I-TEAM Consumer Alert: What is calendar shopping and when’s the best time to save money?

DAYTON — If you’re looking to save money, sometimes it matters when you pull the trigger on a big purchase.

Consumer experts said there really are better times to buy certain items throughout the year. News Center 7′s Consumer Investigative Reporter Xavier Hershovitz said there are keys to shopping with your calendar if you want to save the most cash.

Charnae Reid said, “I’m the worst at trying to figure out when to save. I think everything is just expensive all the time.”

Reid is a mother of two and admits she almost never thinks about sales when she shops.

“I guess I just don’t pay attention to it. I guess I should pay better attention if it’s going to save me money,” Reid said.

That’s right, if you dust off your calendar and get strategic about your spending, consumer experts say you can save a lot.

Trae Bodge is a smart shopping expert and has written about ways to find the best deals every month.

“Timing is really, really important especially when it comes to those bigger purchases,” she said.

First, she said to look at your calendar and mark down three-day weekends. Mark down all the three-day weekends, President Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. Those are the times of year when retailers slash their prices.

“These are always reliable for those bigger ticket items for the home, so that’s something I’ll always wait on,” Bodge said.

Experts also say to take advantage of seasonal sales. If you need winter gear, now would be the best time to get it because most retailers are taking it off the racks and adding it to clearance.

“Think of end-of-season, so if you’re at the end of spring, you’re getting really good deals on spring merchandise. End of summer? Really good deals on summer merchandise,” Bodge said.

She also takes it a step further and breaks it down by month. At the end of the month, think kitchen and appliance deals, along with mattresses as people look for graduation and wedding gifts.

In June, Bodge said to look for deals on summer fun such as inflatable pools and bikes, fitness items, or last-minute getaway travel deals.

And, in July, you can find deep discounts on the July 4th holiday weekend, especially on outdoor gear. Amazon Prime Day comes in mid-July with deals on everything from Amazon devices to beauty products from indie brands.

Although Reid said she never thought about it before, She said she’s going to pay more attention to the best times to save.

“I might save money, I guess so. Maybe I should look at the sales and it will save me a few bucks in my pocket,” Reid said.

Something else to consider is that Bodge recommends you set alerts for big sales events like those Amazon Prime Days. And, of course, the month-long sales throughout November leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

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