There are a surprising number of products to skip purchasing on Black Friday if you want to snap up the best bargains. Here are some of those items.
Most of us know that Black Friday is the best day to find doorbuster sales and limited-time discounts on items such as TVs , appliances and apparel, but there are a surprising number of products to skip purchasing during the popular shopping holiday if you want to snap up the best bargains.
Here are 10 such items you can purchase for less following the post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy.
Toys
While toys are a favorite Christmas gift and a popular item for holiday shoppers, they have a limited shelf life and it’s rare for the same toy to stay in demand longer than one season. The best time to buy toys is after Black Friday but before Christmas, when retailers are ready to clear out inventory as holiday shopping season is ending.
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File
Holiday decor
If you tend to plan well in advance, the best time to buy holiday decor is not on Black Friday or just before the holidays, but just after the shopping hoopla. Right after Christmas, all sorts of holiday decor is available at deep discounts. The downside: You’ll have to wait until next Christmas before you can enjoy using it.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Fitness equipment
For most of us, Black Friday is a time when we indulge and pack on the pounds rather than get in shape. But that all changes in the New Year as more people resolve to improve their health. In January, deals on fitness equipment and related items abound. Plus, you can score an even better deal in February when fitness equipment sales start to slow.
(Getty Images)
Getty Images
Winter apparel. The rule for finding deals on clothes is buying at the end of the season. So, if you are looking for winter clothes, Black Friday is not the best time to get a deal. If you can wait, you will find the best bargains on winter apparel in January or just before retailers switch out their stock to spring inventory.
[Read: Shopping Holidays: The Best Days to Shop in 2018 .]
(Getty Images)
Getty Images
Bedding. If you are looking for a bargain on bedding, the best time to shop is not Black Friday, but in January during “white sales,” when retailers put bedding and linens on sale. In fact, white sales are a retail tradition that predate Black Friday. So, January is the best time to spiff up your bedroom while the days are still short and the nights are long.
(Company C via AP)
Company C via AP
Patio furniture.
It is hard to find deals on patio furniture in winter or on Black Friday. There is limited availability during the winter holiday season, and retailers generally do not use patio furniture as doorbusters. The best time to buy patio furniture is at the end of summer, in August, when people are getting ready to spend less time outdoors.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Indoor furniture.
It is not just difficult to find a bargain on outdoor furniture on Black Friday. The same is also true for indoor furniture. The best time to buy indoor furniture is from January through March, when there is sufficient shopping activity for retailers to stock a good selection and have attractive deals.
(Pottery Barn via AP)
Pottery Barn via AP
Game consoles
Popular game consoles are often popular doorbusters on Black Friday, but are rarely a good post-Turkey Day deal. The best time to buy the newest game consoles is after the holiday season, when peak demand has subsided in January. However, that requires patient and understanding children.
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File
Appliances
While you can find low rates on appliances on Black Friday, you can find better deals at other times of year, particularly during long weekends such as Memorial Day, Labor Day and Presidents Day. So, if your dishwasher or refrigerator is not in urgent need of replacement, it would best to wait for one of the long three-day holiday weekend sales to make your purchase. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
[See: 12 Shopping Tricks to Keep You Under Budget .]
Jewelry
Consumers tend to purchase jewelry based on their emotions and visual appearance, rather than solely on price. Keep in mind a ring or necklace on sale on Black Friday is more likely a clearance item or excess stock, so if you’re looking for a special piece of jewelry (think: an engagement ring), you’re unlikely to net the best stock (or value) on Black Friday.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
[Read: What to Buy and What Not to Buy on Cyber Monday .]
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10 Products You Should Not Buy on Black Friday originally appeared on usnews.com