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Home > Blogs > Here's the Deal > Archives > 2010 > January > 17 > Entry
Best deals ahead for 2010 by month, day
Something is always on sale, which is one of the more tangible benefits of our free-enterprise economy.
But, as we all know, the best sales can be elusive. So, it helps to know retailers’ sales cycles and which times of year historically offer the best deals.
To help plan for the shopping year ahead, here is a look at what is most likely to be on sale and what bargains the months and days ahead have in store.
Sales by month
January is a great month to shop. Early in the month, there are big after-Christmas sales and New Year’s Day sales, and around the third week of the month, many stores start clearing out their previous year’s inventories.
For example, Target often has big sales on toys in mid- to late January, with discounts of up to 75 percent. These unadvertised sales often vary greatly by individual stores and their inventories.
Other items that are often on sale in January are:
Wrapping paper and Christmas leftovers (early in the month)
Furniture
Home appliances and cookware
Bed and bath linens
Rugs
Sports/exercise equipment
Computers and other electronics
Organizers, shelving, filing cabinets
Winter clothes and accessories
February has Valentine’s Day sales on candy, jewelry and perfume, and Presidents Day sales that are good for general discounts.
February also is one of the best months to get a gym membership, since it is when all the good-intentioned folks who started in January tend to drop off.
Other items known to be on sale this month include:
Electronics
Floor coverings
Housewares
Furniture
March is loosely known as frozen-food month, and you will find stores with related deals. March also is when spring-cleaning deals begin, and spring clothes sales start appearing at area stores.
Other items known to be on sale this month include:
Air conditioners
Paper products
Wedding gifts
Washers and dryers
Garden supplies
Outdoor winter sports gear
Luggage
China
April is all about Easter (at least in this calendar year), spring and brides, and the sales fall into line with those.
Other items that will be on sale include:
Spring clothing
Yard and garden supplies
Wedding gowns
Furniture
Cruises
European vacations
Paint and wallpaper
May is Mom’s month, and therefore flower shops and stores selling kitchenware discount their prices to win your beloved dollars. Near the end of the month, Memorial Day helps move more general merchandise.
May is a good month to shop, because it has some of the better sales leftover from April, and because summer sales are starting to heat up.
Here are some other items often on sale this month:
Silver
Watches
Athletic clothing and shoes
Linens and towels
Wedding gowns
Furniture
Cruises
European vacations
Home maintenance items
Paper goods
Cleaning supplies
Auto maintenance
Home maintenance
Picnic food and gear
Insect repellents
Sunscreen
June is for dads, with retailers offering hardware, men’s cologne and fishing and camping gear for less.
Other items known to be on sale in June are:
Summer items
Storm windows
Summer clothing
Televisions
Building materials
Pianos
Hardware
Dairy products
July has summer squarely in hand, and many of its sales items are designed to get you out in the sunshine (sports equipment) and cool you off (air conditioners).
The Fourth of July offers an all-American opportunity for general sales, and July also is the month in which school supply sales start popping up, much to kids’ dismay.
Here are some other items on sale in July:
Back-to-school clothes
Sports equipment
Furniture
Sportswear
Craft supplies
Picnic food and gear
August is when school supply stores start competing for your business, and when summer clothes start getting more heavily discounted.
Bigger summer toys, such as swimming pools and playground equipment, often go on sale because they take up a great deal of space and retailers want to start making room for holiday inventory.
Here are some other things on sale:
Back-to-school clothes
Bathing suits and sandals
Spring and summer clothes
Linens and towels
Lawn and garden equipment
BBQ and patio equipment
Fresh fish and vegetables
Breakfast foods
Cold lunch items for lunch boxes
September is when school’s in session and we all start warming to the idea of colder weather. Winter gear starts to go on sale (although the best deals are in December and January), and school supplies can be found for cheap.
September also is supposed to be a great month to buy a car, since it is when many dealers are clearing out that model year. Weekday mornings in September are the optimum car shopping time.
Labor Day sales are good for myriad items, but also offer discounts on outdoor grills and furniture.
Other items to buy in September are:
Summer clothes
Bicycles
Housewares
Back-to-school clothes
Gardening supplies
Housewares
Bicycles
Canned goods
October’s big sale is on the weekend before Columbus Day. Also, right before and after Halloween, there are opportunities to get candy and costumes for cheap.
October also is when retailers start to get into the holiday spirit, and you may find some related early-bird sales.
Other good buys in October are:
Shrubs, trees and plants
Fishing equipment
Houses (anytime in fall is best)
Crystal
Silver
Glassware
Cars (last year’s model)
Houses
Baking/candy-making items
November is when the competition starts heating up for your holiday cash. Last year in November, toy and hardcover book discounts became hot and heavy among Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Amazon.com and Meijer.
Right before and right after Thanksgiving can provide some savings on fall decor and holiday food.
Toward the end of the month, of course, you have Black Friday, in which stores can discount an array of items drastically. With any luck, in 2010, retailers will be more willing to stock more doorbuster items.
Other items good to purchase in November are:
Houses
Quilts and blankets
Space heaters
Select winter clothing
Canned goods
Baking goods
Gift sets
December is the best month to shop overall, thanks to the holidays. Everything from clothes to electronics to toys to TVs to food is discounted in December.
According to the National Retail Federation, for many retailers, the holiday season can represent anywhere between 25 percent and 40 percent of annual sales, so they do what they can to draw you in.
Here are some other good buys this month:
Wine and champagne
Wedding dresses
Winter wear and apparel
Appliances
Gifts
Video games
Wrapping paper
Holiday cards
Party ware
Party foods
Baking goods
Meat
Canned goods
Deals by day
What about the days of the week?
Here are some items that are good to buy depending on the day of the week:
Sundays: Groceries. New sales cycles predominantly begin on Sundays, although Kroger’s usually start on Mondays.
Mondays: Cars. Most sales happen on weekends, which is when most people have time to look. There is less foot traffic on Mondays and dealers may be more willing to deal. Also, shoot for a Monday near the end of the month when quotas need to be met.
Tuesdays: Gas. Actually, early morning or late at night from Monday through Thursday are the best times to buy gas. Stations often raise the cost during the day.
Wednesdays: Airline tickets. Airfare sales often occur early in the week, and increases tend to occur toward the end of the week. Also, it is good to book 21 days before your flight.
Thursdays: Clothes. Many weekend sales have begun, but everything available is on the floor.
Fridays: Check out Amazon.com. Each Friday the online retailer has a Friday sale, which discounts items up to 80 percent off.
Saturdays: Saturdays are good days to shop at the mall, since the stores often start new sales on Sundays and want to clear out that specific inventory before the next weekly cycle begins.
Andrea Deckard of MommySnacks.net, MoneySavingMethods.blogspot.com, SmartMoney, About.com, HotCouponworld.com and EZine Articles contributed to this report.
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