GUEST POST--Saving big by buying out of season!

Saving Big by Buying Out of Season

Planning ahead can save you a surprising amount of money

Too much of what we buy is wildly overpriced, because we buy it when everybody else does. If you’ve ever been to a craft store right after Christmas or Halloween and seen decorations going for 75% or 90% off, you’ve had a taste of how much you could save. Check out these other big-ticket items that become much more affordable out of season.

1. Holiday decorations and costumes

This is an obvious one, and it’s easy to save on. At almost any time of year, you can go to a craft store and pick up decorations from the holiday that just passed, at ridiculously low prices. In early October, all those Halloween costume stores start cropping up all over town, and if they don’t sell their inventory by Halloween, they have to pay a year’s rent on a warehouse to store everything—so it’s worth your time to pay them a visit on November 1^st. Of course, their stock will be somewhat limited, but there’s almost always some great stuff left over.

2. Prom/Homecoming Dresses

Prom dresses are an item you may not have considered; but in June and July, you can find beautiful, designer items, even Mori Lee and Jovani dresses, at slashed prices almost everywhere. This doesn’t just go for used dresses, although they are cheap and plentiful right after prom season; even if your teenager has her heart set on a new dress, buying out of season can potentially cut the cost in half. The same goes for buying a homecoming dress—if you can shop for these dresses in the off-season of your teen’s sophomore or junior year, it’ll take some of the financial sting out of a very special, but very expensive time.

4. Seasonal sports equipment

Sports equipment is another category that can be way too expensive in season, and surprisingly affordable afterward. Do a little Googling (we’ll wait)—this time of year, you’ll find skis and snowboards going for 30-50% off at every major outlet. The same goes for big-ticket items like wakeboards, wave runners, waterskis, and trampolines in the fall. This is also a great antidote to impulse buying: the lure of running straight to the slopes in brand new skis might push you to spend a lot of money on a passing fancy, but if you’re ready to wait a couple months to break in your new toy, it’s probably something you really want.

3. Home improvements

The winter months are slow for the construction industry in general, but for seasonal improvements like sprinkler systems and swimming pools especially, you can find skilled contractors who are hungry for your business and willing to offer a deal. Resist the temptation for just one summer, and wait until October or November to call your pool contractor—you’ll be amazed at how much cheaper it gets. What’s true of skis and trampolines is even truer of a swimming pool—when you decide to drop a couple thousand dollars on a pool in the winter, you know it’s worth the money to you.

5. Christmas gifts

You might not be able to afford to do all your Christmas shopping right around New Years, but if you haven’t totally broken the bank, ease into it; hit the after-Christmas sales and see what you can pick up. Not only will you find many things at deep discounts, but it will also spread out the stress and financial burden of your next December. Then, next Christmas, you might find yourself able to do ­all of the following year’s shopping that January, and save even more money.

Smaller items to buy out of season might include garden supplies, swimsuits, warm clothes, and spring dresses. What have you bought out of season, and how much did you save? Let us know in the comments!