best time to buy things for less

Posted on September 10, 2008 
Filed under Uncategorized

Best time of year to shop for stuff

I’m not the most savvy shopper. Not into checking Consumer Reports, doing comparison shopping, going from store to store to browse. I do use Froogle or shopping search engines occasionally. But usually not frugal about coupons and sales and deals. Some people are really good at that. I tend to buy stuff when I need to.

I remember once going to a department store when it happened to be a big clearance sale of some kind, and I got decent dress shirts and pants for more than 50% off. And it wasn’t just on the rack in the corner that’s been picked over by hundreds of people. And it wasn’t at Ross or Marshalls; it was a normal department store. Can’t remember what time of year it was. But maybe these tips below is right on:

from holidays.about.com/od/gadgetgifts/a/aaafterxmasa.htm

This is my favorite bargain-sale category. Here is the “scoop”. Every January, the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is held in Las Vegas in which all the consumer electronics manufacturers from around the World unveil their products for the coming year. These products start to hit shelves in February and continue into the Spring and Summer. Needless to say, buyers from the big consumer electronics retail chains to small regional and home town independents flock to this show in order to place orders for new products. However, in order to beat the competition in placing these products on store shelves, the retailers must clear out current products targeted for replacement from their warehouses and stores as quickly as possible. This is where the consumer can benefit.

Now I did not know that, like “most consumers” — from seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/254069_onthemoney31.html

Most consumers know, for example, that retailers typically put their linens and cookware on sale in January, just as their post-holiday business starts to flag. But there are other seasonal shopping bargains to be had by careful consumers, such as spring fashion markdowns in April, back-to-school promotions in July and August, and pre-winter sales of coats, gloves and scarves in October.

SEASONAL SHOPPING CALENDAR

The National Retail Federation, a trade group based in Washington, D.C., offers this calendar to help consumers look for retail promotions and bargains:

* January End-of-season fall merchandise, home goods from linens to cookware and furniture.
* February Valentine’s Day, with promotions of jewelry, fragrances and other gifts.
* March Summer merchandise arrives, brides begin registering for summer weddings.
* April Spring fashion markdowns begin.
* May Mother’s Day promotions, sales of athletic apparel and athletic shoes.
* June and July Father’s Day promotions, summer clearance sales.
* August Back-to-school bargains.
* September and October Discounts on coats, gloves and scarves.
* November Pre-Thanksgiving markdowns ahead of the Thanksgiving weekend rush.
* December Holiday discounts on apparel and appliances.

A more detailed run down on what usually goes on sale during which month at: www.myboot.com/articles/2816-shopping-101–whens-the-right-time-to-purchase-a-product.html

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