For the Budget Savvy Timing Is Everything

We’re just two weeks away from Black Friday…

While it’s always been a good time to pick up a bargain or two, sometimes it pays to wait until after the holidays to net the really discounted goodies.

In fact, anyone who follows a budget smart lifestyle knows that timing purchases can be the key to shaving off dollars from your budget.

Here are some key times to watch for…

End of Day

If you shop at the end of the day in places like thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales, you’re more like to have some bargaining power. People get tired, they don’t want to take stuff home or have to put unsold items away so that’s where you come in and help them out.

End of Season

Each type of product has a season. Cars are usually by year but the new models tend to start coming out in October. So, from October to December and even into Jan and Feb (if you’re willing to wait and lose out on some options), you can get good discounts on new cars.

Before the New Styles Come Out

Find out from the stores where you shop when they bring in new merchandise. They usually have a schedule for each week, month, season, and year. Then make it a practice to come in right before that day. They’re going to be more interested in making shelf space than sticking to that full price.

Before the New Model Comes Out

For large purchases like kitchen appliances, new models come out less often than for seasonal items like clothing. Ask your local store when the new models arrive.

That way, you can plan to shop the week prior to the new model showing up, allowing you to get the biggest discount. (Be bold and ask for the best price.)

Black Friday

While many Black Friday offers are just ploys to get you to the store, you can pick up some real bargains and I’ve found this day to be perfect for even getting half price services for my business.

Cyber Monday

This is an excellent day to shop for items on your list that you wanted to buy but didn’t find on Black Friday. However, look for only for deals on things you really need.

Amazon Prime Day

Each year Amazon has its Prime Day…in fact, it now has two Prime Day deals for their Prime members.

And remember the key thing to shopping, if you can’t pay for it right now, think about how it’s going to impact your budget later. Bargains are great but if you’ll be paying with a credit card the last thing you need is more debt and higher payments.