The best time of year to buy everything in 2024
Timing is everything when it comes to shopping for the best deals, so knowing when to buy is a key to saving money. Holidays — and sometimes the days before and after them — are often the best time to find certain deals. Seasons also play a role in when you’ll find the best prices on specific items.
A savings account that earns a competitive yield is a good way to build up the cash for your planned purchases — and to earn some interest on your money.
Here is a month-by-month guide for the best times to buy a variety of goods, along with how much consumers spent on these items collectively in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Also included for each month are one or more freebie days, on which you may find establishments giving out complimentary items such as coffee, ice cream, cookies and more.
Key takeaways
- Just about all types of consumer goods tend to go on sale during certain months or seasons, including electronics, furniture, appliances, sporting equipment, clothing, school supplies, tools, bedding and cars.
- You can often save hundreds (or more) by waiting to make purchases based on when certain items commonly go on sale.
- More than half of shoppers have delayed buying things until they’re on sale, sought promo codes for online purchases, or used a coupon within the previous year, surveys have found.
Shopping for top deals: The statistics
Inflation has been cooling, yet prices on many goods and services remain elevated, along with borrowing costs. In the months leading up to the 2023 winter holidays, 33 percent of holiday shoppers expected inflation to impact their shopping habits, a Bankrate survey found.
Common strategies consumers use to save money include waiting until things go on sale and seeking out promo codes, coupons and deals.
January
January is the best time to buy exercise equipment and other fitness-related items to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions. You’ll also find deals on holiday leftovers in the electronics department. Many retailers mark down sheets and other bedding this month. And with people spending most of their time in dry, indoor air, it’s also a good month to shop for humidifiers.
January sales holidays in the U.S.
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Freebie day: National Spaghetti Day, Jan. 4
Things to buy in January
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in January 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Fitness |
|
$34.2 billion at health and personal care stores |
| Technology |
|
$5.7 billion at electronic stores |
| Comfort |
|
$9.3 billion at department stores |
February
Presidents Day weekend is when mattress deals abound. February is also a good month for furniture sales. Look for markdowns on TVs ahead of the Super Bowl along with clearance prices on computers and other electronics. As winter starts to wane, expect lower prices on snowblowers, space heaters and winter clothes. Also, sales on tax software begin this month, ahead of the mid-April filing deadline.
February sales holidays in the U.S.
- Valentine’s Day: Spending in the U.S. for Valentine’s Day was expected to reach $25.9 billion in 2023, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), with an average expected spending per person of $193.
- Presidents Day
Freebie day: National Frozen Yogurt Day, Feb. 6
Things to buy in February
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in February 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Technology |
|
$5.7 billion at electronic stores |
| Winter items |
|
$14.7 billion at clothing stores |
| Home items |
|
$6 billion at furniture stores |
| Personal items |
|
$9.5 at department stores |
March
Springtime means giving the home and yard a thorough sprucing up, so expect markdowns on house-cleaning and lawn equipment. As you get ready to open up the house after being indoors all winter, you’ll see deals on new windows. March ushers in college spring break season and many consumers start thinking about summer vacation plans, so it’s a good month for luggage sales. Retailers get more aggressive about clearing out their winter clothes inventory, too.
March sales holidays in the U.S.
- St. Patrick’s Day: Adults in the U.S. were expected to spend an average of $44 on St. Patrick’s Day items in 2023, according to the NRF, which reported an expected $6.9 billion in total consumer spending.
Freebie day: Pi Day, March 14
Things to buy in March
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in March 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$3.3 billion at hardware stores |
| Personal items |
|
$10.6 billion at department stores |
April
If wintry weather lingers into April, look for bargains on equipment to help you get your home and yard looking tidy again. Expect markdowns on bike helmets and grills as the weather warms. You’ll see discounts on formalwear during high school prom season.
April sales holidays in the U.S.
- Easter: Easter spending in the U.S. was expected to reach $24 billion in 2023, with consumers spending an average of $192 on gifts and celebrations, according to NRF data.
Freebie day: Tax Day, April 15; Earth Day, April 22
Things to buy in April
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in April 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$3.4 billion at hardware stores |
| Personal items |
|
$5.2 billion at sporting goods stores |
May
Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest holiday shopping weekends of the year. It’s a good time to save on major purchases, such as air conditioners. Memorial Day weekend is also the traditional end of the school year, so expect to see sales on items related to outdoor fun, vacations, and home and yard maintenance. Look for markdowns over Mother’s Day weekend, too.
May sales holidays in the U.S.
- Mother’s Day: Spending for Mother’s Day was expected to reach a record high in 2023 of $35.7 billion, with an average spent per person of $274.
- Memorial Day
Freebie day: National Hamburger Day, May 28
Things to buy in May
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in May 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$3.9 billion at hardware stores |
| Personal items |
|
$5.4 billion at sporting goods stores |
| Home items |
|
$1.6 billion at household appliance stores |
June
Summer begins in June, the kids are out of school and Americans celebrate Father’s Day. It’s an opportune time to shop for equipment related to home, yard and outdoor fun.
June sales holidays in the U.S.
- Father’s Day: Americans were expected to spend a total of $22.9 billion for Father’s Day in 2023, with adults spending an average of $196 on gifts such as clothes, gift cards and electronics, according to NRF data.
Freebie day: National Doughnut Day, June 7
Things to buy in June
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in June 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$3.8 billion at hardware stores |
| Personal items |
|
|
| Technology |
|
$5.7 billion at electronics stores |
| Home items |
|
$1.7 billion at household appliance stores |
July
Fourth of July and Amazon Prime Day are the sales holidays in July. Prime Day, which started in 2015 to celebrate Amazon’s 20th anniversary, is an opportunity for Prime members and small businesses to score deals on a wide variety of items.
Other big retailers also hold sales around that time. Look for bargains at Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Home Depot, Wayfair and Bed Bath & Beyond.
July sales holidays in the U.S.
- Fourth of July: Planned per-person spending on food items for Independence Day 2023 was $93, with 32 percent of those celebrating planning to purchase additional patriotic items, according to the NRF.
- Amazon Prime Day: Historically, this sale occurs in July, with the sale dates announced leading up to the event.
Freebie day: National Ice Cream Day, July 21
Things to buy in July
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in July 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$3.4 billion at hardware stores |
| Personal items |
|
|
| Home items |
|
$1.6 billion at household appliance stores |
August
August is a great time to shop for back-to-school items, and some states offer sales tax holidays on clothing, shoes and more. As summer winds down, it’s a good time to buy bathing suits, patio furniture and other warm weather merchandise. It’s a good month for indoor furniture deals, too, as retailers make way for the next season’s inventory.
Freebie day: National Waffle Day, Aug. 24
Things to buy in August:
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in August 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$6.5 billion at furniture stores |
| Personal/school items |
|
$19.1 billion at stores that sell furniture and electronics |
| Home items |
|
$1.8 billion at household appliance stores |
September
Labor Day weekend is a great time to find deals on big kitchen appliances, air conditioners and air purifiers, lawn equipment, grills, bicycles, computers, smart speakers and new windows for your home.
September sales Holidays in the U.S.
- Labor Day
Freebie days: National Cheeseburger Day, Sept. 18; National Coffee Day, Sept. 29
Things to buy in September:
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$3.2 billion at hardware stores |
| Technology |
|
$5.9 billion at electronics stores |
| Health items |
|
$5 billion at sporting goods stores |
October
Items to look for in October include fall and winter yard-work tools. Columbus Day is a popular holiday for mattress markdowns.
Historically, the most discounted months for car sales have been October through December, according to Edmunds. However, the car shopping guide reports that there might not currently be a “best time to buy” cars, due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage causing record high prices. It states that deals will likely fall back into the historic seasonal patterns when the car market becomes stable once again.
October sales holidays in the U.S.
- Halloween: Halloween-related sales were expected to reach an average of $100 per person, with a $10.6 billion in total planned spending, according to NRF data.
Freebie days: National Taco Day, Oct. 4
Things to buy in October
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$3.4 billion at hardware stores |
| Technology |
|
$5.8 billion at electronics stores |
| Home items |
|
$5.8 billion at furniture stores |
| Vehicles |
|
$97.2 billion at new car dealerships |
November
The post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping bonanzas of Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the absolute best times of year to buy almost anything, especially TVs, computers, and small and large household appliances.
November sales holidays in the U.S.
- Thanksgiving: The average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 was $61.17 in 2023 — or around $6.20 a person — according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, which reported it was the second most expensive Thanksgiving meal in the organization’s 38-year survey history.
- Black Friday: The NRF reported a record 200 million people shopped during the five-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2023, which includes Black Friday. Consumers spent an average of $321.41 on average on holiday-related purchases.
Freebie day: National Sandwich Day, Nov. 3
Things to buy in November
| Category | Popular items | Total spent in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
$1.7 billion at household appliance stores |
| Technology |
|
$7.6 billion at electronics stores |
| Health items |
|
$5.4 billion at sporting goods stores |
| Home items |
|
$1.7 billion at home appliance stores |
| Vehicles |
|
$95 billion at new car dealerships |
December
Many sales that kick off on Black Friday and Cyber Monday continue through Christmas. December is a good month to buy electronics, small appliances, fitness items and winter yard maintenance equipment.
December sales holidays in the U.S.
- Christmas and Hanukkah: In 2023, holiday sales climbed 3.8 percent over 2022 to a record $964.4 billion, according to U.S. Census Bureau data compiled by the NRF.
Freebie day: National Cookie Day, Dec. 4
Things to buy in December
| Category | Popular items |
|---|---|
| Home improvement |
|
| Technology |
|
| Health items |
|
| Personal items |
|
| Home items |
|
| Vehicles |
|
FAQs
-
In prepandemic times, October, November and December were typically the most discounted months on new cars at dealerships, according to car shopping guide Edmunds. Currently, however, vehicles continue to be in short supply due to the ongoing shortage of semiconductor chips, although inventory has improved somewhat in recent months, the site reports.
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Deals can often be found in January and February, as the Super Bowl approaches, when many sports fans are planning to host big football parties. Another popular time for TV sales is Black Friday, when many models are marked down by hundreds of dollars.
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You’ll often find the best deals on appliances such as refrigerators, washers and dryers in the months of May, September and November. These are the months when sales take place for Memorial Day, Labor Day and Black Friday.
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Sleep experts say you should replace your mattress every 10 years. Since they’re often an expensive purchase, it can pay to wait until the times when the best sales are offered. This is often the Fourth of July, as well as Monday holidays that include Presidents Day, Labor Day and Memorial Day, according to Slumber Yard.
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Indoor furniture typically goes on sale in the winter and summer months prior to new inventory arriving in stores. Sales also commonly take place during holiday weekends including Presidents Day, the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day. The best deals on outdoor furniture can often be found in August and September, when stores work to clear out their inventory of grills, patio table sets and weather-resilient sofas.
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According to experts interviewed by The Points Guy, the best prices on U.S. domestic flights may be found between 21 and 60 days prior to the day of travel, whereas the lowest prices on international flights may show up fewer than 150 days prior to your travel day — since airlines could lower prices to adjust for demand.
Note: Bankrate relied on industry experts and Consumer Reports to compile its list.
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