What are the BEST Things to Buy in August?
As you likely know, August is a great month for scoring TONS of deals on school supplies, but what else can you get on the cheap? Here are some of the best ways to save in August…
1.) Office Supplies
You can find BIG savings at office supply stores (such as Staples and Office Depot/OfficeMax) on many items, beyond crayons, pencils and notebooks. Copy paper, ink, card stock, tape, folders, office chairs, computer accessories, and other office items are all on sale with deep discounts this month.
2.) Summer Clothes and Accessories
School uniforms are cheapest during August (especially at stores like Old Navy and Target), but this is also the month to stock up on summer clothes for next year at The Children’s Place and other stores. Shopping the clearance section is the best way to get more for your money, but that means planning ahead. Be sure to size up enough for your little ones.
Don’t worry, even if they outgrow them before wearing them, you have a good chance of reselling them for as much as you paid.
3.) Pools and Accessories
Most summer stuff starts to go on clearance this month, and that includes pools and pool accessories. Stock up on goggles, swim diapers, beach towels, and that ginormous slide your kids spent the whole summer begging you for because the neighbors have one.
4.) Outdoor Furniture
Remember that gorgeous patio set that you drooled over just as much as your kids begged for the ginormous water slide? Well, it’s going on clearance this month, and you deserve it. Shop in store to find the biggest discounts (such as Target, Sears, Walmart, and The Home Depot) and be prepared to mix and match pieces. Don’t forget to add a fire pit!
5.) That New Grill
Remember the way you drooled over the patio set and the kids drooled over the water slide? That’s how your hubby has been eyeing a new grill, and they’re set to go on clearance this month too at home improvement stores, like The Home Depot. Watch out for great deals on grill accessories as well!
6.) Toys and Games
Do your Christmas shopping in July! If you don’t mind last year’s models (think characters/movies that are so last year), this is a great time to stock up for birthdays and Christmas.
Many stores (including Target, Walmart and others) are making room for the pre-Christmas rush of new toys, characters, games, and gaming systems, so they’re liquidating older models. This is a great time to snag a few small items for holiday gift exchanges or last minute birthday parties.
7.) Household Essentials
This month, many retail stores offer great deals on household items, like tissues, baby wipes, sanitizing wipes, soap, tape, and Ziploc bags. However, you can also score great deals from home on sites like Amazon and Jet.com!
Household items like facial tissues and Clorox wipes are the sometimes forgotten back-to-school items that we all need, so pick up a case or two from your favorite big box or online store, and send a couple to school with your kiddos. Your kid’s teachers will thank you!
A few things to hold off buying:
Laptops and tablets: While you may be able to find a few decent deals on laptops, you’ll find the best deals after Black Friday, so hold off on these typical back-to-school items if you can.
TVs, cameras, and other electronics: These items also go on sale just before Christmas.
Coats and boots: If you live in an area that will stay relatively warm until November, hold off on these items that are just coming out. Of course, it’s best to buy these at the end of the season on clearance anyway.
Appliances: Most major appliances go on sale Nov-Jan, so if you’re looking to upgrade, wait it out a few more months.
A new car: According to Autotrader, “Buying a new car at the end of the calendar year remains a good strategy because it follows the same logic as these other buying techniques; it’s based on when the dealer is most anxious to negotiate. But the window for buying is relatively small, and not all shoppers can afford to wait. So hit the dealership any time demand is low — even on a rainy or snowy day — and you’ll be more likely to save compared to the shopper who negotiates when the dealer is busy closing sales.”
Anyone know of a good stock up price for the bigger (2-3″) heavy duty view binders? I need like 2 dozen of them…
i’m looking for a deal on 1/2 in binders with pockets. all the deals seem to be on one inch
I can’t find the 1/2 inch ones at all!
Don’t forget your garden. Lowe’s is almost giving away plants, shrubs, and trees! Most are between 50 and 75% off!!!
Thanks Sonya! Good call!
With new car buying, if one cannot wait until winter, wait until the end of the month. Dealerships get huge bonuses if they can hit their monthly marker in sales. If they are a few away, and it’s the last few days of the month, you may be able to negotiate a crazy good deal. A dealer will take a hit on a car (below their actual cost, not talking about the inflated invoice price) because they’ll be able to make a profit off it from the monthly bonus from the manufacturer. In some dealerships, you’ll be able to see how close they are because they’ll have a calendar on a wall or glass window inside the building with days or numbers marked.
I find that used car shopping is a tad different. The wiggle room isn’t there because there’s no manufacturer bonus. However, you can score a better price on a 4WD vehicle in the summer. They sell much slower in the summer than the winter. They’re hot in the winter because most people think about snow and want that 4WD, so there’s demand. The opposite is true for sedans. They don’t sell as great in the winter as they do in the summer. At the end of summer, parents and their kids are trying to find a nice sedan for college and they aren’t thinking about what the winter will bring. Also, if possible, find a car that’s been on the lot for a while. The longer it’s been sitting there, the more inclined the dealer is to get rid of it. Obviously, make sure a mechanic has a look before purchase. There could be a very good reason it’s been on the lot for a long time.
Thanks for the tips about car buying!
Thank you, Rachel!
love Jet.com for grocery staples – they have the lowest price on Almond butter – I ordered yesterday using a 20% off any grocery purchase over $75 to get the 27oz Almond Butter Jars for $8.xx which is less than half of what they are on Amazon
When is the best time to buy a used can? Anyone have experience with this?
Should be van not can!
“Well, it’s going on clearance this month, and you deserve it” Isn’t it ideologies like this, that get people into financial trouble? That being said, I appreciate the list of what to keep my eye out for.
I was also thrown off by this line…I agree it’s still good to watch your spending and how your purchases fit into your budget, no matter what the discount is!
How about gas/electric grills? Is now a good time to buy?
I got a great deal last year at Best Buy on a computer IF you are a student…. This was around Aug/Sept
Except on Long Island! lol! Our clearance is a joke! They think we’re all rich living in the Hamptons lol!