The time of year in which you choose to buy something can often affect the price. In many cases, if you’re looking to save money, you should consider when the demand is lowest. Things that people need in summer are often cheaper to buy in winter and vice versa. This post lists a few things that are cheaper to buy off-season.
Lawnmowers
Grass typically sees its fastest growth during the late spring and early summer months. It’s during these months that many people also use their yard more. As a result, this is when lawnmowers are most in demand.
Lawnmowers see a fall in demand in fall. This is when people start using their yards less and when grass starts to grow less rapidly. The best time to get deals on lawnmowers is therefore fall or winter.
Barbecue grills
Like lawnmowers, the demand for barbecue grills is typically late spring and summer. This is when barbecue prices are most expensive.
You may find a few discounts around the fourth of July, but generally you have to wait until September onwards to see the best deals. In other words, it’s worth putting up with an old grill throughout summer and waiting until fall to treat yourself.
Winter coats
Winter is obviously the most popular time to buy a winter coat. You can get some great deals in December and even in the January Sales, however this is not the cheapest time to buy a coat.
You’ll generally find the biggest discounts on coats in February when a lot of clothing stores are trying to make room for their spring collections. A lot of stores will stop selling winter clothes by summer, although there are still a few places where you can buy coats (often for a discount). Coats may start to increase in price again in fall.
Swimwear
Summer is when everyone likes to hit the beach or pool and is definitely the most popular time for buying swimwear. As a result, this is when you’ll pay the highest prices.
Demand for swimwear dies down towards the end of summer. From August onwards, you’re likely to find the best deals on trunks, swimsuits and bikinis.
Heating/aircon maintenance
Need to service or replace a gas boiler or furnace? The cheapest time to call out a maintenance man is summer. This is when less people are thinking about their heating and when heating technicians will often offer the best deals.
A for when it comes to air conditioning, winter is typically the cheapest time to carry out servicing or replacement. Air conditioning technicians may struggle to find work in the cooler months of winter and will usually offer better deals because of this.
Outdoor furniture
If you’re looking for some new outdoor furniture for your yard, you may want to wait until fall or winter. This is when demand for this furniture falls and when you’re likely to get the best discounts as companies try to free up their stock.
Prices are likely to go up again in spring and will be at their peak in summer.
Bicycles
Summer is one of the most popular times of the year to buy a bike. Quite often, the best time to get discounts on bikes is in fall when demand for cycling reduces. Bike hire can also be cheaper during these months.
Prices of bikes can go up again in December as demand usually increases again in the lead up to Christmas. You may find however that prices go back down in January and stay low until spring.
Holiday decorations
A lot of people buy holiday decorations in November or December. You can get some discounts around Black Friday but they won’t be huge.
The best discounts are definitely found in January. Many shops will slash prices on Christmas decorations by 50% or more. Bear this in mind if you’re thinking of buying some new fairy lights or baubles.
Weddings
Wedding venues, wedding planners and wedding photographers all charge their highest rates in summer when demand for weddings is greatest. Prices may also increase around Christmas and around Valentine’s Day.
So just when is the most affordable time to get married? The cheapest prices are typically found in November, January, March and April.
Vacations
When it comes to booking a cheap vacation, there are two months where you’ll typically find the cheapest prices on flights – October and January. Hotels can also be cheap in these months.
January is typically the cheapest time to book a beach vacation due to the iffy weather. Even ski vacations are cheapest in January, usually increasing slightly in February and March.
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