The best time to buy 10 common things
The best time to buy common things, from TVs to patio furniture: when each usually goes on sale, why, and how to use the pattern with a target price.
Rania Khelifi2 min read
Retailers discount things for predictable reasons: the season is ending, a new model is coming or a holiday weekend is near. Knowing the pattern can save you money. Dates change each year, so check the retailer for the current offer, and see how to check price history before you buy to confirm a price is really low.
| What | Often cheaper around | Why |
|---|---|---|
| TVs | November and late spring | Big sale season, and new models arrive in spring |
| Mattresses | Long holiday weekends and November | Stores run sales on holiday weekends |
| Laptops | Back-to-school season and November | Student promotions and holiday sales |
| Winter coats and boots | January and February | End-of-season clearance |
| Patio furniture and grills | Late summer and early fall | Stores clear summer stock |
| Holiday decor | The days after the holiday | Leftovers are marked down |
| Vacuums and small appliances | November and spring | Cleaning season and holiday sales |
| Toys | November and early December | Holiday promotions |
| School supplies | Late July through August | Stores compete on basics |
| Swimwear and summer clothes | Late summer | End-of-season clearance |
How to use this
- Buy off-season for things you can store. A winter coat in February or a grill in September costs less.
- Do not wait for needs that cannot wait. If your fridge dies, buy it now.
- Check the price history. Tools that track prices show whether a "deal" is really lower than usual.
- Compare the sale price to the usual price, not to the "was" price on the tag.
Big sale events: worth it?
Sale events can have good prices, but they also have a lot of hype. Some "deals" are products made cheaper for the event, or the same price as last month. A real deal is a product you already wanted at a price lower than it usually costs.
A few warnings
- These patterns change from year to year.
- A product that is out of stock at a good price is not a deal.
- New models do not always matter. Last year's model is often almost as good and much cheaper.
If you can wait, set a target price, check it now and then and buy when it drops. For a table of verdicts for the next two months, see buy now, wait or skip.
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