5 Things to Never Buy at Target

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Good deals are difficult to come by these days. Some stores have tried to ease shoppers’ pain by lowering prices on some items, but to find a truly great deal, you usually have to do the work yourself.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. Target is one of those stores where you can certainly find good deals. The company recently cut prices on 2,000 items — from groceries to over-the-counter medication — to help shoppers battle inflation. But despite the move, there are a few things you probably shouldn’t buy at Target if you’re looking for the lowest price. Here are five of them.1. Most grocery itemsI’ve bought groceries at Target, mainly because I was already in the store, and it was convenient to pick up some needed items. But generally, it’s not the best place to do your grocery shopping if you’re sticking to a tight budget.Recent AARP research found that Aldi and Walmart were the cheapest places to buy groceries, with Target following in a distant third. A full basket of assorted groceries cost just $64.57 at Aldi, while the same items added up to $83.62 at Target.Almost everyone’s finances could use a little boost these days. Click here to see top-rated high-yield savings accounts, all of which pay at least 4.00% APY!2. A new TVTarget certainly has deals on TVs, but they aren’t as good as some other stores. I did a quick search for 43-inch TVs at Target, Best Buy, and Amazon, and the prices weren’t even close:Best Buy: 43-inch Insignia smart TV for $150Amazon: Vizio 43-inch TV for $159Target: TCL 43-inch TV for $210Some of these prices could change as we get closer to Black Friday deals, but for now, you’re probably more likely to find the best television deals at Best Buy and Amazon rather than Target. While I only listed one from each store, Amazon and Best Buy had several 43-inch TVs cheaper than Target’s cheapest option.3. Gift cardsI searched Target’s website for gift cards, and while there were many options — including Apple, Disney, and eBay — the value of all the cards was the same price as the cost. In short, no discounts.If you’ve got a membership to a discount warehouse club like Sam’s Club or Costco, you’re bound to find much better deals on gift cards. For example, a $200 Disney gift card costs just $190 at Sam’s Club and a $100 Domino’s gift card costs only $75 at Costco.If you don’t have membership to either club, you can still score good deals on gift cards at sites like Raise.com and CardBear.com.Want to earn rewards when you make purchases? Click here to see our reviews of the best cash back credit cards.4. A gas grillI like to buy things slightly used when I can. My kids hate it, but I find good deals on things, like the Weber gas grill I bought on Facebook a couple of years ago that saved me $350. But I get that some people like new grills, and in that case, Target probably isn’t your best bet for a grill.I found a Weber Genesis S-335 grill with a side burner for a far better price on Amazon than Target:Target: Genesis S-335 for $1,350Amazon: Genesis S-335 for $1,149That’s more than $200 cheaper for the same grill! Again, you can hunt down local deals for something pre-owned, but Amazon is the place to go if you want to buy new.5. Pour-over coffee makerI’m a sucker for a good cup of coffee, and one of the best ways to make it is with a pour-over coffee maker, like the Chemex six-cup glass coffee maker. Just don’t grab one off the shelf at Target, because you’ll probably overpay for it.Here how a couple of the price compared to Target’s:Chemex website: $49.50Amazon: $47.03Target: $51.31I was surprised that even the Chemex website sells this pour-over coffee maker for less than Target. Most of the time, a third-party retailer sells products for cheaper than the manufacturer’s website, but not in this case.I enjoy shopping at Target, but I know it’s not usually the cheapest option. It’s fine if you’re just picking up a few items, but if you do most of your shopping at Target and want to save as much money as possible, you should probably do some comparison shopping ahead of time.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Chris Neiger has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Costco Wholesale, Maker, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

Good deals are difficult to come by these days. Some stores have tried to ease shoppers’ pain by lowering prices on some items, but to find a truly great deal, you usually have to do the work yourself.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Target is one of those stores where you can certainly find good deals. The company recently cut prices on 2,000 items — from groceries to over-the-counter medication — to help shoppers battle inflation. But despite the move, there are a few things you probably shouldn’t buy at Target if you’re looking for the lowest price. Here are five of them.

1. Most grocery items

I’ve bought groceries at Target, mainly because I was already in the store, and it was convenient to pick up some needed items. But generally, it’s not the best place to do your grocery shopping if you’re sticking to a tight budget.

Recent AARP research found that Aldi and Walmart were the cheapest places to buy groceries, with Target following in a distant third. A full basket of assorted groceries cost just $64.57 at Aldi, while the same items added up to $83.62 at Target.

Almost everyone’s finances could use a little boost these days. Click here to see top-rated high-yield savings accounts, all of which pay at least 4.00% APY!

2. A new TV

Target certainly has deals on TVs, but they aren’t as good as some other stores. I did a quick search for 43-inch TVs at Target, Best Buy, and Amazon, and the prices weren’t even close:

Best Buy: 43-inch Insignia smart TV for $150Amazon: Vizio 43-inch TV for $159Target: TCL 43-inch TV for $210

Some of these prices could change as we get closer to Black Friday deals, but for now, you’re probably more likely to find the best television deals at Best Buy and Amazon rather than Target. While I only listed one from each store, Amazon and Best Buy had several 43-inch TVs cheaper than Target’s cheapest option.

3. Gift cards

I searched Target’s website for gift cards, and while there were many options — including Apple, Disney, and eBay — the value of all the cards was the same price as the cost. In short, no discounts.

If you’ve got a membership to a discount warehouse club like Sam’s Club or Costco, you’re bound to find much better deals on gift cards. For example, a $200 Disney gift card costs just $190 at Sam’s Club and a $100 Domino’s gift card costs only $75 at Costco.

If you don’t have membership to either club, you can still score good deals on gift cards at sites like Raise.com and CardBear.com.

Want to earn rewards when you make purchases? Click here to see our reviews of the best cash back credit cards.

4. A gas grill

I like to buy things slightly used when I can. My kids hate it, but I find good deals on things, like the Weber gas grill I bought on Facebook a couple of years ago that saved me $350. But I get that some people like new grills, and in that case, Target probably isn’t your best bet for a grill.

I found a Weber Genesis S-335 grill with a side burner for a far better price on Amazon than Target:

Target: Genesis S-335 for $1,350Amazon: Genesis S-335 for $1,149

That’s more than $200 cheaper for the same grill! Again, you can hunt down local deals for something pre-owned, but Amazon is the place to go if you want to buy new.

5. Pour-over coffee maker

I’m a sucker for a good cup of coffee, and one of the best ways to make it is with a pour-over coffee maker, like the Chemex six-cup glass coffee maker. Just don’t grab one off the shelf at Target, because you’ll probably overpay for it.

Here how a couple of the price compared to Target’s:

Chemex website: $49.50Amazon: $47.03Target: $51.31

I was surprised that even the Chemex website sells this pour-over coffee maker for less than Target. Most of the time, a third-party retailer sells products for cheaper than the manufacturer’s website, but not in this case.

I enjoy shopping at Target, but I know it’s not usually the cheapest option. It’s fine if you’re just picking up a few items, but if you do most of your shopping at Target and want to save as much money as possible, you should probably do some comparison shopping ahead of time.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Chris Neiger has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Costco Wholesale, Maker, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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