You had your eye on something personal for you, but didn’t feel justified buying yourself a “gift” during the holidays? Or maybe it was just a little out of your budget? With a little bit of planning, you might be able to save yourself the regret of buying something at full price, which typically goes on sale right after the holidays. You can save a lot of money during post-holiday sales with these tips.
- Plan ahead by having a list of targeted items: Think about the entire next year. Things like clothing, consumer electronics and toys typically have the deepest discounts early in the year. Upcoming birthdays? A trip? Something you just wanted, but was worth waiting for the sale rather than having it on actual Christmas day? Start looking from Christmas Day through early January.
- Holiday Decorations: This really goes for any holiday during the year that you decorate for (e.g Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving). Buy right after the holiday for the best inventory or wait a week for the deepest discounts. Keep in mind though that time is limited on how long retailers keep thieir seasonal inventory out.
- Food: With the price of food having gone up so much this year it is important to note that after a holiday is always a good time to get some serious deals at the grocery stores. Things like baking supplies, food storage containers, wine, cheese, and other delicacies go on sale to make way for the healthy foods that people want in January.
- Fitness Products: Speaking of healthy cravings. While gym memberships might get discounted, the equipment doesn’t always. A great time to look for unused or gently used fitness gear is in March or April. Check out Craigslist or neighborhood group listings for the best deals on fitness products.
- Seasonal Clothing: While winter is still in full effect for many after Christmas, winter clothing sales begin in January as people start to dream of warmer destinations. The deeper discounts occur again after the President’s Day weekend when the last ski vacations typically happen for families.
- Return, Sell or Donate Unwanted Gifts: Do not hold onto something that you do not want or will not use. Something that takes up physical space and can benefit you financially in a different way with a charitable donation deduction or cash in your pocket should be assessed for returning, selling, or donating. Remember to not miss any return windows!
