1. Popular Gift Items: It’s the holiday season and these items, if you haven’t noticed already, are on sale left and right. Keep in mind that the best sales for clothing items start on Thursdays, so shop accordingly to get the best selection.
- Perfume
- Tees
- Sweaters
- Jewelry
- Billfolds
2. Food Serving and Storing Pieces: The holiday items seems to bring out the chefs in all of us, and with the constant parties and get togethers that this season brings retailers know that they have a good shot at selling food serving and storing pieces to consumers especially if they are at a good price.
3. Food Items: These include the following
- Ham
- Butter
- Cheese
- Baking Supplies
- Pie Crusts
- Read-Made Dough
- Dinner Rolls
- Frozen Pies
- Cake Mix
- Cake Frosting
- Pie Filling
- Refrigerated Cookie Dough
- Spices
- Nuts
- Dried Fruits
- Oatmeal
- Soda
4. Holiday Greeting Cards: At the end of December these cards’ prices drop like a rock. Don’t buy cards that aren’t at least 50% off.
5. Cars: Guess what? End of the year means that next year’s models are about to hit the car lots. This means that you can get great bargains of 20% off or more on this year’s model as car dealers are trying to make room.
6. Off-Color Cars: Want more than just 20% off of your car? Look for Off-color cars to get even a greater bargain.Want even a better bargain? Shop for you car on Monday when there is less foot traffic, and you have plenty of time to negotiate.
7. Shrubs, bushes, bulbs: In many parts of the country December is at the tail end of the perfect time of year to plant shrubs, bushes, and bulbs. Look for garden retailers to mark their prices down pretty heavily.
8. Wedding Dresses and Wedding Gear: These bargain wedding items’ prices actually begin to drop mid-November. So by December the prices are really great for those of you planning a wedding.
9. Tools: If you talk to a lot of construction contractors they can tell you that the busy season for them is usually not during the colder months. Because of this retailers often drop their prices on tools down during them. I’ve always found great bargains for the handymen and women in my life during December.
10. Champagne and Sparkling Wine: Think New Years and Holiday morning Mimosas. Yum!
11. HDTV’s and Home Theaters: Though the best bargains for these happen in June, sometimes holiday sales can give you that bargain that you need to introduce a new HDTV or home theater system into your home.
**Extra Best Time to Buy Shopping Tip for December:
10 a.m. any day is the best time to return items that you may not want. Most sales personnel are fresh having just started their shifts, and usually the most experienced employees work the day shift.
However, this rule does not apply to December 26th. It’s towards the end of the holiday shopping season, employees are worn out from working the longer holiday hours, and the crowds will be a nightmare. Avoid entering a store as much as you can on December 26th!
Everyone who has ever tried to make the most of their money knows that in order to get the best bargains on certain goods, timing is everything. So in order to help the readers of The Centsible Life get their bargain timing down to perfect, I have created a “Best Time to Buy list for each current month. Use these lists to make the most of your money through out the entire year.
Kelly K.
Great tips, Kelly! Guess next Monday I’ll send my husband out to look for that new car we need…
Great tips! Not crazy about waiting to purchase your cards, but hey, what can I say? Thanks for doing the research for me!
My uncle used to own a card and gift shop where I worked during high school. It would break my heart to see the people that came in and bought box cards before the holiday at retail price. I’ve never paid more than 50% of the regular price, and 75% is even better!