Seasonal Shopping: A Technique to Add to Your Smart Shopping Arsenal

As if managing your household and your kids’ activity schedules isn’t enough, you’re probably primarily responsible for the shopping, too. You probably already make use of several smart shopping techniques to stay on budget, like shopping with coupons and making purchases when items are on sale. Today, we’re going to take a look at seasonal shopping, which is a useful strategy for big-ticket items tied to a particular part of the year. Retail stores offer huge discounts to move inventory when the season is over.

Swimwear: When your kids are growing like weeds, they may need a new swimsuit every year. This can get expensive if you shop in the spring when the swimsuits hit the stores, so turn to seasonal shopping to save some money. August is the best month to buy swimsuits, so take your kids along and let them pick out their favorite styles for next year. Just remember to buy a size or two up so the swimsuit will fit next year!

Patio Furniture: As everyone else is thinking about storing patio furniture for the winter, it’s the perfect time to think about getting yourself a new set. Purchase patio furniture in September, maybe even at a Labor Day sale, and don’t even take it out of the box yet. Just store it in your garage or basement for the winter and set it up in the spring when the weather starts to warm up. If you have little kids, don’t forget to look for a kid-sized patio furniture set for outdoor lunches.

Linens: Although it may be tempting to get your kids a cool new set of character sheets for Christmas, hold off a bit for the best deals. “White sales” on linens happen early in the year, typically between January and March. During these times, shop for sheets, comforters, towels, and pillows. You can even get new linens for yourself or your guest bedroom, too.

Christmas Decorations: Beginning the day after Christmas, you can find spectacular deals on all of those decorations you need for next year. Stock up on wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, and gift bags, and even look for patterns that will work for other holidays in the meantime. In addition, look for deep discounts on larger items, like artificial Christmas trees, in late December and early January.

Winter Gear: Those winter coats and snow boots aren’t cheap in the fall, so get them a size up in February or later and save them for next year. In addition, look for gear for taking care of your yard, like a snow blower and snow shovels. While you’re shopping, don’t forget about fun toys for your kids, like sleds and toboggans!

As you make your purchases, it’s important to stay organized so you know just where to find the items you purchased when it’s time to use them. After all, your efforts won’t be any use if you can’t find the items and end up buying them at full price next year. However, with a little organization, you can land some stellar deals and save money for your kids’ future, whether you’re looking toward another family car, college expenses, or summer camp.

Cassie is a professional writer living in the Indianapolis area and she writes on behalf of Sears and other deserving brands.