jewelry

The holiday shopping season is over, but for power shoppers who like to get deals, the calendar is still full of opportunities. Special sales never end. You just have to know the best time to shop for specific items.

To help you out, NerdWallet offers this purchase calendar to help you plan your shopping for the year.

JANUARY

With a fresh page on the calendar comes a fresh start for sales. These products are discounted in January:

Bedding and linens. Department stores hold “white sales” in January with deep discounts on sheets and towels.

Fitness equipment and apparel. Retailers know you want to get in shape for the new year, so expect sales to abound at sporting goods stores.

TVs and electronics. Just before the Super Bowl, retailers normally discount their selections of HDTVs and other home-theater essentials.

FEBRUARY

It’s the month of love and gift-giving, but February also is a great time to buy major items for yourself. Options include:

TVs. TV sales spill over from January into February. Aside from Black Friday, this is one of the prime times to buy a new TV.

Winter products. With winter winding down, stores will be looking to unload their inventories of cold-weather products. Look for sales on apparel and winter sporting accessories.

Home goods and clothing. Washington’s Birthday is Feb. 19 this year. Expect retailers to have home and apparel sales on that Monday and the weekend preceding the holiday.

MARCH

There aren’t any major shopping holidays in March, but that doesn’t mean sales are lacking. Look for deals on these products:

Grills. Buy your summer grilling necessities in March to avoid the spike in prices that will come when summer arrives.

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St. Patrick’s Day essentials. Around March 17, online retailers and department stores usually discount their selection of green-themed clothing, party supplies and jewelry.

APRIL

April has its fair share of spring deals and discounts, including:

Vacuums. Buying a vacuum isn’t the most exciting purchase, but it’ll be less painful if you take advantage of a spring cleaning sale. Look for these at department stores, as well as manufacturers like Dyson.

Jewelry. The general rule is to avoid buying jewelry close to major holidays. Try to get a good deal when jewelers have a slower period and may be more motivated to make sales.

Freebies. Year after year, retailers and restaurants try to lighten the burden of tax day with discounts and freebies. Keep an eye out for these around mid-April. Tax day this year is April 17.

MAY

April showers bring May flowers — and sales blossom then, too. Here’s a look at some products to consider buying this month:

Spring cleaning necessities. Before summer arrives, act on spring cleaning discounts on vacuums and mops.

Small kitchen appliances. Use May discounts as a perfect opportunity to buy small kitchen appliances, such as coffee makers and blenders. These products normally are included in Memorial Day sales.

Furniture. Three of the biggest blowout shopping days are Black Friday, Labor Day and Memorial Day. This year, Memorial Day is May 28. Look for plenty of furniture and home-decor discounts.

JUNE

June may be one of the shorter months of the year, but its supply of shopping events isn’t. Smart purchases include these products:

Gym memberships. Consider buying a gym membership during the summer, and don’t forget to negotiate to get the best possible deal. Gyms may be more eager for sign-ups at this time.

Gifts for Dad. Expect Father’s Day deals this month, especially the closer you get to the holiday on June 17.

JULY

Black Friday is a big deal day that falls in November, but many retailers have begun hosting Black Friday in July sales. Expect discounts in nearly every product category. In addition, look for deals in:

Apparel. If you don’t want to wait for end-of-summer sales, buy clothes in midsummer. You’ll likely find a better price than you would at the start of the season.

Patriotic items. Retailers like a reason to celebrate. In the days leading up to the Fourth of July, there is usually an abundance of sales on red, white and blue products (and products that are all three colors), as well as on sporting goods, jewelry and furniture.

AUGUST

Close out summer by buying summer products? That’s right. Look for end-of-season clearance sales in August:

Back-to-school supplies. The start of school marks the need to buy small items such as pencils — and expensive ones like laptops. Generally, the closer to the start of the school year you buy, the better your chances of getting a good price.

Lawn mowers. Ride out the end of summer with big deals on lawn mowers and other seasonal outdoor equipment.

Swimsuits. There may not be many swimming days left by the time August rolls around, but that’s exactly why swimsuit clearance sales will crest. Buy your swimsuits now to stock up for next year.

SEPTEMBER

With deals on items as varied as electronics and back-to-school supplies, September is a surprising month for good buys. Pick up reasonable prices in these departments:

Appliances. This year, Labor Day falls on Sept. 3. Expect a series of blowout deals in the week leading up to the holiday, including promotions on appliances big and small.

Mattresses. Year after year, September is the time for mattress sales. Expect these from department stores and mattress centers, usually as a part of Labor Day specials.

iPhones. Apple has been known to announce its new iPhone installments at the company’s annual keynote in September. Usually, the unveiling is followed by a drop in prices on the current phones in anticipation of the new models.

OCTOBER

Don’t let the cost of shopping spook you during the Halloween season. There will be plenty of deals on these product categories in October:

Outdoor furniture. People generally spend less time outdoors when the temperature drops. Expect deals on patio furniture and outdoor living products when summer ends.

Jeans. Fall inventory arrives in stores in August and September, but you’ll pay top dollar unless you wait a few weeks.

Candy. The closer you get to Oct. 31, the better your chance at snagging a discounted bag of candy for your trick-or-treaters.

NOVEMBER

November is the month for Black Friday sales, which means some of the most popular tech products fall to their lowest prices:

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Tablets and laptops. Electronics take center stage during Black Friday sales. Look for discounts on smartphones and activity trackers, too.

Gaming systems. Black Friday is the best time to buy a discounted gaming console or gaming system bundle like Xbox or PlayStation.

Major appliances. Reserve your major home appliance purchase — refrigerator, washer, dryer, dishwasher, etc. — for Black Friday, although sales on these can often be found throughout the month.

DECEMBER

The end of the year is just the beginning for discounts in some product categories. Look for sale prices on these products in December:

Toys. Since toys are a popular Christmas gift, stores generally host big toy sales as the holiday season draws to a close.

Cars. The end of December is an ideal time to buy a car. That’s when dealerships are looking to meet end-of-year sales quotas.

This article, available through The Associated Press, originally appeared on the personal finance website NerdWallet.

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