What to Buy in August (and what to avoid!)

Each month in the retail world we can find great deals on specific items, and learn what categories to avoid that are not on sale.  Here is the best info I found on what to snag this month vs. wait a bit until a sale pops up:

What to Buy in August:

• Back-to-School Supplies – If a store carries school supplies, (even just pens), you can bet there is a sale now or soon!   If you are looking for the store with the overall cheapest supplies without having to hunt for sales or coupons, then Walmart is your best bet.
• Find out when your tax free week is!  (16 states have them!)  Dates vary, but most fall in August. On each state’s designated days, shoppers will be able to purchase select products such as computers, back-to-school supplies, and clothing without incurring any sales tax.
• Now is the time to get end of season items, such as summer apparel, kids shoes, patio furniture, & swimwear.  Fall seasonal items are already hitting the store shelves (even Halloween costumes!) so stores want to clear shelves of summer items.  That means now is the time to find the best price on beach gear, pool toys or anything else summer related.

What not to buy in August:

• TV’s – Waiting until Black Friday is best time to buy!  You still can’t beat Black Friday prices when it comes to TV’s – so hold off a few more months before you bring home a new one.
• iPhones – This month, retailers will try everything to get you to upgrade your iPhone or iPad. However, August is a bad time to do so, since Apple traditionally unveils new iPhones and iPads in September and October.  If you wait until the new models are out, then the older model prices drop considerably.
• Grills – It is still peak time for grill season – which is usually the worst time to buy a product!  Wait until late September or October for all of the great end-of-the-season grill sales!