The Best Time of Year to Buy Anything

The Best Time of Year to Buy Anything

Time Your Purchases to Save More Money

Spending is an inevitable part of the modern life. We spend for basic needs like food, shelter, and health care, but we also have a bunch of unnecessary expenses from the latest tech, fancy clothing, and home electronics.

The truth is that prices fluctuate through the entire year based on supply and demand. Sales cycles may help you figure out when prices start to drop or go up, but there are also specific points on the calendar when you’d be able to rake in even better deals.

We can stop second-guessing when is the best time to buy specific products now because their pricing behavior follows a pattern. If you can time when to buy them, then you’re going to save a ton of money.

The Beauty of Timing Your Purchase

Whether you’re buying during peak season or not, it is always important to take some time doing comparison shopping. By comparing the cost of a product across multiple sellers, you’ll know where you can get the best deal.

But comparison shopping will only let you go so far. If you need to buy an air conditioning unit during summer, the prices would still be steep no matter where you look. Fortunately, there is more than one way to get the best bang for your buck and that starts with timing your purchase correctly.

Introduction of a New Product

If you want to buy a car, gadget and electronics and don’t mind it being one last year’s model, you can time your purchase during the introduction of a new product. Of course, the new product would naturally be expensive, but smartphones that are one version older always have cheaper price tags.

End of the Season Purchase

It also makes sense to start buying products that you can use next year as soon at the end of the season this year, like chocolates at the end of February because prices will drop as demand fades. With that said, consider timing your seasonal purchases properly, such as swimwear for Summer, coats for Winter, and school supplies for Fall.

Per Occasion Purchases

If you like giving gifts on Mother’s or Father’s Day, you probably already know that cookware and tools abound in the marketplace. Typically, the costs of these products should be higher during these occasions, but you also find a lot of stores bringing their prices down to beat the competition and win your business.

It is not possible to plan all your spending – car repairs, emergency trips and health-related concerns may force you to shell out money unexpectedly. However, you do have some control over most parts of your spending, and this is where you can be much wiser and save more money.

Wondering which items are selling at the best deals at what months? We break them down for you.

Best Times to Buy All The Things

JANUARY

As the year begins, merchants roll out a fresh cycle of sales and discounts on certain purchases. January is the month when people set and commit to their resolutions. The most famous among these resolutions is weight loss, so products and fitness equipment are sold at amazingly low prices. You can see the market frantically buying bathroom scales, treadmills, yoga mats, ellipticals, and other forms of home gym equipment.

Many people also tend to decorate their homes with a new look at the beginning of the year so carpet, curtains, linens, and beddings are also selling at discounted prices. You can also buy new home electronics and appliances this month when the Consumer Electronics Show reveals the latest innovations in home technology. But this only works if you don’t mind your flat screen TV being last year’s model.

As for food, certain food products go on sale in January like clearance sales on diet food, chocolates (from last Christmas), frozen foods, and oats.

It’s also best to purchase your vacation packages in January (say cruises and airline tickets) and not wait until summer because prices rise as the year goes on.

FEBRUARY

When February comes around, you should start looking at furniture and booking your wedding suppliers. Furniture stores typically introduce new products in time for spring, so older versions of furniture can shell out up to 60% in savings.

Also, if you were not able to buy some of the things that went on sale last month, you can still do so in February. Prices of humidifiers, winter clothes, and TVs typically go down in February. But this month is the best for buying new cameras, especially when prices dip during President’s Day Weekend.

For personal items, jewelry will cost much less a few weeks after Valentine’s Day. Food that sells cheaply in after Valentine’s Day includes steaks and chocolates, oatmeal, and canned goods.

Anything to do with wedding is also usually on sale in February. Book your wedding suppliers around this time to enjoy discounts, including the wedding reception venue, photographers, florists, and invitations.

If you could wait until Valentine’s Day is over, you’ll get most of these things at amazingly low prices.

MARCH

Signaling the start of spring, March also means vacation time is around the corner. But before you choose a vacation destination, make sure to purchase new luggage while the prices are low. Tons of people want to escape the cold weather, so they’re trying to make getaway purchases early. Make sure you beat them to the punch.

Boats are also great to buy this time of the year because demand for last year’s models is down so now is the best time to buy. Additionally, air conditioning units and grills which are high in demand during the summer season, are sold at discounted prices simply because fewer people are looking for them at this time of year.

It’s also worth noting that March is the National Frozen Food month and grocery stores typically discount their frozen goods to draw in more sales. The best thing is you can store your frozen products for a longer period, meaning more money and food to keep.

APRIL

April is synonymous with vacations and many people have already drawn out plans for their sweet little escape. If you’re heading for a summer vacation, make sure to book your tickets now to get some early-bird deals. Also, it is better to plan your vacation outside of peak summer times to avoid the crowd and high demand, giving you the opportunity to snag cheaper accommodation and travel packages.

April is also time for spring cleaning. Many homeowners start their DIY projects at the turn of the season because they can now go outside or do their crafts. Start buying tools for yourself or as gift in time for the Father’s Day. Home Depot and similar stores offer great discounts on tools at this time of the year.

And as we enter the second quarter, Japanese appliance brands are starting to introduce the latest versions of home electronics. Stores are also making clearance sales of the older units to make space for the new ones. If you aren’t very obsessed with the newness of your home gadgets, now is an excellent time to snag a not-so-new TV set, sound system, and other devices.

Additionally, you probably thought winter is the only time to shop for a new home, but spring is a great time too! Especially since many people are tending to their yards and garden with their spring cleaning. That means you get to a see the home in a much better condition. Additionally, some families take spring as the time to sell because it gives their kids a adequate time to adapt with their new environment during the break. The competition is fierce and you’ll be likely to find great rates on homes for sale.

And with the weather clearing up, April is an ideal month to exercise once again after a few months of winter hibernation. People love to exercise outdoors during this season, so sneakers and running shoes are going to be sold with amazing discounts.

MAY

May is for Memorial Day and the deals coming your way are going to be amazing. Although Memorial Day does not happen until the last Monday of the month, these cheap deals are already hitting the market as soon as Mid-May which gives you plenty of time to shop for the best bargains.

We’re starting the list off with refrigerators. Manufacturers generally introduce new models of refrigerators in May, and along with the Mother’s Day celebration, kitchen products, especially refrigerators, are offered at great discounts.

Mattresses are also sold in discounted prices during the month too. As the temperature warms up, people make more visits to family and friends. New mattresses will give your guests a more comfortable experience during their visit, and this sentiment resonate well prices of mattresses in the market. Additionally, spring cleaning is a thing, people also more likely to replace old mattresses with new ones.

As the season changes from cold to humid, fashions change too. As more people flock to the stores to look for warm-weather clothing, brands are also more willing to roll out discounts and drive more sales.

May is also a great time to begin purchasing outdoor and camping gear. From tents, backpacks to the minutia of the outdoor living, you’ll find products with deep discounts. If you’re not camping outdoors, but vacationing on a island like the Caribbean, make sure to book your packages early too to enjoy even more savings.

As for food, you’ll certainly find a good range of camping, picnic, and comfort food on sale this month, ranging from hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, ice cream, salad dressing, soda, and popsicles.

JUNE

A lot of things happen in June – Father’s Day, the start of summer and wedding season. With that said, a lot of things go on sale and it’s best to start narrowing down your picks now.

June is a popular wedding month. However, it would be best to have booked your suppliers earlier and made wedding-related purchases like souvenirs several months back. But even if you’re not getting married this month, you’ll find a lot of gift items like cookware to be on sale in June too. Lingerie and Caribbean honeymoon packages also have great deals.

Speaking of the Caribbean, a lot of cruises and travel companies mark down their prices in June. It’s the hurricane season so there will be fewer people going to the islands. If you go early in the month, you’ll get an fantastic Caribbean experience without breaking the bank.

On the other hand, you can start looking for travel packages to Alaska if the Caribbean is not your cup of tea – the prices are usually lower this month too.

Tools are in high demand in June because they make the perfect gift for Father’s Day. The surging orders of tools make the market more competitive so stores are willing to provide discounts this month if that means you’ll make your purchase with them.

Additionally, it would be great to revisit your New Year’s Resolution in June and get a gym membership if you don’t have one yet. The weather is warming up and you’ll love going to the gym now for a good workout. Fortunately, most gyms are offering amazing discounts this month too!

JULY

It’s the middle of the year and it also happens to be such a great month for Amazon Prime Members. Prime Day (Amazon’s birthday) is in July and this huge global online store has some great surprises upon its sleeve! If you’re a member and huge fan of online shopping, you need to start looking at the deals early since they go fast. Kindles, Fire Tablets, and other gadgets are best sellers, but there are literally thousands of toys, TVs, shoes, and headphones to choose from!

If you’re buying jewelry for yourself or for future use (say a proposal), you can save more money when you buy in July. July is an occasionless month so the jewelry business tends to slow down. To help pick up sales, they usually offer promotions and sales for assorted jewelry.

Additionally, July is the best time to give your home a new look by bringing in new furniture. The Fourth of July clearance sales are perfect for snagging furniture with deep discounts as merchants try to make way for new furniture in their shop.

If you didn’t buy new tools during the Father’s Day sales, don’t worry, because discounts are even higher after the event! With demand tapering off, tools like hammers and wrenches get sold fast through sales. And with that said, you better start looking at house paint and decors too because they also typically go on sale in July.

As for experiences, Broadway tickets are also much cheaper this month. If you’re staying in New York in July while many people leave, theatres are trying their best to keep the seats filled and the best way to do this is offer tickets at a discount. But if you’d rather keep things active, most waterparks offer discounts for half-day entry in July.

AUGUST

As the back-to-school season starts, several school and office supplies are going to be on sale this month. But because of the Labor Day Celebration, we also see prices of several other stuff going down in August, mainly summer products on clearance sales.

But first, the most obvious thing that will go on sale in August is the laptop. Now an essential tool for studying, most retailers are willing to mark down their laptops and make a substantial profit from the massive demand. Whether you’re a student or a parent with school kids, getting a new laptop now when prices are low can be a very, very, VERY smart decision.

Additionally, August is still a good month to buy summer apparel. With a few weeks more to enjoy the warm weather, buying summer clothing in August would help you save heaps of money. Most stores would be rolling out summer apparel clearance sales to make way for the upcoming colder seasons. Pick your summer staples now, keep them in your closet, and take them out summer the next year. That also applies to summer swimwear.

If you’ve been eyeing a new car this year, you should already start shopping this month. Dealerships are beginning to make way for new models so they’re disposing of the older ones with big (ish) discounts. It’s wise to do this early while there’s still a good range of inventory to choose from.

Wine is also offered with deep discounts in August. If you have a penchant for wine, now is the time to hoard as much as you can. With the grape harvest season nearing in September, stores and manufacturers obviously need to make new room for the upcoming supply. Buy those bottles of wine in bundles to save even more money.

For your home, it is typical to find discounted outdoor furniture in August. If you’re planning to replace your patio furniture next year, you should buy now while prices are amazingly low. You’ll still be able to enjoy your new furniture while the temperature outdoors is humid to mild, anyway. But the good thing is, you wouldn’t have to bother buying new furniture next year when prices rise again because you can just store them in the winter and take them back out in spring.

And we shouldn’t forget how incredible prices of school and office supplies are this month. Buy paper, notebooks, pens, art materials and more while you can enjoy fantastic discounts. Target, Walmart and Amazon are the leading stores that offer the best prices especially if you’re making bulk purchases.

SEPTEMBER

In September, the market is caught in the crossroads between Labor Day and back-to-school season, meaning, some generous price cuts on some specific things.

If you’re an Apple fan, you probably already know that the company introduces the latest iPhone model in September or October. However, the price of the new phone would expectedly be steep, so if you’re content with an older generation iPhone, now is the best time to get one.

September also means the official start of the school season. Ideally, you have already completed your school necessities a couple of weeks back, but if you’re a college student, you want to wait for a few more weeks before you buy new textbooks. For one, the prices of books generally drop after, not before school starts. Also, you want to attend a few classes first and have the professor require the textbook officially so you wouldn’t have to buy and not be able to use them unnecessarily.

And with some Labor Day discounts lingering in the air, consider taking this time to shop for next year’s summer wardrobe, grills, and inflatable pools and other summer stuff. Stores would be more eager to get rid of inventory as they prepare for the new season, so if you don’t mind keeping them in storage for the meantime, you’ll definitely enjoy deep savings.

Lastly, with around two months to go until Thanksgiving, book your airline tickets now if you plan to go on vacation in November and December. Don’t wait until the last minute because its peak season, people are making travel plans and companies are taking advantage of the demand. Keep your mind stress-free for the upcoming holidays by ensuring you get your tickets early.

OCTOBER

Numerous fall deals are happening as soon as the first day of October arrives. Don’t be scared to wander to different shops and be prepared for the incredible treats in store for you!
First off, get your new cookware this month. The holiday sales have officially begun in October and if you’re looking for new cookware to use in your kitchen or as gifts to loved one, might as well start shopping now before the shopping frenzy begins.

Denim is also a great buy in October. Awkwardly sandwiched between the back-to-school season and upcoming winter, denim sales are pretty slow this month. This can work to your advantage because stores would want to clear out leftover denim products from August and September and make new room for winter apparel. Shop for jeans and denim vests and jackets now and keep them in your closet. You’ll be glad to have this apparel because denim is always in fashion, and you snagged them at a discount.

If you haven’t decided on a car purchase last month and feel like this is the right time to get a new car, then don’t hesitate to visit the dealership. At this point, dealerships are already busy clearing their floors for next year’s model so getting a one-year old model or so for a car should be friendlier on your budget.

Did you miss to buy more of your summer gear for the last few months? October is still a great time to catch up with your summer needs, may it patio furniture, camping gear, swimming apparel, grills and air conditioning units. The prices for these products naturally fall in October when there is lesser demand.

NOVEMBER

If shoppers have to choose one month of the year to get excited about, they’d all probably agree with November. This month alone has three major shopping events that bring down prices to record lows – Black Friday, Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. If you’ve held on to your cash or card until November just to make some major purchases, well, here are the products that are worth noting.

Replacing your five-year old electronics at home? Wait until its Black Friday to get excellent discounts on home electronics and appliances. Refrigerators, flat screen TV, vacuum cleaners and home entertainment systems, mainly this year’s leftovers are sold at deep price cuts this month.

The cost of iPhones falls further this month, especially if you’re buying from one of the three major shopping events. However, do take note that this is only applicable for iPhones that are at least one generation older. If you don’t mind owning an iPhone 7 or older this year, then go ahead and make the purchase.

Laptops and computers, as well game consoles are also great bargains this month. Wait for Cyber Monday before you buy because gadgets and electronics will be on sale with around 40% or more discounts. Additionally, opt for consoles with bundled games to slash off several dollars from the price tag, or opt for refurbished models to get them even cheaper.

Lastly, get new branded apparel with marked down prices as major brands feature generous discounts. November is the best time to shop at Levis, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom offering rolling out wonderful discounts on their products this month, and probably the best discounts the entire year.

DECEMBER

It’s the end of the year, but the sales and discounts are not ending anytime soon. In fact, with the season of giving and sharing in December, you can expect to see specific products going into bargain prices that are just hard to resist.

Wine or champagne, anyone? It’s the season for gatherings and drinks would undoubtedly be on the menu. Apparently, the demand for wine and champagne is high this month, particularly with New Year just a couple of weeks away, but numerous brands are willing to provide deep discounts to win over their competition. For consumers, the market for drinks has never been this better.

December is also another great time to buy tools. Whether you’re looking forward to some home improvement projects in spring or merely want to give Dad a gift he’d love to use, the cost of tools is expected to dip down this month.

There are also several after-Christmas purchases you’d love to make just because prices are going down day after day. You can buy most toys at great rates after Christmas. However, if you buy before Christmas and intend to give those toys as gifts, you’ll notice a significant difference in prices. Additionally, it’s wise to start stocking up on next year’s Christmas decorations and wrapping paper as stores try to dispose leftovers after Christmas this year. You’ll find decors and papers sold between 40% to 70% discounts.

Recap

When it comes to spending your hard-earned money, some research, and patience can go a long way. We certainly can’t avoid spending money, but we can avoid steep prices just by knowing and waiting for the best times to shop.

Waiting for certain things to go on sale can be a wise move especially for non-urgent purchases. It also doesn’t hurt to focus on what the product can do, rather than on how trendy it is. If you come to think of it, a smartphone, laptop, refrigerator, and television that’s one generation behind can pretty much do what their newer counterparts can, with a few less bells and whistles. But when comparing the financial costs side by side, you’ll save a lot of money if you wait for the previous versions to go on sale this year.

Importantly, knowing the best times to purchase give you more time to plan your budget in advance and put spending into a wiser perspective. Saving 10% discount here and 40% discount there can add up to some significant money. Try to hold yourself back from spending for purchases that will typically go on deep discounts some time soon, run the math then give yourself a congratulatory pat at the back for getting such great deals.

SOURCES
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/23/the-best-time-of-the-year-to-buy-everything.html
http://time.com/money/4190173/month-guide-best-time-buy-everything/
http://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-buy-best-time-to-buy-everything-2017-10
https://www.thebalance.com/best-time-to-buy-everything-1387782
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/best-time-to-buy-things/index.htm

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