plus diaper bag and purse into the store. At Wal-Mart, that just doesn't seem to happen, because every spot is filled.

All that to say, I have been leaning more and more toward Target for the things I would normally purchase at Wal-Mart. I never thought about shopping there for grocery items, but even our Target (which is not a Super-Target) has some awesome grocery deals! The great thing about Target is that they have their own Target coupons, which you can stack with manufacturer's coupons to get a really great deal. Go to the bottom of their website and click on "Grocery Coupons." It's that easy!

For instance, last week I was able to snag some Keebler cookies at an awesome price. (My husband has a very labor-intensive job and goes through a lot of snacks at work. Which is funny if you know how thin my husband is! Hate him! lol) Anyway, he loves those cookies, and normally I purchase them on sale for $2.50 at the grocery store. Last week, combining manufacturer and Target coupons, plus a great Buy 2 Get 1 Free sale they were having, I was able to buy them for $.58 each! I also got 2 bags of Chex Mix for $.78 each. I know that I got some other great buys but that's all I can remember at the moment. :)

I will tell you that I was able to use over $21 worth of coupons last week! I think my cashier wanted me to die. Hahaha.

This week my printer was having issues so I wasn't able to print out the coupons that I wanted. I probably should have waited to go to Target today, but I already had my day mapped out and I really despise having to change plans. :) I was still able to get 4 boxes of Kellogg's cereal for $1.23 each, which is great considering I really try never to pay above $1.50 for a box of cereal anymore.

Plus, using a $5 Target card I earned last week for doing a deal, I was able to snag a pair of these babies for only $1 (they're $6 on sale this week). I wore my old ones in the hospital with Luke and had to throw them out when I got home because hospital floors totally gross me out. My feet are just so much cuter and warmer now. :)

And here's a Christmas idea for you: kids' Halloween costumes are on sale right now for 75% off. I picked my 3-year-old niece in the Christmas exchange and she'll be getting two of these costumes as part of her Christmas present as dress-up clothes!

There are a lot of great websites out there that give you the low-down on the weekly Target deals and how to get the most bang for your buck. Money Saving Mom and Krazy Koupon Lady are two that I use. I have also found Attention Target Shoppers to be very helpful!

If you come back tomorrow, I'm going to link up to Frugalicious Friday again and show you my 75% off Target house finds!

(P.S.: I recently discovered Kelly's blog. I remember last year when I was pregnant and on thebump all the time, I kept seeing people with the "Praying for Harper" button and I didn't put two and two together until last week. I have been reading her story little by little and I just love her! Isn't she the cutest! I would kill to have skinny little legs and blonde hair like her! And I love how she uses blogging to tell others about Jesus. Anyway, she writes a lot about Sonic Diet Coke with Vanilla, and yesterday I snagged one during their Happy Hour (when they have 1/2 priced drinks) after the Target run. Luke kinda had a melt-down in Target so Momma needed a boost.

All I can say is,

crushed ice??! Be still my heart!

I think this may become part of the weekly Target run!)