Should You Buy or Wait?

It’s hard sometimes to find the right time to buy certain items. Timing your big purchases can help you save lots of cash. With that in mind, start thinking about waiting until the end of the year for deals that can save you money. Here are some items to buy from October through January. 

Timing the Purchase of a New Car

A new car purchase is a deal. For many, it’s one of the biggest purchases after a home. There are definite seasons to buy a new car to save a lot of money, typically from October through January.

• October Sales. New cars for the next year begin arriving at dealerships in late September -Early October. This puts the consumer in the driver’s seat. Knowing that there’s new inventory means they need to move out the old inventory. You can buy a current-year vehicle at a discounted price simply by timing your purchase. Waiting until the end of the month will also give you a leg up when negotiating because salespeople may bend more on price if they have a sales quota to meet.
• November Deals. There are usually Black Friday and even Cyber Monday deals for new cars in November. Some retailers may even take advantage of Small Business Saturday (Saturday after Thanksgiving) to move cars off their lot.
• December Buy. Year-end sales are another good time to leverage your knowledge for a better price when salespeople need to meet quotas. You can drive away with a great deal by biding your time for your new car purchase.

Best Time for Appliances

Just like vehicles, new appliances arrive in the showroom, and retailers need to move the old inventory out, typically with a sale of some kind. Timing your purchase of appliances can save you big money. Here’s a breakdown of the best times to buy:

• May. This is a great time for refrigerators and large kitchen appliances. New models arrive in spring, so retailers will offer discounts on “floor-model” units and their previous-year inventory.
• September–October. This is an ideal time to buy washers, dryers, dishwashers, and ovens/ranges, as new inventory is arriving. Be on the lookout for sales if you’re in the market.
• November (Black Friday / Holiday). This is one of the best buying windows for major appliances (fridges, laundry sets, ranges, dishwashers) and small appliances alike.
• Holiday Weekends. These are the one-off sales that are scattered throughout the year — like Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day — when consumers score big with extra discounts and clearance sales.
• Off-Season. When looking for seasonal appliances, like air conditioners or heaters, buying when demand is low, or in the off-season, can save you money.

Electronics Deals

Big Box and online retailers will offer sales outside of the big discount days, so watch for flash sales or discounts in the off-season. Here’s a breakdown of the best time to buy electronics:

• Late November / Early December. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are widely regarded as the prime time for electronics purchases. Retailers offer deep discounts on laptops, TVs, consoles, tablets, headphones, smart-home devices, and more.
• Mid-July — Amazon Prime Day. For mid-year deals, Prime Day is often the best time for deals on electronics, like headphones, computer monitors, smart devices, home automation, and laptops.
• Late Summer (Back-to-School Season — July/August)
  There are many back-to-school deals on laptops, tablets, monitors, and other school-related electronics in late summer. Shop university bookstores and other retailers that drop prices for enrolled students.
• Early in the Year — January / February
  When the holiday buying slows down, many electronics manufacturers release new models, which means the older stock tends to be discounted. A win for the consumers who still have some money to spend after the holidays.

Buy a Grill in the Winter?

The colder winter months are the best times to buy grills, smokers, and outdoor furniture. October through the first of the year, many retailers offer deep discounts on everything from patio furniture to propane grills and pellet smokers. 

Do One Thing: Be sure to mark your calendar for the times of the year that certain items go on sale so you can buy when the price is lowest.