AT 50
CENTS a roll — instead of the regular retail price of $4 —
buying wrapping paper after New
Year's is an easy way to save. The same holds true for buying
half-price inflatable pool loungers and patio furniture after
Labor Day weekend.
In fact, bargain lovers know that there's a smart time to buy just
about anything. For example, those looking for a great deal
on a car should shop on weekday mornings in September.
Groceries are cheapest on Sunday evenings.
We talked to the experts, and found the best time to buy
everything from wine to wedding dresses.
Airplane Tickets
When to buy: On a
Wednesday, 21 days (or a couple of days earlier) before your
flight.
Why: Airlines make major
pricing changes (and run fare sales) every week, typically on
Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings. About 21 days out
from your flight, you'll see plenty of deals out there as
airlines scramble to fill seats, says Anne Banas, executive
editor of SmarterTravel.com, a consumer travel advice Web
site. Don't wait much longer, she cautions; prices jump
significantly from 14 to seven days ahead of departure.
Appliances
When to buy: During a
holiday weekend.
Why: You'll find sales
on select models all year long, but retailers bring out the
big guns for holiday weekends, says Carolyn Forte, homecare
director for the Good Housekeeping Institute. But don't worry
about spending your Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends
shopping for a new fridge — smaller holidays like Columbus Day
and President's Day have their share of sales, too.
Baby Clothes
When to buy: During your
pregnancy.
Why: Once you know your
due date, keep an eye out for end-of-season clearances,
recommends Alan Fields, co-author of "Baby Bargains." "If
you're [newly] pregnant now, you know you'll be having a baby
next summer," he says. "Well, right now, stores are closing
out all the summer clothes." You can pick up newborn
essentials like onesies for less than half price. (For more
ways to save, see our column
Oh
Baby!)
Broadway Tickets
When to buy: Hours
before the curtain rises.
Why: How does a $25
front-row seat to the smash musical "Wicked" sound? Several
musicals offer same-day ticket lotteries that offer up
orchestra seats at inexpensive prices. If you'd rather not
gamble on getting a seat, wait in line at the famous
TKTS booth in
Times Square. There, you can get tickets for hit musicals for
up to 50% off. On a recent night, prime seats were available
for "Hairspray," "Rent," "Sweeney Todd" and "Beauty & the
Beast." (For the right times to drop by TKTS, and other ways
to save, see our column
A
Midsummer Night's Dream.)
Cars
When to buy: Weekday
mornings in September.
Why: By September, all
the next year's models have arrived at the lot, and dealers
are desperate to get rid of the current year's leftovers, says
Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. It's the
prime time of year for incentives and sales, not to mention
bargaining. "Any car that's been on the lot for a long time
loses its value in the eyes of the car salesman," he says.
Heading to the
dealership on a weekday morning also helps because there's low foot
traffic, meaning you'll have ample time to negotiate and fewer
people trying to buy the same car. The more demand, the less
willing a salesman is to go down on price, says Reed. (For more,
see our column Summer
Car Savings.)
Champagne
When to buy:
December
Why: Most people assume
that because everyone wants a good bottle of Champagne for New
Year's Eve that prices go up during the holidays, says Sharon
Castillo, director of the Office of Champagne, USA, which
represents the trade association of growers in the Champagne
region. But due to fierce competition among the Champagne
houses, prices are actually lower during the holidays than
they are at any other time of year. (For more on picking the
right bottle, see our column
Break
Out the Bubbly.)
Clothing
When to buy: Thursday
evenings, six to eight weeks after an item arrives in
stores.
Why: After an item
lingers in stores a month or more, retailers start dropping
its price to get it out the door, says Kathryn Finney, author
of "How to Be a Budget Fashionista." These season-end
clearances tend to be the same month that designers host
fashion weeks (February and September) to preview the next
fall or spring collections. So smart buyers can check the
catwalk to see if any of this season's trends — say, leggings
or military-style jackets — will still be hot next year, and
then scoop them up on clearance.
Hitting the mall on a weekday ensures you'll get a good
selection. "On the weekend, you'll only get picked-over stuff
because the stores don't have time to restock," she says. By
Thursday, most of the weekend sales have begun, but everything
available is on the floor.
Computers and electronics
When to buy: Just after
a new model is launched.
Why: When the latest and
greatest of a product is released, you'll often see prices
drop on what had previously been the best thing out there,
says Tom Merritt, executive editor for CNET, an electronics
review web site. Case in point: When Apple released the Nano
last September, prices for the now-discontinued Mini dropped
12%, from $199 for a 4GB to about $175. So keep your eyes open
for announcements from major manufacturers. Want a little less
work? Time your purchases for after big annual technology show
like
MacWorld
(next held Jan. 8-12, 2007) and the
International Consumer
Electronics Show (next held Jan. 8-11, 2007).
Gas
When to buy: Early
morning or late evening on a weekday.
Why: Time your trip
based on whether prices are rising or falling, advises
Marshall Brain, founder of
HowStuffWorks, a consumer
guide. Gas stations tend to change their prices between 10
a.m. and noon, so hit the pump in the early morning if gas
prices are on the rise. Go later in the day if prices are
falling. Tipsters on GasPriceWatch.com reported that on Sept.
3, a WaWa gas station in Lanoka Harbor, N.J., was offering
regular gas for $2.85 a gallon. One day later the station's
price had dropped to $2.65. In that case, going early would
have cost you 20 cents more per gallon.
Try not to buy gas on the weekends, Brain says. Gas prices are
often slightly elevated, as stations try to profit from leisure
travelers. (For more ways to save, see our column Save
on Gas.)
Gift Cards
When to buy: A day or
two before you give it.
Why: These days, gift
cards carry a plethora of hidden pitfalls, from expiration
dates to dormancy fees, says Dan Horne, a professor of
marketing at Providence College known as the "Gift Card Guru."
That countdown to fees starts as soon as you buy the card.
"You don't want to short-change the recipient," he says.
Groceries
When to buy: Sunday
evenings.
Why: Store sales tend to
run Wednesday through Tuesday, says Teri Gault, founder of
The Grocery Game,
a consumer savings program. On Sunday, you'll also have the
latest round of manufacturer's coupons from your morning
paper. "You can maximize your coupons available for that
shopping week," she says. Heading to the store close to
closing time means you'll have access to sales on fresh items
that must be sold by the end of the day, such as meats and
baked goods.
Of course, you'll
also benefit from in-season items that can be frozen for use later
in the year, says Gault. That means turkeys at Thanksgiving and
hams at Christmas and Easter. During the spring and summer, buy
fresh produce. Peaches bought at $1 per pound now can be kept
frozen for smoothies and pies throughout the winter, she
says.
Shrubs, Trees and Other Plants
When to buy: Fall
Why: Take a break from
raking up leaves to purchase trees, shrubs and other
perennials for your yard. Prices nosedive after midsummer, as
garden supply stores and nurseries try to clear out their
stock. You can also get great deals on bulbs during the fall.
Just store them according to the package instructions for best
planting results next spring. For more, see our column
Cheap
Landscaping Tricks.)
Televisions
When to buy: Six to 12
months after a particular model is launched.
Why: A new TV drops in
price after a few months on the market, says CNET's Merritt.
Although there will be newer models out there, it's unlikely
they'll offer any significant improvements to justify that
brand new price. "The technology is proceeding at such a pace
that the models out there are not going to be obsolete anytime
soon," he says. (For more, see our column
The
World Is Flat.)
Wedding Dresses
When to buy: Between
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Why: Boutiques are
stocked up on dresses for the post-Christmas rush (many people
get engaged over the holidays), yet traffic is low, says
Fields, who also co-authored "Bridal Bargains." "It's not a
busy time to buy a wedding dress because people are thinking
about the holidays," he says. You'll also have room to
bargain.
Wine
When to buy: Early
fall.
Why: For best selection,
you can't beat the fall harvest season. That's when most
vineyards release their latest vintages. Buying in August and
September is also your best shot at snagging so-called "cult
wines" — those with limited production and high demand, says
Kathleen Schumacher-Hoertkorn, CEO of New Vine Logistics, an
online interstate wine retailer. (For more, see our column
Buying
Wine Online.)