Everyone knows that the day after Valentine’s Day is the best time to buy those leftover chocolate hearts on clearance. But did you know that there are generally specific months where you could get the best deals on higher priced items? Maybe you are already a smart shopper and know some of these hot sales. Here’s a list of the best months of the year to buy each of the items off your shopping list!
January
- Bedding – Every January, department stores across the country hold “white sales” with discounts on bedding and linen.1
- Fitness and gym memberships – Gyms take advantage of New Year’s resolutions by attracting new converts with attractive deals.
- Holiday decorations – Once the winter holidays have come and gone, the surplus holiday decorations are steeply discounted in clearance sales.
- Cruises – Cruise sales skyrocket in January because this is the time of year that most people book cruises for spring break and summer.2
- Home furniture – Because new furniture styles get released in February of each year, January is an excellent time to take advantage of huge price cuts.3
February
- Video games – Manufacturers tend to release new games in November and December in time for the holidays. Waiting until February to purchase games allows you to take advantage of discounted prices.
- Candy and jewelry – If you can wait until after Valentine’s Day, you can snag leftover candy and jewelry for clearance prices. Brands such as Kohls have special Valentine’s Day sales on jewelry such as diamond stud earrings or engagement rings that are hugely discounted.
- Winter clothing – February is an excellent month to buy winter gear as retailers are looking to clear out their inventories in anticipation of warmer weather.4
- Tax software – Because many people wait to file their taxes until closer to the cutoff date of April 15th, you can usually find tax software at a cheaper price when the demand is low. This would be between late January and early March, making February an ideal time to find tax software at affordable prices.5
- Mattresses and luggage – Retailers take advantage of President’s Day by offering premium discounts on mattresses6 and luggage.7
March
- Frozen Food – March is National Frozen Food Month, so stock up on the frozen meals and treats.8
- Exercise equipment – Just as gym membership deals happen in January, you can enhance your home gym when exercise equipment goes on sale in March, when many people may have given up on their New Year’s resolutions.
- Sandals – March is the best month to buy spring gear such as sandals to take advantage of the drop in prices without losing out on a wider selection.9
- Swimsuits and sunglasses – Spring clothing and accessories, including swimsuits and sunglasses, are also on sale in March before the weather begins to heat up.
April
- Ham – The best time to buy ham is right after Easter when demand has fallen back down, but supply is still high.
- Eggs – Eggs and egg-dying kits are also on clearance after Easter has passed. Did you know you could freeze eggs?
- Gardening – With the onset of spring, gardening necessities equipment such as seeds and shovels often go on sale.10
- Earth Day sales – Natural foods, reusable bags and reusable water bottles, and other environmentally-conscious products will be discounted on Earth Day, April 22.11
- Rain gear – Retailers stock up on raincoats, boots, and other rain gear in anticipation of rainfall during the month of April, but they price them competitively to make sure they sell before rainy season ends.12
May
- Star Wars items – May the 4th be with you! Star Wars Day is sure to see your favorite Star Wars-themed items on sale.13
- Small kitchen appliances – Small kitchen appliances like blenders or coffee makers go on sale for Memorial Day.14
- Major appliances – Major appliances such as refrigerators also go on sale in May to make room for new appliances in showrooms.15
June
- Movie tickets – School’s out for the summer, so several movie theater chains will offer kids summer movie discounts such as Cinemark’s Summer Movie Clubhouse that offer cheap movie tickets for kids to entice families to come to the theater.16
- Gym memberships – Gym memberships also get lowered in June, as many gyms have to compete with the sunny weather and ability for members to exercise outdoors.17
- Portable air conditioners – Products such as portable air conditioners go on sale in June to help combat the warmer weather.18
- Tools – Father’s Day brings savings on power tools and accessories.19
July
- Patriotic items – 4th of July offers plenty of sales on patriotic items such as flags, hats, and pins. The savings are also even steeper savings after the 4th of July!
- Personal electronics – Personal electronics also go on sale during the 4th of July promotions.20
- Paint – Hardware retailers tend to put their paint on sale during the summer months, especially on 4th of July weekend.21
August
- School supplies – Back to school sales offer discounts on pencils, tape, and plenty more school supplies.
- Planners – Back to school sales also include supplies such as planners.22
- Outdoor and lawn – Outdoor and lawn supplies, such as lawnmowers, go on sale at the end of summer, as retailers try to get rid of their inventory.23
- Patio furniture – Patio furniture also goes on sale in anticipation of colder weather.
September
- Current year cars – Car dealerships offer deals for current-year vehicles to make room for upcoming year models that are generally released in September.24
- iPhones – Because Apple releases new phones in September, phone service providers normally cut prices or offer great services on older phones during this month.25
- Appliances – Labor Day weekend is another event during which retailers create massive sales for appliances.26
October
- Candy – Halloween causes stores to order bulk low-priced candy in anticipation of the spookiest month of the year.
- Winter clothing – October is a great month to catch sales on winter clothing to stock up before the holidays.27
- Grills – Once grilling season is over in October, grill deals skyrocket.28
- Camping gear – The end of summer also reduces demand for camping gear, so October will see plenty of price cuts.29
November
- TVs and large appliances – Black Friday is notorious for its extravagant sales on TVs and other large appliances.30
- Turkey – The day after Thanksgiving is a great day to snatch up a grocery store turkey for a lower price.
- Shelf-stable food – Soup, canned fruits and vegetables, and baking supplies are all on sale before the winter holidays.31
December
- Toys – Stores will host toy sales before Christmas.32
- Gift cards – Many stores and restaurants will offer gift card freebies in December.33
- DVDs and Blu Rays – December has plenty of holiday deals on DVDs and Blu Rays, making it a perfect time of year to stock up.34
