By : Mr Credit Card

Review of the Target Red Card

Confession - I shop at Target - I work in a shopping mall with Target just around the corner. I have to admit that I shop regular there. To me, it is so much more fun shopping at Target than it is say, at Walmart. They have lots of decent quality stuff at very reasonable prices. The cashiers at Target (like all other retail outlets) are trained to ask you to sign up for either their Visa Card or their "Store Card". I recently found out that the Target Red Card (as it is called) has evolved from a "store credit card" to Target's debit card. And it is actually a step up and significant improvement over the old Target Store Card. So I've decided to investigate a little further.

Perks - The old Target Red Store Card was simply just that. It allowed you to use the card at Target stores. Since it was a store card, there is actually a credit line given to you and could carry a alance. The card was highly sought after by folks who have bad credit or who had emerged from bankruptcy because it was one way to start rebuilding one's credit. Well, the "new" Target Red Debit Card allows you to earn 5% discounts off most Target purchases. These discounts only apply when you shop at Target. If you buy anything online at Target.com, you will not get the 5% discounts. Since, it is a debit card, you cannot carry a a balance and you must link it to your checking account.

And it isThe Target Card allows you to enroll in Target's Pharmacy reward. Under this program, after every fifth purchase at Target Pharmacy will earn you a 5% savings certificate. It used to be that you get a 10% certificate after 10 purchases. So there is a little change here.

For every dollar that you spend at Target, 1% will be donated to your designed K-12 school. So for those of you who want to make some contributions towards your kids' school, the Target Red Card gives you an option to do so.

Worth Getting the Target Red Card? - The Target Red Card is designed for those who shop frequently at Target. I really like the new "debit card". I also think Target is smart about this because with the store card, they would tend to attract folks with poorer credit ratings and they run the risk of higher defaults. With debit cards, they avoid this risk and customers will never go overboard as well with their spending. So I think this is a win win situation.

One of the major improvements over the old Target Red Card is that you can earn 5% discounts at Target store using their cards. The main disadvantage is that for those who shop online, you will not earn the 5% discounts. Fortunately, there is a solution around this. I happen to have the Discover More Card and I found out that Target.com was one of their online shopping partners on their shopdiscover.com online shopping portal and platform.

So if you have the Discover More Card, you can earn 5% rebates from shopping at Target.com (bear in mind that you earn rebates, not discounts - but if you think about it, there are the same). But you would have to go through your Discover account to do so. Here is how it works.

Firstly, you have to log on into your account and click to the online shopping portal called shopdiscover.com.



Scroll down and search for Target.com. Discover has over 100 merchant partners so you can points not just from Target but from other retailers as well.



Then click on the Target button and it will take you to a page which list the terms and conditions and fine prints.



Once you click the shop now button, you will be taken to the Target.com site. Any purchase made on your Discover Card will earn you 5% rebates.



For the serious Target Shopper - If you shop at Target and also at target.com (to avoid holiday season crowds), then I would suggest that you consider getting both the Target Red Card and Discover More Card as you can earn both 5% discounts and rebates at the store and online as well.