Best months to buy everything

Ever wondered if you should have waited to buy those jeans or that camera? Prices can fluctuate depending on the time of year and a retailer’s inventory, but experts say there are months that offer predictably better deals on certain products than others. While some sales cycles are consistent from year to year, retailers occasionally throw in curveballs, notes Mark Di Vincenzo, longtime journalist and author of “Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon.”

“There was a time when you would never see Christmas sales until Black Friday, and probably about five years ago, you started seeing them as early as middle of November,” he says. “Last year, you started seeing them as soon as the last weekend of October. Retailers depend so much on Christmas sales to pad their bottom lines that they keep extending the Christmas shopping season.” Back-to-school season is another example; this year, retailers started pumping out ads for backpacks and calculators in July.

That said, here’s a shopping cheat sheet for the next 12 months:

January: Winter attire on clearance, old inventory furniture, motorcycles, fitness gear

“Fitness is a popular New Year’s resolution, so that’s when these manufacturers offer incentives to purchase fitness equipment,” says DealNews.com spokesman Mark LoCastro. “We saw double the number of deals in January versus any other time of year. We’re talking 30 to 70 percent off. Demand is high, so they incentivize purchases.”

[See: 10 Strategies From Super-Saver Shoppers.]

February: More winter attire on clearance (but less inventory than January), flat-screen TVs (in anticipation of Super Bowl parties), cameras

“During Presidents Day weekend, you see some of the best sales on cameras,” Di Vincenzo says. “A lot of new model cameras come out in February and March, and retailers have a finite amount of shelf space, so they need to clear out older models.”

March: Luggage, winter sports gear on clearance, frozen foods

“March is National Frozen Foods month,” LoCastro says. “It probably is a marketing ploy to draw attention to that industry, but grocery stores offer discounts on certain frozen foods, so you can stock up and keep it as long as you possibly can.”

April: Last-minute deals on tax software, tires, beauty products, sneakers

“Many sneaker stores will be encouraging people to get back outside, so we’ll see nice, strong deals in sneakers anywhere from 10 to 50 percent off,” says Trae Bodge, senior editor at RetailMeNot.com, which lists promotion codes for thousands of brands.

May: Lawn and garden products, mattresses, camping gear, spring clothing

For clothing, LoCastro suggests waiting until two months into the season, which means May is prime time to buy spring clothing. “You’re looking at about 30 to 50 percent off depending on where you shop and what you’re shopping for,” he says. “During Memorial Day weekend, you will see stacking discounts and stacking coupons on clothing and mattresses.”

June: Lingerie, home decor, Caribbean vacations

Victoria’s Secret unveils its semiannual sale in June, and many other lingerie sellers follow suit. It’s also a good time to travel to the Caribbean, according to LoCastro. “June 1 is the beginning of the Caribbean’s hurricane season, but you’re less likely to experience tropical storms and you’re probably going to get a discount on travel,” he says.

July: Swimwear and outdoor furniture on clearance, start of back-to-school sales

“Mid-July is the kickoff for the back-to-school shopping season,” Bodge says. You might get the best selection in July, but prices will often dip further later in the season.

[Read: 4 Ways to Save on Back-to-School Shopping.]

August: Wine, office and school supplies, laptops

“By August, we’re well into back to school, so discounts on backpacks, lunch totes and tech like laptops and tablets will most likely go deeper at this point,” Bodge says. “And to make room for the new harvest, we’ll see discounts on wine.”

September: Grills, older- model appliances

As the weather cools down, look for deals on grills and older appliances because retailers want to clear out inventory. “You’ll see clearance on grills at this point,” Bodge says. “Newer appliances are coming out in October, so they’ll clear old models out. Labor Day sales can offer discounts, too.”

October: Denim, back-to-school clothing on clearance, older- model appliances, cars

The appliance push and the last of back-to-school clearance can linger into October. Meanwhile, car manufacturers are also trying to clear out inventory. “The new car models come out in September, so look at the previous-year model in October,” LoCastro says.

November: Halloween candy and costumes on clearance, cookware, electronics

Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer some of the best deals of the year on electronics and other items, and as retailers expand the holiday shopping season, expect to see those deals earlier and earlier. “Officially, we see [ads for] Black Friday deals as early as September,” LoCastro says. “The sheer volume of deals and quality of deals are highest at [Black Friday and Cyber Monday], but you have to beware because you’re going to be bombarded with deals.” Research all your options before you buy.

[Read: 12 New Shopping Apps for the Best Deals.]

December: Winter apparel on clearance, Champagne

As consumers stock on up on Champagne for New Year’s Eve, you might expect demand to push up prices. Not so, Di Vincenzo says. “Stores will deeply discount Champagne in December, because they want to get you in the store, where you’re more likely to buy things at full price,” he explains.

However, don’t assume you’re automatically getting the best possible price just because you buy a treadmill in January or a grill in September. Before you buy, compare prices online or on your smartphone and check for promotion codes or printable coupons to get an even lower price.

More from U.S. News

8 Purchases That Can Save You Hundreds or Thousands of Dollars

10 Quirky Ways to Save Money

10 Surprising Facts About Modern Consumers

The Best Months to Buy Everything originally appeared on usnews.com

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