by April Dykman
My mom has a sixth sense when it comes to bargain hunting. Where I’m thrilled
to get 25 percent off and free shipping, she’s finding deals of 70 percent off
and getting inside scoop from the salespeople, who probably have her on speed
dial should a ginormous everything-must-go-or-we-torch-it clearance sale come
along.
Okay, so I’m exaggerating, but not by much. The point, however, is that the
key to finding bargains is timing—off-season, end-of-season, new models
bringing down prices on the old models. There’s a pattern and a perfect time to
buy just about anything.
When possible, plan your purchases by using the following list to score the
best deals and to keep more of your money in your high
interest savings account:
House and home
- Real estate—March
through August are active months for buying and selling, so a buyer
looking for a deal will have better luck negotiating on an offer in autumn
and winter.
- Flooring—Carpet
and flooring goes on sale near the end of the year due to slow sales,
though discounts are possible throughout the year from independent
retailers.
- Furniture—January
and July, when stores need to make room for new inventory.
- Gas grill—Like
air conditioners, the best time to buy is during winter months, when
demand for outdoor grills is low.
- Cookware—April
and May (think graduation and wedding prime time) and October and November
(holidays approaching).
- Linens—January
“white sales” and the end of each season (i.e. as spring approaches,
winter-colored linens will go on sale). It’s common to see linens (in all
colors, not just white!) on sale for up to 60 percent off retail.
- Mattress—New
mattresses arrive in stores in May, when you’ll find a good deal on the
previous year’s models.
- Vacuum cleaner—June,
when new models hit the floors, and end of winter.
- Hardware—Big
sales occur around Father’s Day and between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Home appliances—New
models arrive in September and October, when you’ll find good deals on
last year’s models. Holiday weekends—Fourth
of July, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Presidents Day—also are good bets for
deals. If you’re willing to buy an appliance with a ding or a scratch, you
can save hundreds.
- Air conditioner—Winter
months, when demand is low.
Flora
- Flowers—Tulips
are less expensive in February, peonies in May. Flowers are at their best
when in season.
- Shrubs, trees, etc.—Autumn
is a good time to buy bulbs (store them according to directions on the
packaging) and trees and shrubs (nurseries are trying to clear out
inventory).
Recreation
- Outdoor (general)—Swings,
beach and pool toys, swimming gear, and other outdoor items go on sale in
August, when retailers are trying to make room for fall and winter items.
- Outdoor gear
(bicycles, for example)—February and March, when new models
replace last year’s models.
- Boat—Boat
shows, held from January through March, generally offer the best prices.
- Gym membership—Membership
sales soar in January as everyone resolves to lose weight, but lag in
spring and summer. You’ll find lower fees and waived enrollment fees to
lure you to their treadmills.
- Movie tickets—Matinees
are an established way to spend less at the theater (as is smuggling in
your own M&Ms, not that I’d condone such behavior or ever do so
myself…). A.M. Cinema (AMC Theaters)
sells discounted tickets before noon from Friday to Sunday and on
holidays.
- Broadway tickets—Find
bargains hours before the show, or try the well-known TKTS booth in Times Square.
Electronics
- Blu-ray player—Black
Friday sales and after-Christmas sales offer some of the best deals.
- TV—Sales can
be found throughout the year. Times to note include Black Friday, between
Thanksgiving and Christmas, right after New Year’s Day, before the Super
Bowl, and in May and June. New models hit stores in August and September,
when you’ll find sales on new models and discounts on the previous year
models.
- Cell phone—New
customers get the best deals. For new phones, wait six months if you can.
Search online for coupon codes, as well.
- Digital camera—The
Consumer Electronics Show and Photo Marketing Association convention mean
new models will arrive in stores. Shop in January and February for deals
on last year’s models.
- Computer—Back-to-school
season yields a few sales, but the best deals can be found when a
technology is outdated and retailers want to get rid of the older models.
Look for a few extras (free shipping, bundled accessories, etc.) around
the holidays.
Tip: In general, you’ll find a good deal when
an electronic item is outdated. Wait until after technology shows like MacWorld
and the International Consumer Electronics Show to see if your iWhatever will
be discounted to make way for the next big thing.
Auto
- New car—New
models roll into the lot in fall, so shop in September for last year’s
model. Shop on a weekday at the end of the month to get the undivided
attention of a salesperson trying to make their monthly quota.
- Used car—Dealers
increase their inventory in April to start the spring selling season.
You’ll find a good selection and willing negotiators.
- Recreational vehicle—Dealers
sometimes offer specials in winter, but generally buying an RV works like
buying a car (see new cars).
- Gasoline—Fuel
up on a weekday, early in the morning if gas prices are rising or in the
evening if gas prices are going down (prices are usually changed between
10 a.m. and noon).
- Oil change—Look
for early bird specials in your area.
- Tires and auto parts—During
April (National Car Care Month) and October (Fall Car Care Month), you are
likely to find buy-three-get-one-free deals on tires, free oil changes,
and other checkups.
- Car wash—Early
birds (before 8 or 9 a.m.) can often find deals at full-service car
washes.
Travel
- Airline tickets—For
domestic nonholiday travel, look for the lowest fares 21 days from your
departure. Fares are updated at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. on
weekdays, and airlines file one update on Saturday and Sunday. Lowest
fares are filed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and occasionally on Saturdays.
Wednesday is generally the cheapest day to fly and Sunday the most
expensive. (Exception: the Wednesday before Thanksgiving—the busiest
travel day of the year.) For holiday travel, start looking in September to
get a good price. Fares can change quickly, and much depends on the
carrier and the market.
- Travel (general)—The
off-season or shoulder-season for your destination will offer the most
savings on lodging, recreation, transportation, etc.
Food
- Groceries
(supermarket)—On Sunday evenings, you’ll save money through store
sales (typically run Wednesday through Thursday), and by shopping in the
evening, you can save even more on items that must be sold by day’s end.
If you clip coupons from the Sunday newspaper, you’ll enjoy additional
savings.
- Coupons—While
coupons are available throughout the year, the most coupons appear in the
Sunday paper during November and December. The best deals on turkeys can
be found two weeks before Thanksgiving to Christmas. In spring, you’ll
find coupons on seasonal produce, ham, and frozen food (apparently March
is National Frozen Food Month—who knew?). Summer coupons offer discounts
on grilling items and ice cream. Autumn brings coupons on soup and other
canned items.
- Groceries (farmers
market)—Vendors often lower prices near closing to avoid having
to pack up perishables and take them back to the farm.
- Champagne—With
steep competition to be your New Year’s Eve bubbly, Champagne houses drop prices during the
holidays.
Clothing and accessories
- Clothing (general)—Got
your heart set on something in particular? Shop on a Thursday evening six
to eight weeks after the item arrived in the store. By Thursday, the
weekend sales have started and the selection will still be good.
Season-end clearance sales also offer up savings.
- Baby clothes—Shop
during your pregnancy for end-of-season clearance items. If it’s
springtime and you are due in winter, look for winter closeout sales now
for infant clothing.
- Jewelry—Avoid
the holidays, when you are most likely to pay full price.
Weddings
- Wedding (general)—The
off-season can mean big discounts. If you live in a cooler climate, you’ll
find savings during the winter months. Hotter climates mean likely deals
in summer months.
- Wedding dresses—After
Thanksgiving and before Christmas. Boutiques are stocked with gowns for
Christmas engagements, but it’s a slow sales period.
Other
- Toys—October
and November offer good bargains as retailers gear up for the holiday
season.
- Wrapping paper—January,
of course!
I might not ever be as good as my mom at bargain hunting, but knowing when
to shop might make me almost as good. If you’re one to make resolutions every
new year, resolve to save money in 2010 by timing your purchases.
Source: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/01/07/the-best-time-to-buy-almost-everything/