Getting the best price on both necessities and splurges boils down to timing. By knowing when seasonal items are likely to go on sale and when major sales take place, you can buy everything you want but pay significantly less.
Given the pandemic, 2021 is a difficult year to forecast. However, retailers will likely throw their usual sales events, and the seasons will likely still influence which items go on sale and when. If you prefer not to shop in person, online shopping and curbside pickup (which retailers have rapidly expanded during the pandemic) give you plenty of ways to shop the same deals you’d find in stores.
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— 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.
— Halloween.
— Black Friday.
— Cyber Monday.
— Super Saturday.
— New Year’s Eve.
[Read: Best Discount Shopping Apps.]
January
Things to buy:
— Winter clothing. In late January, retailers move heavy coats, sweatshirts, warm pajamas, winter boots, sweaters, hats and scarves to the sale racks to make way for spring fashion. Expect up to 50% off winter apparel. You’ll still find discounts in February, but dwindling supply, as retailers will stop stocking new winter items. So January is prime time for winter-apparel shopping.
— Linens and towels. Department stores and home goods retailers, such as Kohl’s, Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond and Pottery Barn, traditionally hold “white sales” on bath and bedding items throughout January. Stores don’t use this exact term much anymore (it’s a more traditional name coined decades ago), but the sales on towels and sheets pop up reliably every year.
— TVs. Right before the Super Bowl is one of the best times of year to buy TVs. Super Bowl LV falls on Feb. 7, so check out the sales at your favorite electronics store, big-box store or warehouse club during the last couple weeks of January.
Important sales days:
— Martin Luther King Jr. Day. During the long weekend, expect sales on clothing, beauty and home goods.
February
Things to buy:
— Tax software. The IRS deadline for employers to send out W-2s is Feb. 1. So February is when tax software companies such as H&R Block and TurboTax start offering promo codes and discounts to early filers. If Tax Day gets pushed back again (like it did last year), you’ll still find plenty of deals, as tax software providers try to entice filers who are weighing their options.
— 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:
— Outdoor apparel for warmer weather. As temperatures start to warm up, you’ll start to see deals on outdoor running apparel and sneakers. If the pandemic is still generating increased interest in outdoor socializing and vacations, expect retailers that offer camping gear and patio furnishings to get in on the action, too. You’ll find better prices on these items toward the beginning of fall, but the selection will be bigger in early spring.
Important sales 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 and other green gifts on sale. Get the deepest discounts on gear the day after.
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.
— Easter clothing. Easter falls on April 4. In the week leading up to it, you’ll find sales on clothing for Easter Sunday, especially kids’ spring dresses and suits. Even if you can’t host a gathering, it’s a good time to refresh your growing children’s wardrobes.
Important sales 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% off.
May
Things to buy:
— Spring clothing. As stores make room for summer fashions, the clearance racks and online clearance sections will fill up with spring items.
— Appliances. Memorial Day is one of the best days of the year to buy refrigerators, washers, dryers and other large appliances.
Important sales days:
— Mother’s Day. A few weeks before May 9, 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:
— Restaurant gift cards. Thanks to Father’s Day and graduation season, many chain restaurants offer bonus cards with the purchase of a gift card.
— Tools and grills. Home improvement stores mark down grills, power tools, lawn mowers, tool sets, garage organization items and more as Father’s Day approaches. So June is a good time to update the contents of your own tool shed.
Important sales days:
— Father’s Day. In the lead-up to June 20, watch for sales on watches, menswear, shoes, wallets, TVs, tools and other popular gifts for Dad.
[See: 35 Ways to Save Money.]
July
Things to buy:
— Tech. Assuming Amazon moves Prime Day back to July (it was delayed in 2020), you’ll find Amazon and all the retailers that compete with it offering deals on smart home devices, gaming systems, TVs and computers toward the middle of the month.
— 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 Sunday this year, expect a weekend of sales.
— Amazon Prime Day. The official date for 2021 won’t be announced until a few weeks prior, but Prime Day generally falls in mid-July.
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. Apple also traditionally starts offering its back-to-school deals in August.
Important sales days:
— Tax-free weekends. Many states offer tax-free weekends in August, during which sales tax will be waived on clothing, school supplies and even electronics in some states.
September
Things to buy:
— Outdoor furniture and grills. Labor Day ends grilling season, so expect discounts on everything you’d use for outdoor entertaining. After September, patio furniture will be hard to come by, as retailers will stop stocking it during the winter.
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. So look for discounted older models in October.
— Cozy clothing. As temperatures dip, retailers will offer tempting discounts on leggings, robes, sweats and joggers. You’ll find better sales in January — but a bigger selection now.
Important sales days:
— Halloween. Halloween itself isn’t a major shopping day. However, it’s the point at which any costumes, candy and spooky decor that didn’t sell earlier in the month will go on sale.
November
Things to buy:
— TVs and electronics. Thanks to Black Friday sales and pre-Black Friday sales, which start early in the month, November is the month to buy TVs, smart home devices, tablets, computers and smart watches.
Important sales days:
— Black Friday. Traditionally, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, but it’s expanded into a practically monthlong event that has consumed all of November.
— Cyber Monday. Nov. 29 this year, Cyber Monday offers online deals and typically replays many of the deals offered on Black Friday. It’s also known for clothing and travel deals.
[READ: 10 Best Online Outlet Stores That Save You Money.]
December
Things to buy:
— Toys and games. As Christmas approaches, retailers start discounting toys and games to avoid getting stuck with them after the holidays.
Important shopping days:
— Super Saturday. The Saturday before Christmas and days surrounding it are filled with last-minute deals.
— New Year’s Eve. After-Christmas and New Year’s sales typically run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.
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The Best Days to Shop in 2021 originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 01/11/21: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
