Every day you probably get e-mail, texts, tweets, and circulars announcing great sales. The days of watching the calendar and buying products at the time of year when prices are lowest would appear to be over.
Or are they? Consumer Reports' product-research experts, who monitor prices, have found that deep discounts for some things still go by the calendar. Some sales are tied to the introduction of new models, while others are long-standing traditions, like January white sales.
Use the month-by-month information below to see when you can typically find the best prices on a variety of products. But keep your eye on your apps, e-mail, and Sunday circulars, too, because there will always be exceptions. And bear in mind that the best time to save money isn't always when you'll find the best selection. Sales on some items occur when a season is coming to an end and inventories are thin.
January
Bedding
Linens
Swimwear
Toys
Treadmills and ellipticals
TVs
Winter clothing
February
Humidifiers
Indoor furniture
Treadmills and ellipticals
March
Digital cameras
Humidifiers
Small consumer electronics (MP3 players, DVD and Blu-ray players, etc.)
TVs
Winter sports gear
April
Laptop computers
Computers
Digital cameras
Lawn mowers
Spring clothing
May
Athletic apparel and shoes
Camping and outdoor gear
Carpeting
Cordless phones
Lawn mowers
Small consumer electronics
June
Camcorders
Carpeting
Computers
Indoor furniture
Small consumer electronics
Summer sports gear
Swimwear
July
Camcorders
Indoor furniture
Outdoor furniture
Swimwear
August
Air conditioners
Backpacks
Dehumidifiers
Outdoor furniture
Snow blowers
September
Bikes
Digital cameras
Gas grills
Lawn mowers
Shrubs, trees, and perennials
Small consumer electronics
Snow blowers
October
Bikes
Computers
Digital cameras
Gas grills
Lawn mowers
Winter coats
November
Baby products
Bikes
Camcorders
Gas grills
GPS navigators
Toys
TVs
December
Bikes
Camcorders
Gas grills
GPS navigators
Home appliances, large and small
Small consumer electronics
Toys
TVs
Want an even better deal? Haggle, haggle, haggle.
In a Consumer Reports National Research Center survey of 2,000 American adults about their haggling habits, 89 percent of people who said they haggled received a better price at least once.
To increase the odds you can negotiate a better deal, remember that nothing is off limits. You should always be polite. And make sure you know what constitutes a fair price before you start. For more tips on becoming an expert haggler, read our tips on effective bargaining.
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