July Is Bursting With Bargains

It’s not exactly Christmas in July, but as retail traffic slows in the summer, retailers lean into heavy discounts on a range of products to lure shoppers back into stores.

Kicking off the month are Fourth of July weekend sales, which will stretch across four days this year since Independence Day falls on a Tuesday. You’ll see sales on patriotic items and anything red, white and blue, but many retailers use the holiday as an excuse for promotions on other merchandise as well.

The following week, you’ll see merchants drop prices either for annual sales events or to compete with Amazon Prime Day, one of the site’s largest sales events of the year, which takes place on July 11 and 12. Target will drop prices for Circle Week July 9-15 for members of the Target Circle loyalty programs, and Nordstrom hosts its annual anniversary sale this year from July 17-Aug. 6 (although Nordstrom cardholders can get early access).

If the idea of shopping in the July heat has you sweating, keep in mind that July is National Ice Cream Month, so you can cool off with deals on frozen treats at supermarkets and ice cream shops. Plus, on July 11 (7/11), you can score a free Slurpee from 7-Eleven in honor of its eponymous date.

Below, you’ll find some of the specific categories where you may find discounted items in July.

Mattresses

Like other big shopping weekends such as Memorial or Labor Day, the Fourth of July weekend is one of the best opportunities to find a deal on a mattress from a variety of retailers, including brick-and-mortar shops, department stores and online brands.

“Retailers are constantly looking for promotional windows to take advantage of to sell those big-ticket items,” says Brad Godwin, head of retail partnerships at Shopkick.

Expect to see additional sales on mattress-related products, such as sheets, memory foam toppers and pillows, and keep in mind that if you’re buying in-store, you may be able to negotiate on the price or delivery costs.

Where to look for deals: Mattress Firm, Nectar Sleep, Overstock

Potential savings: Up to 60 percent off

Tools

Hardware stores also tend to have large promotions around the Fourth of July, with sales on a variety of tools and other hardware supplies for do-it-yourselfers working on summer projects.

“Father’s Day just passed, so if retailers didn’t move enough tools then, they’re going to try to get rid of them before the rest of the summer, while it’s still warm out and people are still doing outdoor work,” says Michelle Madhok, CEO of SheFinds, a fashion news and deals website.

These stores will likely also have discounts on grills, but if you can wait until August, you’ll see even bigger savings.

Where to look for deals: Home Depot, Harbor Freight, Sears