How to Plan Your Purchases by Season

If you consider yourself a savvy consumer you probably budget your purchases, plan your shopping expeditions, clip coupons and follow sales.

12:59 16 September 2019

There’s actually one other thing that you can do if you’re willing to plan ahead – shop for different items according to the season. 

Consumer advocates noticed that the prices of various types of consumer goods drop according to the time of year. Certain items move more quickly during certain seasons so that’s when the stores jack the prices up. If you plan big item purchases according to the season during which they are cheapest, you can win the jackpot casino in savings.

Here are just some of the seasonal deals that you can find in most shopping outlets.

Winter

• Winter clothes, boots and shoes – once Christmas has passed you can find incredible sales on winter clothing items including coats, boots, sweaters and daily wear. The later you get into the winter, the better the prices get. If you’re a really good saver you can shop for next year’s winter items at the end of this year, but that’s obviously only if you’re pretty sure that you know what size you’ll need for next year (for instance, for kids’ clothes). Be prepared that the selection won’t be what it was several months ago (but neither will the prices).
  
  
• Cell Phones – a number of cell phone manufacturers offer a “buy one/get one free” cell phone deal around Valentine’s Day. Two cell phones don’t really have much to do with the Holiday of Love but if you need 2 phones, or think that you might in the near future, this is the time of year to plan on a purchase.
  
  
• Summer items – grills, air conditioners, summer toys, lawn chairs…..all of those things are far from most people’s minds when the snow is on the ground, but if you can find them in the store you can negotiate a good price. If you’re in the market for a boat you have the extra advantage of a boat show. Boat shows happen in the winter so you can find a last-years model at a good price,
  
  
  
• Bedding and Linen – January is the traditional month of the “White Sale” and it’s the best time to get new linens and betting items. Sometimes retailers will out out last season’s linens and will negotiate a good price with you if you buy multiple items.
  
  
• Chocolate – after February 14 - Valentine's Day.
  
  

Early Spring

• Chocolate – after February 14 - Valentine's Day.
  
  
• Golf clubs –your local golf shop will be pushing last year’s models so, if having the most up-to-date club isn’t a priority, early March is the time to stock up on new clubs.
  
  

Late Spring 

• Vacuum cleaners – new vacuum cleaner models come out in June so the months before the launches are the best months to buy last year’s models
  
  
• Electronics, digital camera, TVs – stores try to get rid of stock for Japanese manufacturers whose fiscal year ends in March. That means that you’ll be buying last year’s model but if that’s OK with you, you’ll save a ton on Japanese models.
  
  
• Sneakers – take advantage of the rush for sandals to get your sneakers for next year. As the stores try to move their summer footwear, they will be more likely to offer deals on sneakers.
  
  
• Refrigerators – new fridge models come out in May to make your purchase in April when the stores are trying to clear space for the new year’s models
  
  

Summer

• Kitchenware – pots and pans, dishes, cutlery and other items that are likely to be given as wedding gifts will start to go on sale in June – just in time for the wedding season. Home décor is another wedding-season deal to watch out for
  
  
• Computers – many of the big computer firms such as AMD and Intel start displaying their new models in July so the stores will want to move older models. Many of the stores also offer back-to-school sales on laptops, desktops and tablets so even if you’re not going back to school, you may want to drag along a kid to the sale. 
  
  
• Furniture – new furniture designs come out in August so June and July are the best times to check out the clearance sales for some good deals.
  
  
• Video Games – since summer is season when people tend to be involved in outdoor activities and travel, video game vendors try to keep their clientele engaged with sales on the video games. Since many of the games launch earlier in the year, summertime makes perfect sense to put the games on sale.
  
  
• Swimsuits – ‘nuff said.
  
  

Autumn

• Cars – new models are generally introduced in August so September is the time that dealerships will be clearing out their old models. You can also use this opportunity to negotiate a better price. More savings at the end of September and more money-saving leasing opportunities (that’s when the banks estimate a car’s residual value)
  
  
• Appliances – except for refrigerators, big appliances are most likely to be on sale in September. That’s when the new models come out so you can buy last year’s models for less.
  
  
• Jeans – when the back-to-school rush is over, there are often a lot of jeans in the stores that weren’t snapped up. Before the holiday shopping season is the best time to grab those jeans.
  
  

General Tips

• Gas prices - tend to be lower during the middle of the week. On weekends, when people travel and some gas stations close, the prices rise.
  
  
• Jewelry prices - don’t fluctuate too much but they do shoot up before “giving days” – Christmas, Valentines Day, Mother’s Day, etc.