Kids are wildly expensive. Between food, entertainment, and clothes, parents are constantly pulling out their wallets. It’s only natural for them to look for ways to save some of that hard-earned cash. One mom says she has a creative way to save money: Simply return their school uniforms to Target after they’ve worn them all year.
Earlier this week, Emily Serr (@emilyserrat0) shared this cost-cutting strategy with her TikTok followers. In the caption, Serr writes, “Think harder not smarter.”
The text overlay reads, “This is your sign to buy your kids school uniforms from @target Cat & Jack and return them once school is over before the year is up.”
She claims to have gotten $375.32 refunded using this method.
Can you return school uniforms at Target at the end of the year?
Target’s policy allows shoppers to return items in the same condition they were purchased in within 90 days. Under this policy, you would be well outside the time limit to return clothes your kids wore to school all year or even for one semester.
There is an exception, however, that makes it possible to return their school clothes at the end of the year.
Target’s website states that it allows up to one year to return anything that’s a Target-owned brand. You simply need to bring a receipt.
Serr says her kids’ uniforms were Cat & Jack, which is a brand Target owns. So it’s possible that she was, in fact, able to return their school uniforms for a full refund.
The company does reserve the right to refuse any returns, so you probably want to make sure the clothes are at least clean.
Target did not immediately respond to an emailed inquiry sent Friday morning.
Too good to be true?
Target policy does mean that Serr may have been able to return her kids’ clothes at the end of the school year. Still, some people had a hard time believing her story.
Several incorrectly said that Target has changed its policy to only allow returns within 90 days. A few claimed that they used to do something similar but had recently been refused when they tried to return something.
“I used to be able to return anything no matter how new or old it was and now both of my locations are so picky,” one wrote.
Some, including Serr, offered helpful suggestions to anyone hoping to follow her lead. A few said you should use the Target app so you can’t possibly misplace your receipt. Serr noted that she washes the clothes “twice” and checks them thoroughly before she returns them.
Several shared that they do the same thing she does.
“Been doing this for 3 years. It works,” one wrote. “Lately they been picky more if the clothes have too many stains or if it’s ripped, but I haven’t had any problems.”
Someone who said they used to work at Target warned, “I can guarantee you are on a list.”
A few sounded off about abusing the system, but overall, people in the comments didn’t have much problem with taking advantage of Target.
“Came to the comments expecting everyone to be horrified that someone would do this only to discover everyone thinks this is ok. Alright then,” wrote one.
@emilyserrat0 Think smarter not harder. #target #momsoftiktokclub #momsonabudget #budget #catnjack #catandjack #schooluniform #schooluniformhacks #school #mom ♬ original sound – Jacobdior
Serr didn’t respond to an inquiry sent via TikTok direct message.
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