When the good weather hits, you want to start planning what you are going to do with it. Camping, gardening, and brightening up your deck or patio are things that may be on your mind. You’re also looking ahead to other seasonal items such as back to school or even holiday sales. For seasonal items, big box and department stores will have the best deals, you just have to know how and where to find them. Stores like Canadian Tire are not going to let you down. There are a number of ways to save on the best seasonal items.
Master the Art of the Bargain Shop
If you haven’t already, begin to master the art of the bargain shop. Once you master this, you will become obsessed with trying to save money. There are a few tricks to this that can get you started.
Don’t buy seasonal items when you need them, buy them when they are on sale. You’ll get a better deal. It’s the old adage of when demand is up, so is the cost. Bargain shoppers get steals on snowblowers in July, or back to school items in June.
At the same time, don’t go to sales just because there is one. Approximately 50 percent of Americans go shopping on Black Friday and often spend more on things they don’t need than on holiday sales.
You also need to plan more. Most of the time that we go shopping we don’t really plan the trip entirely and in detail. If you are trying to bargain shop, you will save more money with detailed planning. Map your route, know exactly what you are going to get, and don’t deviate from the plan.
Research sales ahead of time. Sometimes you will see an item that looks like a bargain but isn’t. Research sales ahead of time, and comparison shop on the big-ticket items.
Only buy what you need, and only shop when you need to. The average woman goes to the store approximately 301 times a year just to shop. If you don’t need to do that and can cut that down, you’ll have more money for those bargains when they come.
Know When To Get Seasonal Items
The key to winning with seasonal items is getting them at the right time when the items are out of season. By the end of the Spring, you will see more Spring items come out. You can still use them over the Summer. This is the time you can start getting back to school supplies and clothing as well.
If you think you’re going to need an air conditioner this summer, get one as early as you can, before the bad humidity hits.
Timing is everything.
Learn How to Save
Coupons and flyers are a great way to save money, but knowing how to bargain shop will offer a more long-term method of saving money.