If saving money is on your list of New Year’s resolutions, but you love to shop, here’s some good news: You don’t have to cut shopping out of your life.
Timing is everything in the retail world. And knowing when seasonal items are likely to go on sale and when major sales take place allows you to buy everything you want, but pay significantly less.
Here are all the major sales to put on your calendar in 2019.
— Martin Luther King Jr. Day
— Presidents Day
— St. Patrick’s Day
— Easter
— Mother’s Day
— Memorial Day
— Father’s Day
— Fourth of July
— Amazon Prime Day
— Tax-free weekends
— Labor Day
— Columbus Day
— Black Friday
— Cyber Monday
— New Year’s Eve
Read on for additional information on each shopping holiday, plus the best times of the year to buy specific products.
[See: 10 Expenses Destroying Your Budget.]
January
Things to buy:
— Winter clothing. In late January, retailers move heavy winter coats, boots, sweaters, hats and scarves to the sale racks to make way for spring fashion. Expect up to 50 percent off winter apparel.
— Linens and towels. Department stores and home-goods retailers, such as Kohl’s, Macy’s and Pottery Barn, traditionally hold “White Sales” on bath and bedding items the entire month of January.
Important sales days:
— Martin Luther King Jr. Day. During the long weekend, expect sales on clothing, home decor and mattresses.
February
Things to buy:
— TVs. Right before the Super Bowl is one of the best times of year to buy TVs. Super Bowl LIII falls on Feb. 3, so head to your favorite electronics store, big-box store or warehouse club on Feb. 1 or Feb. 2.
— Jewelry. Wait until right after Valentine’s Day to find leftover jewelry on sale.
Important sales days:
— Presidents Day. Get deals on mattresses and appliances during the long weekend.
March
Things to buy:
— A cruise. March is the final month of what the travel industry calls “wave season,” which kicks off in January. During this time, travel agents and cruise lines are trying to capitalize on the large number of travelers looking to book winter and spring break getaways. For passengers, it means richer on-board amenities packages.
— Ski gear. With ski season coming to a close, outdoor supply stores will discount skis and ski jackets.
Important sale days:
— St. Patrick’s Day. While not a major sale holiday, St. Patrick’s Day (and the week before) is a good time to find Irish-themed jewelry, travel packages to Ireland and other green gifts on sale.
[See: 50 Ways to Improve Your Finances in 2019.]
April
Things to buy:
— Home goods and appliances. Thanks to spring-cleaning motivation and Earth Day, you’ll find sales on everything from vacuums to energy-efficient appliances.
— Spring formalwear. Easter falls April 21. In the week leading up to it, you’ll find sales on clothing for Easter Sunday, especially children’s spring dresses and suits.
Important sale days
— Easter. Stores will be quiet (and some will be closed) on Easter Sunday itself. But the lead-up will be filled with sales. Expect discounts on spring attire at department stores and sales on treat baskets and flowers on gift sites. Plus, right after Easter, you’ll find Easter candy and baskets at upwards of 80 percent off.
May
Things to buy:
— Spring clothing. As stores make room for summer fashions, the clearance racks will fill up with spring items.
— Appliances. Memorial Day is one of the best days of the year to buy fridges, washers, dryers and other large appliances.
Important sales days:
— Mother’s Day. A few weeks before May 12, start looking for sales on jewelry, perfume and other popular Mother’s Day gifts.
— Memorial Day. The three-day weekend will offer plenty of clothing and appliance deals.
June
Things to buy:
— Caribbean getaways. Hurricane season runs June through November in the Caribbean. If you are willing to take the risk, cruises and resort packages in the region will be priced to sell.
— Restaurant gift cards. Thanks to Father’s Day and graduation season, many chain restaurants offer bonus cards with the purchase of a gift card.
Important sales days:
— Father’s Day. In the lead-up to June 16, watch home improvement stores for deals on tools and grills.
July
Things to buy:
— Tech. Thanks to Amazon’s Prime Day, plenty of retailers offer deals on smart home devices, TVs and computers in July.
— Furniture. Fourth of July sales tend to be heavy on furniture, so plan your kitchen table or sectional purchase accordingly.
Important sales days:
— Fourth of July. With Independence Day on a Thursday this year, expect a long weekend of sales.
— Amazon Prime Day. The official date for 2019 won’t be announced until a few weeks prior, but Prime Day generally falls in mid-July. Plenty of retailers offer competing Black Friday in July sales, so expect lots of deals on clothing and tech.
August
Things to buy:
— Summer clothing and swimwear. With summer drawing to a close, retailers will want to clear the racks for fall.
— School supplies and laptops. Thanks to the first day of school looming in late August or early September, big-box stores and office supply stores will offer deals on notebooks, art supplies, laptops and more.
Important sale days:
— Tax-free weekends. Many states offer tax-free weekends in August, during which sales tax will be waived on clothing and school supplies.
September
Things to buy:
— Outdoor furniture and grills. Labor Day ends grilling season, so expect discounts on everything you’d use for outdoor entertaining.
Important sales days:
— Labor Day. Clothing left over from back-to-school sales will be on sale, as will appliances and mattresses.
October
Things to buy:
— Older iPhones. Apple usually announces its newest phones in September and ships them in November. So look for discounted older models in October.
— Halloween decor. Wait until the last minute (a few days before Halloween), and you’ll find spooky decor on sale as Christmas decorations start to take over.
Important sales days:
— Columbus Day. Fewer workers get the day off, but some retailers still offer sales on clothing, home goods and mattresses.
[See: Prepare Your Finances for the Holidays.]
November
Things to buy:
— TVs and electronics. Thanks to Black Friday sales and pre-Black Friday sales, which start as early as two weeks before Thanksgiving, November is the month to buy TVs, smart home devices, tablets, computers and smart watches.
— Beauty items. High-end makeup retailers and department stores offer Black Friday deals, especially on box sets.
Important sales days:
— Black Friday. Traditionally, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, but it’s expanded into a weeklong event that has even consumed Thanksgiving Day itself.
December
Things to buy:
— Toys. As Christmas approaches, retailers start discounting toys and games to avoid getting stuck with them after the holidays.
— Travel. Cyber Monday and the following day, Travel Tuesday, have developed a reputation for cut-rate prices on flights, cruises, resorts and vacation packages.
Important shopping days:
— Cyber Monday. Dec. 2 this year, Cyber Monday offers online deals and typically replays many of the deals offered on Black Friday.
— New Year’s Eve. After-Christmas and New Year’s sales typically run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.
Companies and products mentioned in this article may be promoted on www.offers.com.
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Shopping Holidays: The Best Days to Shop in 2019 originally appeared on usnews.com
