If you want to save money then stop buying stuff when the retailers tell you to. Instead, wait until it’s slightly out of season and nab a great discount!
Not all products are in demand all year. As seasons change our shopping habits also need to.
Events throughout the year influence which products appear on the shelves. The supermarkets and retailers make the most of these times to boost sales. Once these events are over any surplus stock needs to go and that’s when we see those magic words – ‘reduced’ and ‘sale’.
Christmas mayhem
The biggest time of the year is, undoubtedly, Christmas. From September until December our senses are bombarded to get us in the mood for the festive period.
Noddy Holder announcing, ‘It’s Chriiiiissstmas’ is when I know the run up to Christmas has truly started. Mince pies, Christmas puddings, decorations and novelty gifts are displayed to tempt us to indulge.
I love Christmas, but not the madness that it brings to our supermarkets. Like all good things, it eventually ends and we are taken to a new land where the same items are sold for knock-down prices.
When it’s over, it’s a great time to stock up on Christmas cards, decorations, wrapping paper and novelty gifts for the next festive period.
January – Christmas is so last year
January tends to be a bit of a ghost town month for supermarkets. They don’t stock the shelves immediately, so there are many bargains to be had. Electronic items enjoy a ‘reduced’ sticker or two. Gadgets, that were the novelty gifts a month before, are now so yesterday.
Frozen bumper packs of party snacks can be found in the lonely, arctic freezer section. This is great, if you have a birthday in January. You can offer shelter to those forgotten treats in your nice, warm oven with a few extra pennies in your pocket for a reduced priced bottle of wine.
Always take the weather with you
As spring arrives, we experience that yellow thing in the sky. What’s it called? That’s it … the sun!
Shops are great followers of local weather forecasts and this helps them to predict buying patterns. A heatwave produces air-conditioning units, fans and picnic basket supplies. Therefore, this is the best time to buy an umbrella!
When it rains, that’s when you need to get the barbecue items.
If you want to grab a bargain, think opposite!
5 a Day
Although we see most fruit and seasonal vegetables all year in a supermarket, they are cheaper when they are in season.
Unfortunately, we have forgotten how to eat seasonally, due to heavy importing of our fresh produce.
DIY
April is the busiest time for DIY. Consequently, items are usually cheaper, as they know customers buy large quantities of products at once.
Paint is very expensive and can vary in price dramatically, depending on the make. Don’t just think expensive means better. Tester pots let you try them out, for a small price.
Remember, you want to save money on DIY so only buy what you need.
Laptops
Towards the end of the summer older models of laptops and tablets need to make way for newer ones.
Deals can also be seen to tempt parents to buy for the start of the new academic year. Those famous ‘Back to School’ signs that appear in shops, as soon as children break up for their summer holidays, can signal significant savings.
TVs
TVs are also cheaper in the summer, as new stocks are introduced. Older models need a home quickly to clear space for the shinier, all singing and all dancing new kids on the block.
Clothes
The end of August heralds the end of summer holidays, so retailers now introduce their autumn ranges. Have they not heard of an Indian summer? Summer clothes can be snapped up for a fraction of their original cost.
Keep fit clothing is usually also marked down. Everyone has got their beach body and showed it off by now, so who needs to exercise? However, the savvy amongst us know that we need to burn off holiday excess to make room for Christmas excess. Who’s laughing now eh?
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Garden furniture
As with summer clothes, garden furniture also seems to lack popularity at the end of summer and has great price reductions.
They don’t seem to realise that there are some people out there who like sitting outside on a cold, sunny autumnal morning, armed with a large mug of tea and a hot water bottle and being at one with nature. Or is that just me?
Student life
September brings tearful parents preparing to let their little ones loose on the big world of university.
Often you will find offers on necessities such as kettles and toasters.
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It isn’t always convenient to buy out of season, but if the bargain is good enough, it may just be worth thinking ahead and making that saving.
What’s the best bargain you’ve bought out of season?
Wendy Rogers is a writer and blogger for WR Editorial. She has been a lifelong saver, after growing up in a thrifty household. She is interested in leading a healthy lifestyle, without the huge price tag.
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