Shopping Secrets: Find out the Best Times of Year to Make Purchases

July 19, 2007 — -- Each season ushers in certain sales, but what many consumers don't realize is that they can predict the month when hundreds of items are deeply discounted.

It's called the savings calendar, and every year different products go on sale at specific times, like clockwork. Following the calendar can save buyers hundreds and even thousands of dollars with little effort, not to mention the trouble of clipping coupons and searching circulars.

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Consumer Reports magazine said using the calendar as a guide to saving is one of the best-kept shopping secrets.

"There tend to be certain times of the year when things are on their deepest discounts," said Consumer Reports magazine senior consumer editor Amanda Walker. "You might get 50, 60, 70 percent off if you can wait."

Some items go on sale surrounding annual events. Televisions, for example, may go on sale in January for the Super Bowl, or video camera prices get slashed in April for upcoming graduations and summer holidays.

But there are seemingly now apparent reasons for the sale dates of other products, such as the January discounts for treadmills and bedding, or cordless phone sales in May.

July brings indoor furniture and computer sales, and marked-down sneakers hit the racks in May.

"Product cycles are really short now," Walker said. "They need to keep things moving off the shelves to make way for new merchandise."

Savvy shoppers may even use the calendar to buy or rent houses and condos. January is the best time for it. When shopping for a new car, prices tend to be at their lowest in December.

"If you don't need an item as an emergency something that's just broken down and you need to replace it, but you can take your time -- especially on large purchases where you're saving your money -- it's a great idea to time your purchase," Walker said.

The tradeoff for using the shopping calendar is waiting months to purchase the items you desire. Even then, the exact color or style may not be exactly what you want because the inventory is at its lowest.

Thinking logically is a good rule of thumb when using this savings method. Air conditioners and gas grills go on sale at the end of the summer; toys after the holidays; spring clothing in April.

If shoppers are unsure about an item, they can ask a manager or store clerk at the stores for information.