Wednesday, January 28

Your Month-to-Month Guide to Great Sales Any Time of Year

Our son lives for Black Friday and Cyber Monday every year. And understandably so, the bargainsthey are a plenty! Thanksgiving Day at our house is spent eating, visiting with family and friends, and pouring over the tantalizing ads promising great deals on everything you could possibly want to buy.

Then comes January and the opportune shopping season is seemingly over—no more big markdowns, no more incredible savings—at least until the same time next year.

However, shoppers don't realize there are well-established sales throughout the year. There are ideal times to buy particular items. With the Super Bowl around the corner, you'll see a slew of ads swearing that prices on big-screen TVs have never been better, which may be the case, at least until the next Black Friday rolls around.

But it's far from only televisions you can save on throughout the year. The holidays are about wants. The rest of the year is about needs. Here's what you need to know about what to buy each month:

January: In addition to TVs, this month is also known for "white sales," mainly on bed linens and towels. John Wanamaker, a Philadelphia merchant, held America's first white sale in January 1878, which references white sheets. It's been an American tradition ever since. January and February are also the best months to book a cruise. Travelers start thinking about vacation plans after the holidays, and to take advantage of this demand, cruise lines work with travel agency partners to put out their best booking incentives of the year during this time. You can often save 20 to 30 percent as the industry is planning ahead to book as many cabins as it can for the entire year. You'll also find free stateroom category upgrades, savings on airfare, prepaid gratuities, and onboard cash credits of up to $400 from some lines. Reduced deposits are also common, so you'll be able to secure your booking with just half of what would normally be required. 

February: February is the best time to take care of your carpet cleaning. It is the slowest period of the year for the industry, enabling customers to find discounts of up to 20 percent. Thanks to Presidents' Day sales, February is also a good time to buy a mattress. Discounts over Presidents' Day weekend are frequently 10 to 25 percent, partly because retailers are trying to unload older models to make room for new ones.

March: Clothing experts say this is the time to find discounted winter coats and winter sporting goods, like snowboards and ski gear, since the season is winding down. Luggage is often on sale, as many spring breaks take place in March. As new models will be arriving and pushing older models to clearance shelves, March is also a good time to buy a laptop.

April: If you live up North, hit the stores for snow blowers and furnaces in April. This is also the month to buy a swimming pool. April is the sweet spot in the year when consumers are thinking about pool season but the demand isn't quite there yet, so you can often save as much as 20 percent. Many contractors are also less costly during this month and more readily available to install a pool.

May: Refrigerators often go on sale in May, as new models begin appearing in stores in time for the summer, which makes retailers anxious to clean out older models.

June: This can be a good time to find deals on gym memberships, as health clubs must compete with the warm weather and work harder to entice people to exercise inside. You'll also find deals on dishes, with wedding season in full swing and retailers are competing for shoppers hunting for wedding gifts. You can typically save 25 to 50 percent.

July: Home-decor prices dip during this month, for the same reason dishes do in June. With new trends finding their way to the showroom floor you can often find savings of 20 to 50 percent. Think table linens, cutlery, picture frames, sofa pillows and candlesticks.

August: Although it's hard to tell what's hype and what's actually a sale, this is the month to buy school supplies. I always stock up with extra for the coming school year—well I did when the kids were still at home! We rarely had to run to the store for last minute supplies. With the summer almost over, August is also a good time to purchase swimsuits and outdoor grills for next season.

September: If you're planning to get hardwood floors or your cabinets refinished, consider doing it now, primarily because it's a slow month for the industry. With families ending their summer activities and ramping up for school and the holidays, the home remodeling industry promotes a 15 to 25 percent sale during the fall. September and October are also the months when most major appliances sell at steeper discounts than usual. Retailers are debuting their latest models and gearing up for the holidays, so if you're looking for a sale on an oven, washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher, this is historically the right time to buy.

October: It's not that you can't find deals during this month, but with Black Friday right around the corner, October may be the one month when sales won't be plentiful. Sit tight, they're coming!

November: Aside from jumping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, two things you may want to do this month: buy an air-conditioner or book a wedding.

December: Pretty much everything is on sale, including things you don't want or need, which might explain a few of the more bizarre Christmas gifts you've received over the years.

So if there is an item you need, you can try to wait to buy it until it is most likely to be at its rock bottom sale price. 
Knowing when to make that purchase for the best prices of the year is key to living as frugal as possible. Which I LOVE! Hope this simple guide helps you to navigate your year of sales. ENJOY!


The Domestic Curator
Ronda

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