Know-how

allyou.comJune 26, 2009

131

Have you ever splurged on a digital cam era, only to �nd it on sale the next m onth? Talk about buyer’s

rem orse! Fortunately, m any retailers offer

deals around the sam e tim e every year. Plan your purchases accordingly each m onth, and put the savings back in your pocket.

By Margaret Bristol

M ark your calendars and take the guessw ork out of bargain hunting!

B uy w hen the price is right

Electronics: N ew m odels of

M P3 players, D VD players and

digital cam eras are announced

at the annual International

C onsum er Electronics Show in

January. Take advantage of this m om ent to

grab last year’s m odels at a huge discount.

Fragrances: G et your favorites for less

during Valentine’s D ay prom otions.

Hum idifiers: If you’re suffering from

a lingering cold or the drying effects of

indoor heat, hum idifiers are m arked

dow n this m onth and next.

LO O K FO R PRESIDEN TS’

DAY SALES!

W inter gear:

Coats, skis and boots

are m oving out to

m ake w ay for spring

item s— shop now for

a m ajor discount.

A freezer full of m eals: Look

for a special coupon insert prom oting

Frozen Food M onth in Sunday

circulars, then stock up. Visit

nfraw eb.org for m ore details.

Turn for m ore

JA N .BEST BETS

FEB.BEST BETS

BARGAIN TIPCom pare and track discounts in your

area at presidentsdaysales.com .

BARGAIN TIPThe bigger the chain, the bigger the

savings.Departm ent stores such as

M acy’s and JCPenney have been

know n to discount their linens up

to 60 percent during w hite sales.

BARGAIN TIPW henever a new

product is released,

look for the old m odel

on sale. Afraid you’re

buying second best?

Ask the sales rep to

explain the new

m odel’s upgrades—

you m ay never need

or use them anyw ay.

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M A R.BEST BETS

HDTVs:

W atch

for deep

discounts

just before

the Super

Bow l. N ot in the budget

now ? They also go on sale

in M arch and D ecem ber.

Fitness equipm ent:

Retailers are cashing in on New

Year’s resolutions— take advantage of huge price

cuts to jum p on a new treadm ill or a set of

light w eights.

Holiday leftovers: W rapping

paper and ornam ents are slashed by

up to 75 percent— be ready for next year.

W hite sales: H it stores and online to

find the largest savings of the year on

table linens, bedding and tow els.

June 26, 2009133

Know-how

Digital

cameras: They

go on sale again

for families

taking off for

spring break.

Warm-weather clothes:

Browse now for spring fashions as

they begin to move to sale racks

this month. If you wear a common

size, hit the stores early.

LOOK FOR MEMORIAL

DAY SALES!

Picnic supplies, outdoor

furniture and pantry staples: It’s

National Barbecue Month! Watch for

discounts to get you eating outdoors.

Athletic apparel: Save on last year’s sneakers before

next season’s models roll in.

Swimsuits and summer

wear: Cash in as prices drop.

Lingerie: Look for the semi-

annual sale at Victoria’s Secret.

Tools: Drills, saws and

tech products (like GPS units)

have deep discounts aimed

at dads and grads.

Dairy days: It’s Dairy

Month—time to serve

up milk shakes, sundaes

and cheese platters. Get

details at nationaldairy

council.org and plan a

school’s-out ice cream social

on the cheap!

LOOK FOR BACK-TO- SCHOOLSALES!

Air conditioners,

lawn mowers and

yard equipment: A s

the heat index drops,

prices do, too, so

stores can clear shelves

for incoming fall items.

Fall fashions, school supplies and

computers: Get major price breaks for

back-to-school shopping. Save even

more by buying a refurbished

computer at dell.com/outlet.

Camping equipment: Get

the year’s best prices on tents

and other outdoor gear, just

in time to put together a

memorable Labor Day

weekend under the stars.

MAYBEST BETS

JUN.BEST BETS

JU L.BEST BETS

AUG .BEST BETS

Furniture:

Deals abound

as stores m ake

room for new lines,

according to the Am erican

Hom e FurnishingsAlliance.

BARGAIN TIPWhen buying online,

try to get free shipping.

Before you check out,

visit freeshipping.org

and search by store for

coupons and codes.

BARGAIN TIPIn the market for a big-ticket

item? Some stores, such

as Sears, have

reinstated interest-

free layaway policies.

So if you want it, buy

now and pay later!

BARGAIN TIPYou’ve spotted a sale item

with an unbeatable price, but

the store’s across town. Find

out if your preferred store

has an ad match policy and

will match any local price

(such as Walmart does).

Month-to-month

gym memberships:

Negotiate now, as health

clubs try to keep up

quotas throughout the

summer.

BARGAIN TIPBuy basics like pencils and paper in

advance, but wait to purchase pricier

items until teachers send out their

list of required supplies.

Cookware: Ditch your dingy pots and pans and take advantage of

sales wooing Mother’s Day and wedding shoppers.

BARGAIN TIPTake a break from

bargain hunting and

let someone else

do the work.

Probargainhunter

.com lists deals

and coupons,

and posts news about

discounts.

APR.BEST BETS

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June 26, 2009135

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Toys,

electronics

and more:

‘Tis the

season to

save.

New-model cars:

Dealerships want to meet

year-end goals—haggle.

Cars: As new

models hit the

showroom floor,

older vehicles are

the ones to buy.

Before you shop,

visit edmunds.com to find out

the market value of different

types of cars.

Perennials, shrubs and trees:

Keep your thumb green for less

LOOK FOR LABOR

DAY SALES!

LOOK FOR COLUMBUS

DAY SALES!

Grills: Prices

drop as dinner

moves indoors.

Auto

supplies: It’s

Fall Car Care

Month—you’ll see discounts on

tires and car supplies.

Appliances and vacuums:

Look for sales on last year’s

kitchen and other appliances,

including washers and dryers, as

LOOK FOR BLACKFRIDAYSALES!

Stereos,

TVs and

clothing: These

and other major

items can be found for a steal on Black

Friday. Get a head start on bargain

hunting at bfads.net, which has Black

Friday circulars from most major retailers.

Wedding dresses: Look for a gown

between now and Christmas, when

boutiques are empty and clearing out

inventory. Salespeople are hungry!

SEP.BEST BETS

O CT.BEST BETS

NO V.BEST BETS

new models begin to arrive

in stores.

Winter gear: Take advantage

of early discounts on coats, hats

and scarves.

LOOK FOR PRE- & POST-CHRISTMAS

SALES!

BARGAIN TIPBefore you finish

a purchase online,

visit retailmenot

.com, a free

coupon Web

site that

publishes coupon

codes for more

than 20,000

online retailers.

BARGAIN TIPKnow your discount lingo. A

“sale” item can return to full

price; “clearance” is the

lowest it will go and is often

a final sale—no refunds.

BARGAIN TIPNot up for the post-turkey stampede?

Take advantage of Cyber Monday,

three days later. Finish up your holiday

shopping online—in your jammies.

Visit cybermonday.com for more info.

BARGAINTIPNote price

adjustment policies.

At Target, if you

buy something

(excluding

clearance items)

that costs less

the following week, you’ll

get the difference back.

D EC.BEST BETS

during fall.

According to

Consumer

Reports, prices

on greenery at this time of

year can’t be beat.

Bikes: Reduce your carbon

footprint with a new

two-wheeler. Deals on bikes

begin now and continue

through autumn.

tip strıpJ U N E 2 6 , 2 0 0 9

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KEEP

Save all year roundWhen it comes to these items, note

the best time and day to buy.

Airline tickets

The best deals are

usually found

Wednesday mornings, when Web sites

post new sales. Always check megasites

like kayak.com and farecompare.com

to find the best deals, and book at least

14 days ahead of time.

Cell phones According to

consumerreports.org, the best

time to upgrade your phone is when

your service agreement is due for

renewal. Otherwise you’ll pay top dollar.

CDs and DVDsNew titles release

on Tuesdays and are usually

discounted the first few

weeks they’re on the shelf.

GroceriesHit the supermarket in the early

morning or late evening. With fewer

people around, you’re more likely

to take your time to

look for bargains.

And shop early in the

week before stores run

out of sale items.

Movie tickets Most theaters still have discounted

matinee prices, so catch a flick before 5 p.m.

Computers New releases

don’t follow a

calendar. As soon as

the latest is

announced, that’s the

moment to pick up

a discounted

model of the

previous version.

JewelryKeep an eye out for jewelry

sales throughout the year. Avoid the

peak buying seasons— Valentine’s Day

and Mother’s Day.