Time a purchase
Buy at the right time for the best deals.
Televisions. Prices on high-definition, flat-screen TVs have plummeted. But don’t settle for just a good price. You’ll find the lowest prices in early February following the Super Bowl. Retailers discount last year’s versions before the new ones come out in March.
Cruises. The best time to book a cruise is January through March, known as “wave season.” That’s when cruise lines unleash summer cruise deals to compete for customers.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Appliances. New appliances hit stores in September and October. Shop Labor Day weekend for deep discounts on older models.
Furniture. Showrooms get the latest merchandise in February and August, so look for clearance deals in January and July. Discounts of 10% to 50% are typical on last year’s furniture, which will be nearly identical to the new versions.
Gym memberships. You’ll pay less to sculpt your six-pack abs by nabbing a deal on a gym membership. Look for cut-rate promotions during the summer lull in business, especially in June. Try haggling for an even steeper discount.
Airfares. Farecompare.com found that Tuesday at 3 p.m. is the cheapest time to buy a ticket. The cheapest day to fly? Wednesday.
Cars. You’ll get the best deal with the best selection of options if you buy in August. For a steal, wait until Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Shopping sites
From clothing to vacations, log in to save. Visit any of these flash-sale sites to snag luxe goods at bargain-basement prices. You may need to request an invitation, which could take a couple of days to clear.
Gilt.com, ShopItToMe and RueLaLa sell designer clothes for men, women and children at 40% to 70% off, depending on the site. For home furnishings, check out Onekingslane.com, which outfits your house with fashionable accents. Sales last three days.
Jetsetter.com sells luxury vacations for up to 50% off the retail price. Admission to the site is by invitation only, but you can request an invite on the home page. Sales last seven to ten days.
Some sites offer the amenities and prices of flash-sale sites without the lightning-quick promotions. Revolveclothing.com offers free shipping on men’s and women’s clothing.
Swapping
Trade what you have for what you want. The upswell of collaborative consumption has helped spur the creation of services that pair people who need something with people who have it.
Swap.com lets you connect with 500,000 other swappers to trade items such as electronics, jewelry and books. There are currently 1.5 million items to choose from. If you want movies, try Swapadvd.com. You’ll get credits for DVDs you post and mail out. Then use the credits for movies you want. If you’re looking to rent or borrow something like a drill or a tennis racket, try Neighborrow.com or SnapGoods.com. Both sites connect you to people nearby.
If your kids are outgrowing their clothes, Thredup.com lets you get rid of old duds and find used ones that fit. And if you’re taking a trip, try zimride.com for arranging rides from one city to another.
Apps for the mall
Don’t leave home without them. These apps compare prices, score coupons and even help you haggle.
Scan barcodes with Amazon Price Check (Android, iPhone), Google Shopper (Android, iPad, iPhone) or RedLaser (Android, iPhone, Windows Phone) to compare the store’s price with online offerings.
If you don’t want to order online and wait for shipping, check out Goodzer (iPhone), a “search engine” for local goods. Plug in the item you’re looking for and the app will show you nearby stores that carry that product.
At Scoutmob (Android, Blackberry, iPhone), unlike at Groupon and Living Social, you don’t have to purchase a voucher in advance. Find a coupon, show up at the venue, show the cashier your phone, and claim the deal at the register.
-
Key to Financial Peace of Mind: Think 'What's Next?' Rather Than 'What If?'Even if you've hit your magic number for retirement, it's hard to stop worrying about money. Giving it a clear purpose is one way to reduce financial anxiety.
-
Three Estate Planning Documents a Business Owner Can't Afford to SkipA business owner's estate plan should protect the company and its employees as well as the entrepreneur's heirs. These three documents are critical.
-
Amazon Resale: Where Amazon Prime Returns Become Your Online BargainsFeature Amazon Resale products may have some imperfections, but that often leads to wildly discounted prices.
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnbreal estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute VacationTravel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?insurance When assessing how much life insurance you need, take a systematic approach instead of relying on rules of thumb.
-
Five Reasons You Shouldn't Shop on Amazon Prime DaySmart Buying Is Amazon Prime Day still a good deal? We'll break it down.
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day? Everything We Know, Plus the Best Deals on Apple, Samsung and MoreAmazon Prime Amazon Prime Day is four days this year. Here are the key details you need to know, plus some of our favorite deals to shop during the sale.
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Stepsinsurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
