[ daily deals ] :: what to shop for in store

I've mentioned before that I keep an ongoing "wish list" of items that I want but don't need. When I see those items on sale or final clearance at a rock-bottom price, then I snatch them up! This keeps me from 1) impulse buying, 2) making emotional buying decisions, and 3) paying too much money!


Certain items go on sale at their cheapest price at particular times of the year. For example, in October you'll notice that these items are on sale at grocery stores:

Apples
Pears
Potatoes & sweet potatoes
Winter squash
Cabbage & other cruciferous veggies (broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc)
Pumpkin everything
Baking items (flour, sugar, pie crusts, etc.)
Candy (although, if you wait until the day of Halloween or just after, the candy goes on sale)


Why are these produce items cheaper? Because they're in season! Towards the end of October you'll see more and more root vegetables on sale, like carrots and turnips. If you're waiting until Thanksgiving to buy your baking supplies and canned pumpkin, then you might be overpaying! Sometimes stores will have these items on sale the week before turkey-day, but not at their lowest price.

Next up, my favorite thing to shop for - clothes! All of those back to school clothes are hitting the clearance racks. If you saw something you liked in the store in August, odds are it's being marked down now. Couple that with store coupons and you have one sweet deal! Like right now - 20% off at Old Navy, or 30% if you use your store credit card.

Damn. Now I looked at their cute new stuff for fall. I'm doomed.

Check it out though: This t-shirt was $12.94, was marked down to $5.00, and is now $4.00 with the discount.

Or this one - was $9.50, marked down to $4.00, and is now $3.20 with the discount. Of course, Old Navy has a ton of stuff on sale so you can score more great deals on dresses, pants, and shorts (some are marked as low as $5.00 before discount).

Finally, since the weather is cooling down you'll see outdoor and gardening items on sale. Next time you are at your local home improvement store think about picking up:

Patio furniture
Trees, shrubs, and bulbs
Grills (gas and charcoal)
Yard tools and equipment
Pool supplies and covers

The Hubs and I are trying to score a deal on a safety cover for our pool (holy cow, they are expensive!) but it will save us on maintenance this winter. What kinds of items are you looking for this fall?

- Maggie White