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Ask the Bargain-shopper: A 12-month bargain calendar

Written by: Anne Garber

Article Overview: Everything you ever needed to know about what to buy on sale. . .and when. . . (A condensed version ).

Ask the Bargain-shopper: A 12-month bargain calendar

by Anne Garber

There are two principal rules of thumb when it comes to bargain shopping:

First, buy things when you see them at a good price, not necessarily when you need them. A beach towel might not be first on your list of priorities at the end of August, but you'll thank yourself the following May if you snap up that big blue plush number at half price.

Secondly, shop just after the peak demand for an item. That's when retailers must move merchandise quickly to make room for new stock. Keep an eye out for sale announcements in your local paper, and keep in mind these month-by-month general timing hints for retail sales events:


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January

post-holiday sales
fall merchandise
furniture
home appliances
cookware
bed and bath linens
rugs
sports equipment
computers and other electronics


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February

jewellery
perfumes
gift items
electronics
floor coverings
housewares
furniture


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March

spring clothing
wedding gifts
air conditioners
washers and dryers
garden supplies
outdoor winter sports gear
luggage
china


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April

spring clothing
yard and garden supplies
bridal gowns (save up to 70 per cent)
furniture
cruises
European vacations
paint and wallpaper


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May

gifts for Mom
silver
watches
athletic clothing and shoes
linens and towels
wedding gowns
furniture
cruises
European vacations
home maintenance items


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June

gifts for Dad
fishing and camping gear
men's cologne
summer items
storm windows
summer clothing
televisions
building materials


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July


air conditioners
summer items
school supplies
school clothes
summer sports equipment


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August


school supplies
school clothes
summer clothing (bathing suits and sandals)
linens and towels
lawn and garden equipment


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September


winter wear (winter coats, gloves, scarves)
summer clothes
outdoor grills
lawn furniture
bicycles
housewares


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October


winter wear (winter coats, gloves, scarves)
last year's car models
fishing equipment
houses
crystal
silver
glassware


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November


houses
quilts and blankets
space heaters
winter clothing


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December


clothing
appliances
gifts
wrapping paper
holiday cards
other holiday items


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Shop 'Til You Drop editor Danielle DeGail says people get a high when they get a good bargain.

"Who doesn't love a bargain, who doesn't feel that little bit happier when they have that extra $50 dollars in their pocket?" she says.

With many stores already holding sales, there's no need to wait until the post-Christmas sales to snap up a bargain. But which times of year are the best for shopping? According to retail analyst Barry Urquart, it depends what you're looking for. Here's a summary:

New furniture: Wait until April, May or October. More people move house just before or just after winter and furniture shops know this and hold sales at this time.

Whitegoods: Hit the end of financial year sales when the big retailers want to maximize their sales figures for the year.

Clothes: Hold out until the post-Christmas sales which always contain the best bargains of the year.

Electrical goods: January sales and inventory/stocktaking sales in June usually offer the best deals. A & B Sound and Future Shop also hold legendary Boxing Day sales.

Consumers also need to remember that just because something is on sale doesn't mean you should rush out and buy it.

"The key point to remember is something isn't really a bargain unless you really need it and really want it," says Danielle.

But I offer this retort: "What? You've never heard of Retail Therapy?"

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Related Forum Posts
Getting Organized - Getting and using a calendar and planner can make a big difference. I don't know if it will help, you Yahoo mail has a calendar option that I like to use sometimes. It also offers an alarm which you can program to send you a reminder about appointments and other things. Shri
Re: For Gmail users... - I like to keep all my files together if possible so the programs talk to each other. I couldn't move to Google calendar without GMinder. I'm still frustrated that you can color code events in Google calendar but it's not a deal-breaker for me.
Re: Calendars - I like calendars that reflect things I'm interested in - such as vintage cars and planes. I'd buy a fencing calendar, but that's such an esoteric market that no one makes 'em! I don't really need to buy calendars, though. My dad, who contributes to various charities, gets on average of 12 wall calendars a year from those places. (Not to mention T-shirts, little throw blankets, night lights, and so on.) Since I do all my work on the computer, that's where I keep my calendar... the ones on the wall I just have up for the pictures!
Re: Google Calendar - You have to open an account with them and then when you open Google you'll see My Account in the top right corner. If you click on that it will have a calendar link.
Re: Google Calendar - i use Google calendar all the time, and you can also set it up to send you SMS. The best thing is you can add the even as an attachment to your email, without typing it again. Google is the best and the worst. they have the best application to make your life easier, but it's also scary.


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