Saving money when shopping for Christmas gifts is often about timing. Timing your purchases so you can buy when the price is the lowest, and not be stuck buying when demand, and thus the price tag, is at its peak. If you can plan ahead and cross names off your Christmas list now, not only can you save money, but you’ll often enjoy a more peaceful holiday season knowing you have a good chunk of your shopping done. Here are the items worth considering. 1. Cold Weather Apparel With the higher temperatures that most of the country is experiencing, it has many retailers trying to quickly get rid of their outdoor jackets, boots, and related gear. Take advantage of these clearance deals and stock up now on Christmas gift ideas. In particular, keep an eye out for Sports Authority liquidation deals as they try to sell all of their inventory as they’re shuttering all stores later this summer. The apparel deals might not be that spectacular right at the beginning of the liquidation sale – as the liquidators are trying to make as much money as possible on the inventory – but the last couple weeks should see some screaming deals on outdoor gear. Also, keep an eye out for deals in the 40%-50% off range from Dick’s, REI, and Eddie Bauer. 2. Exercise Equipment According to Consumer Reports, by far the best time of the year to buy a new elliptical machine or treadmill is in June. This is because the nice weather has more people exercising outdoors, so the demand naturally falls for exercise equipment. Because of this, retailers will start to mark equipment down to try and capture more sales. In the end, you win if you can buy now and have a place to store the exercise equipment until Christmas morning. 3. Running Shoes ‘Tis the season for fun runs and charity 5k races in many communities across the country. Because of this, athletic shoe retailers start offering some attractive incentives for these less serious runners in the hopes they’ll buy some new running or training shoes. Use this to your advantage and stock up now for yourself, or someone on your shopping list. Key retailers to check include: Road Runner Sports, Kohl’s, Amazon, Famous Footwear, and even the liquidation sale at your local Sports Authority. Not only will you find savings in the 40%-50% off range, but you’ll also see BOGO events, which help you save if you’re buying multiple pairs. 4. Laptops If you have someone on your shopping list who’s in need of a new laptop, right now is a pretty good time to shop. It’s potentially a better time to shop than during the back-to-school season at the end of the summer. If you’re an Apple person, they’re kick starting their online education page with up to a $200 discount on a new laptop. If you’re shopping for a PC user, Dell has savings in the 45% range on an Inspiron laptop. 5. Lingerie Every June, Victoria’s Secret kicks off their Semi-Annual sale and slashes the price of many products to a cool 70% off. In an effort to keep up with the competition, many other retailers will also slash their prices this time of year. Look for significant savings from Soma, Aerie by American Eagle, and even Sears. And yes, before you ask, Sears has a fairly popular lingerie and sleepwear section. The bottom line is that’s a great time to stock up and put away lingerie gift ideas until December. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of making your shopping that much easier come Christmas, and what guy doesn’t love that? 6. Dishware As we enter the peak of the wedding season, right now is a great time to shop and save on new dishware for your kitchen. This includes not only dishes, but also cups, flatware, and glassware. The good news is, you don’t have to be getting married and registered to take advantage of the savings. Look for deals in the 35%-45% off range at stores like Macy’s, Mikasa, Pfaltzgraff, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Crate & Barrel. 7. Baseball Gear As little league season across the country starts to wind down, it has many families moving onto soccer in the fall. The result is very little demand for baseball gear like bats, gloves, apparel, helmets, and various accessories. So if you know your son or daughter plans to play again next year, right now is a great time to stock up on the cheap as sporting goods retailers try to clear out this season’s baseball inventory. While buying pants and socks might be tricky because of color and sizing requirements, items like bats, gloves, and training aids can be found at a steep discount at local sporting goods retailers. Plus, check online on eBay for really good deals on gently used equipment. 8. Luggage Online luggage sellers like eBags, LuggageOnline.com, Irv’s Luggage are offering some great coupons and deals right now. Each seller has deals that include up to 70% off brands like Samsonite, Tumi, Victorinox, and American Tourister. When shopping in-store, you’ll also find luggage deals at TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls, and even a 20% off coupon for Macy’s and JCPenney. 9. Vacuum Cleaner Nothing says a romantic, thoughtful gift, like a new vacuum cleaner. Although I must say, my wife would love a new vacuum for Christmas as ours has been on its last leg for months. It still works well enough to not replace, but it takes several passes to get all the dirt sucked up. In any case, right now is an excellent time to purchase a new vacuum as most new models are released in late May, early June – making it a great time pick up last season’s clearance vacuum for cheap. Look for discounts in the 30%-40% off range on brands like Dyson, Shark, Oreck, Hoover, and even the Roomba.
