Best Things to Buy at Memorial Day Weekend Sales

Memorial Day signals the start of summer – and an opportunity to score great savings on a variety of products. Big-ticket items, in particular, will be deeply discounted during sales over the long holiday weekend. In fact, some retailers already have launched their Memorial Day sales, so you can take advantage of deals now without interrupting your holiday plans. Here’s what you can expect to marked down now, through the weekend and into next week.

Apparel. The majority of Memorial Day deals will be on spring apparel, says Louis Ramirez, senior features writer for deal and coupon site DealNews.com. Expect to see discounts ranging from 40% to 90% from retailers such as 6pm.com, Eddie Bauer, H&M, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Macy’s and Old Navy. Designer brands such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Steve Madden will mark down spring apparel by 30% to 75%, Ramirez says. Also look for coupons for an additional 15% to 40% off already discounted items. See Best Ways to Get Online Coupon Codes and 8 Great Coupon Apps for tips on finding coupons for online and in-store purchases.

You’ll also see discounts on summer clothing – just not as deep as the markdowns on spring apparel. Brent Shelton of cash-back shopping site FatWallet.com recommends shopping for discounted clothing before the long weekend to beat the crowds and ensure a better selection.

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Appliances. This is one of the best times of the year to find deals on major appliances – especially refrigerators. Consumers can expect discounts ranging from 10% to 65% at retailers such as AppliancesConnection.com, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe's and Sears, says Howard Schaffer, vice president of deal site Offers.com. Also look for online coupon codes for additional savings, free shipping and 0% financing, he says. Most sales will start Friday and end Monday, but some will continue through next week.

Home goods and kitchenware. Department stores such as JCPenney and Kohl’s have marked down small kitchen appliances and bed and bath items 30% to 50%, and Macy’s has discounts of up to 60%.

Mattresses. Memorial Day sales represent the best time of year to buy mattresses, as mattress retailers offer discounts of 50% or more, Shelton says. Look for markdowns at department stores such as Macy’s and Sears, and at local retailers. For the past two years, Groupon has also taken up to 83% off a selection of mattresses as part of its Memorial Day sale, Ramirez says. You’ll also find that many stores will offer 0% financing until 2020 and free delivery, Schaffer says.

Outdoor items. The best time to find deep discounts on grills, patio furniture, mowers, lawn equipment and other outdoor items is at the end of summer. But if you want to enjoy them during the warm weather, you’ll find discounts of 20% to 50% during sales over the long holiday weekend, Schaffer says.