Friday, June 10, 2011

The Secrets Stores Don't Want You to Know: You Should Really Wait to Buy..


You Should Really Wait to Buy Until..
Written Tracie at Penny Pinchin' Mom

If you are like me, you know you’ve heard people say “you really should wait until (fill in the blank) to buy that item.” You probably also wonder if they are right or not. Truth be told – they are. There actually is a good time of year to shop for certain products in order to find the best price. Here are just a few that you might be interested in knowing about.

Computers: If you are in need of a new computer, try to wait to shop until late July or early august. That is when you can usually find the best deals. You should also look for new releases of equipment ... such as a new windows version. If a computer has an older version installed, many times they'll reduce the price to get it off of the store shelves.

Automobiles: September is a great time to purchase a prior year's model vehicle. The reason? All of the upcoming year models are released and hitting the showroom floors. Therefore, the dealers need to make room for the newer ones and will reduce prices on older models.
If you really want a good deal, try to shop on Monday mornings as when you shop during the week, there are not as many people on the showroom floor. As a result, the sales people are more willing to make that sale.

Jewelry: This one is actually more of a when NOT to shop. Avoid any holiday -- Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Christmas, etc....as prices really are not reduced during those times of the year.

Clothing: Anytime 6 - 8 weeks after it first is on the shelves and end of season. When retailers have to hold onto items for too long (usually more than a month), they want to move it out of the store to make room for newer items that they will be receiving. Our family always shops as much as we can off season and the savings are significant.

TVs: Winter Holiday Sales and January are the best times of the year to make these purchases. You may find good deals other times throughout the year -- but your best deals are during these periods. January is great because the best deals seem to come in conjunction with both the Super and Pro Bowls.

Groceries: Plan you trip around the 2nd or 3rd day after the sales ad comes out. The reason is that often times, stores will run “short sales” that reflect deeper discounts than the regular weekly ad.
Another little known tip is how to get good deals on meat. If you can, try to get there early in the morning as anything that will meet its "sell by date" on that day will be drastically reduced. It doesn't mean it is unsafe -- just throw it in your freezer to increase your stockpile.

Gas: Avoid filling up on the weekends if you can. Prices are usually higher over weekends since people tend to go out of town and go more places. Also - try to fill up early in the morning as prices tend to change between 10:00 a.m. and noon.
Sometimes, knowing when to shop can really save you lots of time and money. Plus, you can begin to save your pennies for any purchases you may need to make during the year.

And of course, don't forget Black Friday! All bets are off!

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