Best and Worst Buys of March 2014

This past weekend felt like spring had arrived where I live. But Mother Nature must have been playing a cruel joke because temperatures are back in the 20s and 30s. Regardless of whether the warmer weather will return in the coming weeks, the approach of spring certainly heralds the arrival of deals on a slew of items. Here's what you can expect to find on sale in March -- and what you should wait a little longer to buy.

Big-screen HDTVs. If you didn't take advantage of discounted prices on big-screen HDTVs in February, you're in luck. The experts at dealnews.com expect deals on brand-name 60-inch TVs to continue into March. Look for prices around $699.

China and silverware. This is a slow season for china and silverware sales because the holidays are over but wedding season isn't in full swing. So retailers mark down their inventory, according to CreditDonkey.com. For example, Macy's is taking off an extra 15% on several china collections that already are significantly marked down.

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Chocolate. Valentine's treats -- as well as decor -- that didn't sell in February will be dramatically marked down in March. You should be able to find discounts of 75% to 90%, according to CreditDonkey.com.

Frozen food. March is National Frozen Food Month, so the National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association rounds up manufacturers to offer special frozen food coupons, says Coupons.com savings expert Jeanette Pavini. Stores also will have sales on frozen food. You can use the Coupons.com app to find coupons or the Favado app to see which stores in your area are offering the best deals on frozen foods (see 8 Great Coupon Apps). Stock up while prices are low -- if you have room to store it all, that is.

Luggage. If you need new luggage, don’t wait until the eve of your next trip. Spring for luggage in March, when retailers mark down prices between the busy holiday travel season and summer vacations, says Brett Billick, senior vice-president of Deals2Buy.com. Look for discounts ranging from 20% to 70%.

Perfume. Now that one of the most-popular holidays for perfume purchases has passed and demand has dropped, retailers are marking down fragrance prices. Luke Knowles of FreeShipping.org says consumers can expect prices to be slashed by as much as 50%, with the best sales at Web sites dedicated to perfume.

Travel. Spring is shoulder season for many destinations, meaning the crowds are smaller so prices are lower. Most of the major air carriers are offering deals on fares -- both domestic and international, Pavini says. Your best bet to score savings is to purchase airfare around 4:30 p.m. ET when the majority of airlines have their sales.

Wait a little longer to buy ...

Lingerie. You might assume that you can get a good deal on undergarments following Valentine's Day. But you won't see significant price cuts until June when Victoria's Secret has its big semiannual sale, and many other lingerie retailers follow suit with sales of their own.

Spring apparel. Warm-weather clothing hasn't been on the racks long enough to be marked down signficantly. Dealnews.com recommends waiting until closer to the end of the season to find deals on spring clothing.