Kiplinger's Monthly Guide to the Best Sales: When to Buy Stuff

To get the best deals, you've got to know when to shop, according to the folks at Kiplinger's Personal Finance. Some purchases are difficult to time perfectly, such as stocks, airplane tickets and gas. But many other consumer staples—from cars to electronics to produce—go on sale predictably at certain times of the year. To help you plan your purchases (and save a bundle), Kiplinger.com has developed a Month-by-Month Guide to Best Bargains.

JULY:

· Furniture. New furniture hits showrooms in August, which means you can save 10% to 50% in July as retailers make room for the new inventory

· Broadway tickets. The official Broadway season kicks off in the fall, so summer is a good time to see the outgoing year's hits at cheaper prices. Look for discounts of up to 50%. Not in the Big Apple? Check out your city's consolidated ticket booth to snag a last-minute deal on theater admission year-round.

AUGUST:

· Patio furniture. Buy outdoor furniture in August as summer wraps up and retailers clear out their inventory. You'll still have a couple months of nice weather to enjoy your purchase — not to mention you'll be ready for next year. Retailers usually start marking down pieces around July 4, but the big discounts (up to 50% off) roll in during August.

· Outdoor toys. August is the best time to buy swimming gear, swing sets, beach toys and other items for outdoor fun as retailers make room on their shelves for fall and winter merchandise. Look for discounts of 30% to 75%.

· School and office supplies. Even if you don't have a student in your household, you can benefit during the back-to-school shopping season, when retailers offer some of the year's lowest prices on pens, pencils, paper and notebooks. You can also find bargains on staplers, printer paper, file folders and other home-office necessities.

· Swimwear. The August/September back-to-school shopping season is also a great time to buy swimwear. Families' minds—and wallets—shift from summer to fall, so retailers clear out bikinis and replace them with coats.


ALL SUMMER LONG:

· Produce. From strawberries and peaches to tomatoes and corn, fruits and vegetables abound in June, July and August. This glut of supply makes for a good time to stock up. You can freeze, can or dry the bounty for eating in the leaner months ahead. See www.fruitseasons.com/ to find out what's in season. --source: Kiplinger.com

Here's the complete month-by-month buyer’s guide.

Jeans for 99 Cents & Other Consignment Store Deals

Consignment stores offer value and selection. That's what my sister Debra discovered after she complained about the cost of maternity clothes at a national chain. A fashionable co-worker shared her money-saving secret:

Try consignment shops, which include items that are new with original tags. Shopping with a friend, my sister purchased a wardrobe of affordable maternity outfits and school clothes for a 10-year-old boy at a well-organized consignment store. Here's how they filled the shopping bag.

• Red-tag specials. Consignment and thrift stores have weekly specials, including red-tag sales on different categories of merchandise. For example, my sister and her friend found several outfits, including jeans and school clothes, for a total of $12. The price included a 50-percent discount from the weekly red-tag special. The affordable clothes were ideal for the pre-teen, who had outgrown his last wardrobe within months.

• Fruitful deals. At one national chain, my sister found a pair of maternity jeans for $79. At the consignment store, Debra found six pair of jeans and dress slacks, in excellent condition, for $10.20 and a pair of maternity denim shorts for 99 cents. At those prices, my sister was able to splurge on a wardrobe that she would need for less than a year.

• Seasonal garments. Consignment stores are an excellent place to hunt for ski clothes and other specialty outfits that may have been barely or never worn. For example, at one upscale consignment store, a friend spotted a full selection of ski clothes for pre-teens and teenagers. The deals included an insulated overall set for $12.

• Designer fashions. At one consignment store in a fashionable shopping district, I've found designer clothes, including Chanel bags, Prada dresses and Manolo Blahnik shoes. The prices are steep, but far less than the full retail prices at designer outlets.
______________

Sharon is the author of the Frugal Duchess: How to Live Well and Save Money and a contributing writer in Wise Bread's 10,0001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget.

Stashing a Can of Coke in the Company Frig Saves $140

A friend of mine skips past the vending machine where a can or bottle of Diet Coke is $1.25 per container. Instead, from home she brings a can of soda to work every day for a lot less. She purchases a case of soda from the grocery store for a fraction of the unit price charged by the vending machine. Every morning, she chills the can in the office frig until mid-afternoon when she needs a shot of caffeine.

Consider the numbers: Office Depot sells a case of Diet Coke for $12.99. For that price, you get 24 cans of 12-ounce soda for $12.99 or 54 cents a can. In five days, she saves: $3.55. For a one-month period, she saves: $14.20, which equals: $170.40 over a 12-month period.

Here are other Diet Coke prices:

• 32-pack for $15.99 or 49 cents a can at San Francisco Wine Trading Company
• 24-pack for $8.63 or 36 cents a can at Bright Shine

Of course, instead of soda, juice or sports drinks, we could all drink free filtered water from the fountain or kitchen sink. Water is a healthier, no-calorie drink without preservatives, artificial flavors, sugar or sugar-substitutes.

______________

Here's how to buy my book:

@ Amazon.com
@ Barnes & Noble
@ Borders
@ Target.com

Treadmill Vs. The Sweater: How I Spent a Day Without Spending

Monday was a well-spent day. Except for two household bills, I spent the day without spending money. Here's how I halted the money trail.

Limited Breakfast Menu: I had a full breakfast, but the menu was limited to the food that was already in the fridge and in the cupboard. I prepared what I owned, and the menu included: organic vanilla yogurt, blueberries, nuts and a granola bar that was a freebie from some promotion. The coffee was a frugal DIY blend, spiked with half-and-half cream and sweetened with sugar.

• Free Lunch: My willpower was still strong at noon, and I resisted the urge to buy prepared lunch goodies or even additional DIY fixings. The plate was full from a previous shopping trip.

• Treadmill vs. The Sweater: Several laps on a treadmill and nearly two miles on a stationary bike fortified my thrifty lunch hour resolve. The half-hour workout depleted the shopping drive, which meant that the cute black sweater from Ann Taylor Loft stayed in the store and out of my shopping bag.

• Public Transportation: I get around town by taking buses, trains and long walks. My metro pass -- purchased at a discount -- eliminates the daily fumble for bus and train fare.

• Automatic Door Avoidance: While waiting at the bus stop, I avoided two bakeries, one coffee shop and the automatic doors at CVS and Walgreens. I've learned my lessons from past shopping mistakes.

_____________

Here's how to buy my book:

@ Amazon.com
@ Barnes & Noble
@ Borders
@ Target.com

And This is Why I Avoid Shopping - A Hijacked Cart

Candy is my gateway drug for higher spending. Tonight, I just wanted a box of Jujyfruits candy for $1.49, but I left with a bill for 10 times that amount: $14.80. My shopping cart was hijacked by poor planning, and I don't plan to make that mistake again.


Here's what how I veered off the frugal path, and here's how I plan to adjust:

• Candy: Although I feast on organic fruits and vegetables, I have a weakness for Gummi Bears and fruity, chewy candies. In contradiction of my all-natural health values, my sweet tooth involves ingesting lots of artificial colors and flavors. The hidden health and dental costs should prohibit me. I should eat less candy. As a gateway drug, it's clear that my urge to buy a small box of candy has sent me spiraling down the path of greater expenses.

• Automatic Doors: Why do so many stores have automatic doors? Answer: Even as you try to scoot by without entering, the automatic doors pull you in. And once inside, the cash register is a magnet for your wallet. Solution: Avoid automatic doors and don't take the first step inside of most retail stores.

• Shopping List: If I had entered the store with a shopping list, I would have left the store with more money. Without a list, I walked around and convinced myself that I needed: Burt's Bees Super Shiny Zesty Red Natural Lip Gloss ($6.99), Women's World magazine ($1.79) and cotton pads for my face ($2.99).

• Exit Strategy: Once I picked up the box of candy, I should have marched to the cash register and then headed to the red exit sign. The best exit strategy: Do not stop at "Go." Do not linger at "Free Parking." This is real life Monopoly, and the store is high-rent property.

______________

Here's how to buy my new book:

@ Amazon.com
@ Barnes & Noble
@ Borders
@ Target.com

How to Fill Your Shopping Cart & Spend Less

Whether we are browsing for home accessories or clothing for your children, shopping can be expensive. But Kathy Luisi, a Central Florida mother of four boys, has created and tested a frugal shopping system.

Her shopping trips begin with an empty cart. Without much attention to price tags, Luisi fills her basket with anything and everything that catches her eye, including gadgets for the home or clothes.

''I go through the motions of picking it up and looking at it,'' Luisi says. "I walk around the store [with the merchandise] and I feel like I own it.''
But before she hits the checkout line, reality settles in. Luisi seriously considers the items in her cart and usually discovers that essentials account for only 25 percent.

''Then I put the rest back,'' Luisi says.

This system, she says, offers a cure for the fleeting sense of ''I-gotta-have-it'' that typically hits in stores or malls. Pushing around a cart of fanciful garments and gadgets satisfies the craving for new merchandise without the expense of a full-blown shopping trip.

Here are some holiday shopping tips from the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast:

• Establish a budget. Find and stick to your financial boundaries for holiday purchases, decorating and travel.

• Trim your gift list. Give friends, family and co-workers a reality check by agreeing to cut back on the cost of gifts. Set price limits or find other ways to celebrate, including parties or homemade presents.

• Shop at nontraditional stores. Thrift stores, consignment shops and antique stores offer a range of merchandise, including one-of-a-kind items that may be perfect for a friend or relative.

• Look for the best deals. Coupons, promotions and rebates are available if you shop online or in stores.
______________

My Son's BOGO Clothes: a Library for Hip-Hop Teen Fashion

My teenage son's wardrobe is a mix of hip-hop elegance and edgy, preppy fashion. To look hot and save money, he and a buddy have started a clothes co-op, featuring fashion from American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap and other teen-trendy-friendly stores.

Here's how it works: My son and one of his best friends are the same size. At age 16, their tastes in clothes include flavor-of-the month fashions and a few classics. Well-trained in red-tag specials, they like to buy stuff on sale. But during one recent mall outing, they had a frugal AHA! moment, based on the following realization:

Let's get more for our money --or pay less -- by splitting the costs of clothes and then sharing the items. It's a real BOGO (Buy-One-Get-One Free) wardrobe deal. Their collection of shared items includes sunglasses, jeans, shirts, hats, belts, chains and more.

"We decided that because we're the same size, we might as well share a lot of our stuff," my son told me this morning when I asked for permission to write this post. "We get double the wardrobe."

More importantly, the kids aren't wasting a lot of money on trendy stuff that is hot-hot-hot on Wednesday and outdated by Saturday. The borrowing system works because they live in the same area and stay in touch about the items in the clothes library:

"Sometimes, he'll just call me up and tell me: 'I'm going to a party tonight, I really want those jeans,' " my son explained when we chatted about how the system works.

______________

Here's how to buy my new book:

@ Amazon.com
@ Barnes & Noble
@ Borders
@ Target.com

My Blue Shoe Day -- Thrift Wins Over Fashion: Lessons from a Color Clash!

Today I was stranded at the gym with blue leather shoes. They're definitely hot shoes, but not with the outfit I was wearing. Buying new a shirt or a matching accessory was an option, but I decided to be frugal rather than fashionable.

The scenario: The non-profit company that I work for has a free gym for employees. For the last several weeks, I've run a daily brisk mile on the treadmill and lifted a few weights. Today, I tried a new routine. Rather than work out in the middle or end of the workday, I hit the free gym before work.

Great idea. I had my gym shoes. I had the rubber shower shoes ($2.49 from CVS), but the Joan and David black leather pumps ($7 dollars on sale at Marshalls versus the full price of $90) were not in my gym bag.

No problem. I typically have an extra pair or two stashed in my office. But today, only the blue shoes were left. They're a pair of Nine West Shoes ($6 on sale ) made from soft blue leather and three-inch stacked heels.

These shoes look hot with the $15 powder blue, light wool suit I found at a yard sale or the blue and brown skirt that was a hand-me-down from a friend. But today, I looked like a fashion don't, as in: don't mix those colors!

The administrative assistant in the office very was kind. She looked at my outfit and studied the situation.

"Do you have an appointment today? Do you have a meeting? Do you have to see anyone today?"

No. No. No, I said. My only appointment was with the keyboard and phone.

"Well. You're fine," she said, adding: "The shoes look...OK."

I wasn't convinced. The clash annoyed me and I knew that I could easily pick up a matching or complementing shirt for under $10 at the shopping center located dangerously across from my office. After a quick stop at the clearance sections at Gap and Ann Taylor Loft, I returned back to the office without making a purchase.

I learned a lot from my day of clashing colors:

1) Pack carefully. Whether you're going to a foreign country or just to the gym, it pays to double check your bags. Shopping for missing items can cost time or money.

2) Don't settle for near matches. To her credit, the salesclerk at Ann Taylor Loft nixed the blue shirts that I had selected as possible replacements. "Your blue shoes are much lighter than that," she said. I discovered that almost-but-not-quite matches can look worse than an outright clash.

3) Ignore your shoes. No one cared about my clashing shoes but me.

4) Turn a mistake into a fashion statement. So what if my black skirt and and yellow sweater set clashed with the baby blue shoes? I converted my error into a bold trend of extreme accent colors.

5) Whatever! By midday, I stopped caring about my shoes, my sweater and skirt. Hurricanes are threatening parts of the U.S. A historical presidential election is underway and my shoes don't match. Big Deal. Make life really happen!

6) Convert mistakes. My fashion mistake sparked a very productive day. I spent a lot of time in my office writing.

______________

Here's how to buy my new book:

@ Amazon.com
@ Barnes & Noble
@ Borders
@ Target.com