Record Setting Weekend for Shoppers
The National Retail Federation said they expect a record number of people to shop on Thanksgiving weekend. Online retailers have also started their sales. Those who study this stuff have even scheduled out when the best times are to buy.
Tis the season for electronics of all kinds too. November is big but January is big too with people teching up for the Super Bowl. Deals on laptops, tablets, gaming systems and personal electronics are everywhere now.
If you are shopping for a TV, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are best. Mattress deals for some reason land on Holiday weekends according to US News and World report. Presidents Day, 4th of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day. What do presidents and mattresses have in common?
I think it’s funny that the best time to buy camping gear is “…late winter”. Not Fall when I’d expect retailers to discount their stuff in an effort to grab some “end-of-season” attention. By “late winter” I picture them looking out the window saying, “…They’re not coming back” and then doing the big markdown.
Buying off-season seems to have benefits. I want a new snowblower but I’m choking on the prices I’ve seen lately. Though snowblowers keep getting cooler EVERY SINGLE SEASON!!! But maybe in Apr/May things will come back down. There are deals on lawnmowers, string trimmers and barbecue grills now. I guess normal people don’t grill as much in Dec-Feb. We fire ours up every month of the year.
One last thing about your money and shopping. If you’ve ever had to do something awful like be a Salvation Army bell-ringer, you know it is an awful task and really boring. HOWEVER, don’t confuse these good people with the beggars we see at every stoplight. You can make their day if you drop a dollar or even some change into the kettle as you pass by. Bell ringing can suck but bell ringing without any donations coming in sucks worse so let’s all give to help out.
Be nice to other shoppers and the clerks as you move about through the Christmas season.