A sale can either be a fabulous buy or a waste of investment. There’s really no middle ground when it comes to shopping during the sale season. It’s either you were smart in buying a pair of shoes or you were fooled into buying the pair. There is no gray area.
When there is a sale in our city, it’s very easy to get caught up on it. We always think we should buy something just because it happens to be marked down. But every penny, these days, counts, so we should be smarter when we shop.
Know when a sale is coming
There’s a cheat sheet, and it’s yours to devour. This is basically consistent every year and throughout the country, including in Lakeland. Shopping need not be a trigger to feelings of regret. You can enjoy sales shopping as long as you can prepare for it.
Here is the list of what’s usually in sale:
January – winter attire, fitness gear
Since we’re halfway through the winter season in January, there are a lot of inventory sales for winter clothing, especially for the old models.
Fitness is a permanent fixture in our New Year’s resolution, so there’s always a spike of interest in purchasing fitness gear and equipment at this time of the year. Demand is high, so some retailers actually take 30 to 70 percent off their products.
February – more winter clothes, flat-screen TVs, and cameras
As expected, more winter clothes are being offered for sale during February, though the choices can be limited compared to January.
The best sales in camera are during President’s Day weekend. Most new models of cameras go out during February and March.
March – luggage, winter sports gear, frozen food
Since we’re heading to Spring break at this point and a lot of travel is upon us, there are great luggage sales happening in March.
This month is also the National Frozen Foods month, so that’s the reason why groceries are trying to bring attention to their frozen foods section during this time of the year.
April – tax software, sneakers, beauty products
We all know April is the tax month, so if you’re trying to do your taxes on your own, you’ll understand why tax softwares are cheaper during this month.
Also, sneakers retailers will be trying to encourage you to be more active and enjoy outdoor exercises. It only seems wise for their part to implement strong deals for their sneakers.
May – spring clothing, camping gear
When shopping for sale, wait two months into the season, so May is a good time for some Spring clothes shopping. There’s about 30 to 50 percent off the regular price on clothes, especially during Memorial Day weekend.
And since people are beginning to get ready for some summer fun, we’re sure camping gear is also on sale this month.
June – lingerie, Caribbean vacations
Victoria’s Secret holds its semi-annual sale every June, so every known lingerie brand in town tries to top VS’ super sale season. Also, this is a good time to visit the Caribbeans as June 1 is officially the start of the island’s hurricane season (though you may only likely experience thunderstorm all throughout the month).
July – school accessories, swimwear and outdoor furniture
By mid-July, back-to-school sales will be popping out everywhere. Though it is better to wait a month later, you can start checking out some school supplies for your kids.
August – wine, office and school supplies
We’re nearing September at this point, so prices for office and school supplies are bound to dip further. There are more selection during August for school supplies as compared to July.
August also marks the start of the new harvest, so we can expect great discounts on wines.
September – grills, appliances
The weather is slowly cooling down during September, so retailers want to get grills and older-model appliances out of their inventories to make way for newer models. There’s also the Labor Day sales, which offer great discounts on just about anything.
October – denim, school clothing, cars
School supplies and clothing are cheaper in October, a month after school starts. Retailers need to discard old school supplies and clothing inventory, so you can get these for reduced prices.
The new models of most car brands are introduced every September, so expect the older models to have discounts by October.
November – costumes, cookware, electronic
There is no bigger sales holiday than Black Friday. We line up outside Best Buy to get that super cool tablet or laptop we have been salivating over. Still, it’s always nice to research before you head down to your local electronics store.
December – winter apparel, champagne
Although champagne should be high-priced during December in preparation for a New Year’s Eve party, retailers are less likely to do this because they want people to go inside their stores. Once inside, customers are likely to buy other products, which are in full regular price considering it’s the holiday season.