Oct 30, 2009 3:49 pm US/Eastern
Find Deals By Shopping During 'Selling Seasons'
BOSTON (CBS News) ―
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Forget scouring the circulars looking for deals.
Max Nash/Getty Images
Forget scouring the circulars looking for deals. You might be better off keeping a close eye on the calendar instead, CBS station WBZ-TV reports.
When you buy something could be just as important as
what you purchase, or
where you do your shopping.
The first thing to do, according to John Hurst of the Massachusetts Retailers, is thing like a retailer. That means you need to be aware of their selling seasons so you can swoop in and time the best bargains.
January
After the Christmas rush in January, retailers know most of us are staying home, and staying indoors. That's the reason White Sales abound this time of year.
"You're not really thinking about gift giving." Or wrapping. So stores deeply discount all the holiday trimmings deeply. "They don't want that sitting around until next October," said Hurst.
February
You can save money on a slew of high tech gadgets. This is when new products are rolled out at the Consumer Electronics Show, so retailers need to clear the shelves of the previous year's models.
March
Winter clothes can be a real steal. Hurst said, "Whatever is left in the store in March, they've got to get that out now because April is coming, Easter is coming, and summer fashions are coming."
May
The month of May is for mattresses, believe it or not. New models will soon be on the floor so Hurst said retailers need to clear the floor of older models. He added, "You are going to take less margin on it, as a seller."
June
The "J" in June and July could stand for jewelry.
"The summer can be a very slow time. People are not really thinking about Valentine's Day. You're not thinking holidays for gift giving," said Hurst.
July
While everyone else is at the beach, July can also be a time to save money on furniture. Hurst says it's all about the time of year because consumers are not thinking about changing their living room at this time.
September
Consider new appliances in September because the new models will make their way into the stores in the fall. Hurst says it can pay to replace a major appliance before it dies, with one that's energy efficient.
"They will save so much more on the electricity in the long run," said Hurst.
November
November can bring sweet savings on candy now that Halloween has passed.
December
Computers are often on sale. They're not as common a gift item as clothing or jewelry so retailers are more motivated to sell them.
"It's not necessarily something that is aimed for a December type of purchase, to be under a Christmas tree," said Hurst.
Timing bargains can save money, but financial planner Emil Ronchi of Salem says to quiz yourself before you buy anything on impulse. "Do you need it, do you need it? Do you want it even? Will you want it tomorrow, and not just today?"
If you don't have the luxury of timing your purchase, make the retailer an offer. More stores are so eager to move inventory they're willing to haggle, and you can save yourself some real money that way, too.
More: Consumer Spending At Lowest In 9 Months
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