9 Items To Splurge On, Settle On or Skip at Target
Written by
Angela Mae
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Target is the place to go if you’re looking for a wide variety of affordable items — though, admittedly, not everything at the store is considered cheap. Marketed toward those on a budget, Target sells everything from everyday household products to groceries to furniture to diapers.
Whether you’re an avid Target shopper or you’re the kind of person who hits the store every once in a while, it’s good to know what’s worth buying and what isn’t. GOBankingRates went through the store’s online catalog to get an idea of what you might want to splurge on, what you might want to settle for and what you’re probably better off skipping.
Splurge: Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels
- Price: $3.99 to $34.99 (depending on size and count)
When it comes to good-quality cleaning supplies, you can’t go wrong with Target. These Bounty paper towels come in two sizing options: triple and mega paper towels. They also range from one- to 12-pack rolls.
As this is a name-brand option, you’re spending a little more for Bounty than you would for a more generic or lesser-known option. The flip side is that you get something that works well. These paper towels are super absorbent and, of course, great for picking up those spills. Plus, the pricing is pretty similar to what you’d find at other stores like Walmart.
Splurge: Acadia Way2 Drawer Computer Desk
- Price: $225.99
When it comes to furniture, you want to find a nice balance between affordability and quality. Target has quite a few home furniture pieces to choose from, but the Acadia Way2 desk might be worth the splurge if you need something for your home.
It’s modern and functional, which is already a great start. It comes with a dedicated file drawer, a keyboard shelf and a laminated surface that’s easy to keep clean. It’s also well constructed with a medium-density fiberboard frame.
Plus, it’s got a five-star rating.
Splurge: American Soft Linen Luxury Six-Piece Towel Set
- Price: $42.99 (reg. $64.99)
Another splurge if you’re looking for some new linens for your bathroom is this six-piece towel set. It comes in several colors, including light grey, red, yellow and turquoise. It also includes two full-sized bath towels, two hand towels and two washcloths.
Each towel consists of 100% soft cotton and is super absorbent. This means no more scratchy fibers on your face when you’re trying to dry off. It also means minimal odor buildup over time, though you’ll still want to hang these towels to properly air dry.
The pricing is better at Target too. At Walmart, you can find a similar set for $60.86.
Settle: Mr. Coffee Five-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
- Price: $17.59 (reg. $21.99)
Of course, you can find higher-quality or more advanced coffee making systems at other stores — and even at Target itself. But if you need a new coffee machine and don’t want to spend a long time finding the perfect one, this offering by Mr. Coffee could be worth settling on.
It’s about $5 cheaper than a similar model at Walmart. It’s also programmable and can make five cups of coffee at a time — assuming each cup is also five ounces. Plus, for only about $18, it’ll at least tide you over until you decide to get something higher-end later.
Settle: Artificial Palm Plant Arrangement in Pot
- Price: $25.00
Target has a wide range of home decor options, including this simple artificial palm plant arrangement. Although fancier pieces exist both within the store and elsewhere, if you’re already shopping and want to spruce up your interior, this could be worth getting.
It comes in a white ceramic pot that looks great on a dining room table or back patio. It also has 4.8 out of five stars with over 400 positive reviews.
Settle: 18-Pack Plastic Hangers
- Price: $3.00
Hangers are one of those things every household needs. And when you can nab 18 of them for only $3, it’s really hard to go wrong at Target.
These simple hangers come in grey, black and white. They’re not necessarily the best quality — they are made from cheap plastic, after all — but for the low price, you might not mind.
Plus, they’re still highly rated on Target’s website. They have 4.8 out of five stars and over 15,000 reviews.
Skip: Greeting Cards
- Price: $4.99 (ranges)
Target has a decent selection of greeting cards, including this birthday card. But even though you can pick up a few of these for special occasions at the store, you’re probably better off looking elsewhere.
Why? It’s because you could easily spend $5 for a single card at Target, while you could spend closer to $1 at the local Dollar Tree or Family Dollar. And sure, the selection is going to be different at both stores, but you’d be surprised at how many neat cards you can find at dollar stores.
Skip: Three-Pack Paint-Your-Own Wood Butterfly Set
- Price: $5.00
If you’re shopping for arts and crafts, you can always check out Target. Just be aware that it might not have a huge selection.
One option it does have is this paint-your-own wood butterfly set, which includes two paint brushes, six paint pots and three wooden shapes. It’s highly reviewed and inexpensive, but you can probably find something cheaper at a dollar store — and that’s just as fun to do at home.
And if you want something more creative or diverse, wait until you visit a Michaels or Hobby Lobby. You’ll have many more options to choose from, some of which are also quite reasonably priced.
Skip: Up&Up Disposable Diapers Pack
- Price: $5.69 to $36.99 (depending on size and count)
Diapers are expensive no matter where you shop, but if you’re trying to save money, skip the disposable diapers at Target and go for cloth diapers instead. As long as you get something of high enough quality and don’t mind cleaning them regularly, they’ll be just as good — if not better — for your baby’s sensitive skin. And they’ll be much softer on your wallet.
Prices are accurate as of August 5, 2024. Prices and availability may vary by location.
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