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What To Buy And What To Skip On Memorial Day

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Since 1971, Memorial Day has been celebrated as an extended weekend away fromtwo women shopping in the spring work–and the unofficial start of summer. It’s time to get that grill going, dust off your patio set, and break out the white jeans you’ve had stashed away all winter.

More recently, Memorial Day has also turned into a second Black Friday for retailers, each offering loads of sale events in stores and online,and each promising to save you heaps of money. Lots of these sales will run for a full two weeks, starting a week before Memorial Day, which falls on May 27 this year, and continuing until the end of the month.

As always, though, not every marked-down product is actually a bargain. In fact, you can sometimes get the same product a lot cheaper by waiting a few months-or even just a few weeks. And of course, if the for-sale item is not one you need, you’re better off leaving it in the store. But, if you know what to shop for and you’re careful to stick to what you need and can afford, you can find some great deals.

Let’s take a look at what to buy and what to skip this Memorial Day weekend.

Buy: Outdoor essentials

Get ready to welcome summer with outdoor gear like grills, lawn mowers, mulch, ladders, and more, which may be marked down as much as 50% at stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot. Online retailers, like Wayfair and Overstock, host similar events and may offer free two-day shipping in honor of the summer season kickoff.

Skip: Electronics

You’re going to see lots of crazy-low deals on gaming consoles, laptops, and tablets around Memorial Day weekend. But, unless you need one now, it’s better to wait it out. You’ll find even better deals on electronics during Black Friday season, when retailers are looking to clear out last year’s models to make room for the newer inventory. If you need your electronics sooner than November, you may consider waiting until July, when many retailers host “Black Friday in July” events that feature steep discounts on electronics.

Buy: Furniture

Memorial Day weekend is the perfect time to spruce up both the inside and outside of your home with new furniture. You can snag a great deal on a fully-loaded patio set, pick up a comfortable sofa, and even swap your old mattresses for new ones, all at great prices. You may need to use a coupon code to qualify for the reduced price, so be sure to check out a retailer’s website before hitting the store.

Skip: TVs

Don’t make the mistake of picking up a new TV in May just because you found one at an excellent price. Most marked-down TVs you’ll find around Memorial Day are older models with outdated features. You can find much better deals on newer models in November or January.

Buy: Wedding registry gifts

Department stores, like Macy’s and JC Penney, offer discounts on household essentials, like coffee makers and blenders, in advance of the wedding season. You’ll also find markdowns on these items at specialty stores, like Bed Bath & Beyond. If you’ve got any weddings to attend this summer, pick out a registry gift now to save big.

Skip: Cars

If you’re looking for a new set of wheels, wait until after June. You’ll find the hottest deals on cars between July and October, when dealerships are trying to move old inventory and make room for the newer models.

Buy: Tires

Preparing the family car for a summer road trip? You’ll find the year’s best prices on tires around Memorial Day weekend.

Skip: Swimwear

Don’t splurge on swimwear and other summer apparel just yet. Wait until June, or even mid-summer if you can swing it, for the steepest discounts.

Buy: Spring apparel

Retailers have been displaying their warmer-weather line for months now. That makes the end of May a perfect time to stock up on spring wear.

Skip: Power tools

You’ll only have to wait a few weeks for the hottest deals on power tools. Father’s Day sales usually start at the beginning of June, and they offer deep discounts on power tools and other outdoor power equipment.

Buy: Appliances and home décor

Retailers and manufacturers alike offer markdowns on large household appliances, like refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens, at the end of May. Hold onto your receipts, as you may need to mail them to the manufacturer for a cash-back rebate. You can also score a deal on home décor products, like light fixtures, flooring, and kitchen essentials, at Memorial Day sale events.

Skip: Jewelry

All that glam won’t glow so brightly if you have to drain your wallet to pay for it. Skip the diamonds this month and wait until late summer, when the jewelry business is at its slowest and retailers put some of their products on sale. If you can wait even longer, push off your purchase until the end of February, when jewelry prices are at their lowest.

Now that you know what to buy and what to skip this Memorial Day, you can kick off the season of poolside barbecues and aimless road trips by snagging some great deals!

Your Turn: What was your best Memorial Day find ever? Tell us all about it in the comments!

SOURCES:
https://www.finder.com/memorial-day-sales
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/guid/99B0B79C-4236-11E7-AE38-779A9096A819
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/shopping/shopping-tips-news/what-to-buy-skip-may/

6 Times A Bargain Is Not A Bargain

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In the words of writer Franklin Jones, “A bargain is something you don’t need at a price Closing store signyou can’t resist.” And we couldn’t agree more.

With the biggest spending season of the year looming ahead, it’s time to brush up on your shopping smarts. Don’t get caught springing for something you can’t afford! This year, give yourself the gift of an intact budget and a credit card balance that doesn’t haunt you for months or years to come.

Here’s when that steal of a deal you can’t wait to show off to your friends is not such a bargain after all.

1When you don’t need it

The price might be right. But, if the heavily marked-down item is one you don’t need, you’re not getting a bargain at all. You’re just blowing money you could be using to put into savings or purchase stuff you actually do need.

Those flashy signs and hyped-up ads are enough to blind the most discerning shopper, so think carefully before plunking down your money on sale items. If an item is marked down 75%, ask yourself: Would I ever buy this item at full price? Would I buy it if the price was slashed just 30%?

When it’s a faulty product

Sometimes, it doesn’t pay to be cheap. If an item is retailing at a ridiculously low price, inspect it carefully. Hold it up to this checklist to determine its quality and durability:

  • Where was it manufactured? If the product bears a designer label, but also has a “Made in China” tag stuck on it, you’re likely looking at a cheap knockoff that isn’t such a bargain after all.
  • Are there any noticeable defects or missing parts?
  • Does the item appear to be worn out? You don’t want to be buying someone else’s heavily used returns.
  • Is the material cheaply made? Some clothing will start attracting lint and will sport unsightly “pimples” while still in the store. Unless they’re giving it away free, such poorly made clothing is hardly worth the price.

When it’s going to go bad before you can use it

Costco, we’re looking at you! Sure, that gigantic package of peanuts that looks like it can feed a herd of elephants is insanely cheap, but who are you kidding here? We both know there’s no way your family can eat it before they start going bad. And there’s no money saved when half of an item gets chucked into the trash.

Before buying in bulk to snag a great deal, be sure the food won’t go rancid or get stale before you can eat it.

When the “sale price” is the highest the item’s ever been sold for at this location

Retailers often use underhanded strategies to attract consumers. One of these tactics is featuring an item’s price as a “sale price” when, in reality, the store has never sold it for more than the tagged amount.

Sometimes, the store operators will be basing their sale price on an inflated Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). But if the MSRP was artificially inflated from the start, you’re not really getting a bargain, are you?

Other times, the item will come with a pre-marked-down MSRP. The manufacturer’s label might read: “Original price: $49.99. Our price: $39.99.” Of course, the item was never sold at $49.99 and the retailer is just playing games with you. If an item is really marked down, you’ll see a new price tag slapped on top of the manufacturer’s label with the newer, lower price.

When you need to mail in a rebate to get the discount

Rebates are a retailer’s best friend. Most of us are just too lazy or forgetful to mail them in. So, we instead end up paying the full price with the retailer getting the last laugh. For instance, in one TiVo subscription promotion that included a mail-in rebate deal, a whopping $5,000,000 was never claimed.

If you’re the super-responsible type who doesn’t know the meaning of procrastination, enjoy those rebate deals. But, for the rest of us mere mortals, it only pays to pick up a rebate item with an instant at-the-register rebate. Otherwise, consider the item as being marked at its regular price.

When it’s part of a liquidation sale

Avoid liquidation sales like crime-ridden neighborhoods. While shoppers sometimes snag great deals at these sales, liquidation events are ripe with rip-offs. Retailers post signs claiming “Everything Must Go!” – but that’s where the honesty ends. The “Rock Bottom Prices” they advertise are often as high as the original MSRP – or even higher. The store owners are depending on shoppers to assume that all items are bargain-priced just because they’re at a liquidation sale. Don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes! Stay away from liquidation sales or proceed with extreme caution.

Sometimes a bargain is just that. But too often, what we think is an incredible deal is just another item we don’t need with a perfectly ordinary price.

Your Turn: Have you ever snagged a great deal only to realize later that it wasn’t quite the bargain you thought it was? Share your story with us in the comments below.

SOURCES:
https://www.fnbn.com/3199-2/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2012/03/03/beware-sometimes-bargain-sales-are-no-bargain/amp/
https://www.consumerreports.org/shopping/why-a-sale-isnt-always-a-sale/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/lifehacker.com/5695886/how-to-figure-out-when-a-sale-isnt-really-a-sale/amp