Winter Sales & Savings to Catch Now

The holiday season is almost a distant memory as our attention turns to new endeavors in a new year. But according to People magazine, 51 percent of people wait until Christmas Eve to do their Christmas shopping and some delay until after Christmas. Why? Because winter is often a good time to grab bargains as retailers are anticipating the after-holiday sales slump.

Merchants often market toward New Year’s resolutions so anything exercise related such as equipment, clothing, gear, gym memberships, massage tools, step trackers and even headphones are marked down. Beauty items like make-up and hair products also fall into the “makeovers” resolution category.

Items to freshen up the home such as towels, bedding and other linens can easily be found with deep discounts following the holiday season. January is also the best time to pick up small appliances and furniture, as well as carpets and rugs as many stores are clearing out last year’s inventory to make room for new items set to arrive in spring. However, when it comes to merchandise like mattresses and major appliances, hold off because the best deals on these items are during the President Day’s sales in February. President Day’s weekend is also a good time to get additional discounts on cars, trucks and SUVs.

Some electronics such as laptops, tablets and TVs are discounted in January. Even though the best deals on TVs are found during the Thanksgiving weekend sales, January is the second-best time to purchase one. Some retailers are even willing to bring back the Black Friday prices on select items to attract consumers.

Since winter clothing is often marked down to make room for the spring line, it’s the perfect time to pick up higher priced items such as a designer coat or handbag. Unfortunately, if you want to get snow gear or luggage at a good price, you’ll have to wait until March.

Smart shoppers know that if they can hold off on getting calendars or planners until the new year, they will often find them at 25-50 percent off in January.

Most people do not realize that if they plan ahead and order those Valentine’s Day flowers now, the savings is considerable. Florists often have deals going on in January and allow you to hold off sending those flowers until Feb. 14. The holiday of love is also the reason you will find lower prices on jewelry during the month of February.

On one hand, January may seem like a time of hibernation and reflection, but it’s a fantastic time to spruce up your winter space and your winter wardrobe without breaking the budget.