Staying Fit
Temperatures may still be frigid outside, but sales heat up in February as retail stores discount goods for big shopping events throughout the month.
“We had this little break in January from the holiday sales, but now retailers and shoppers are ready for deals again,” says Kimberly Palmer, a spokesperson with personal finance website NerdWallet.
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You’ll find deals on big-ticket items around Presidents’ Day weekend (Feb. 18-20 this year), romance-related products for Valentine’s Day Feb. 14, and televisions ahead of the Super Bowl. Read on for more insights on the types of products that retailers often market down this time of year.
Televisions
Super Bowl LVII will air on Sunday, Feb. 12. Manufacturers often aim to announce new television models by the end of January or early February to capitalize on excited shoppers looking to upgrade their TVs ahead of the big game.
“When the new models are released, that means the older models go on deeper discount,” Palmer says. “So if you’re flexible to buy an older model, you can find even better deals.”
While the deals typically aren’t quite as low as those available on Black Friday, this is the second-best time of the year to purchase a new set.
Where to look for deals: Target, Best Buy, Amazon
Potential savings: Up to 50 percent off
Appliances
Many retailers use the long Presidents’ Day weekend as an opportunity to post big sales on large appliances like washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators. If the discount offered isn’t good enough, consider asking the salesclerk whether they can do better. A January survey by Consumer Reports found that shoppers who haggled with a salesperson over an appliance price received an average discount of more than $100 .
Where to look for deals: Sears, Home Depot, local appliance stores
Potential savings: 30 to 40 percent or more
Winter coats and accessories
It may still feel like winter in February, but retailers are already looking ahead to spring, which means this is the month to find clearance deals on cold-weather clothing items like winter coats, hats, gloves and boots. Prices may be particularly low over Presidents’ Day weekend but selections could become sparser toward the end of the month.
“As soon as the end of winter is in sight, retailers start marking down those items, but they’re not going to replace them,” Palmer says. “They’re going to sell them until they run out.”
So, if you wear a common size or want a popular color you might want to look for it in the first week or two of February.
Where to look for deals: Macy’s, JCPenney, Old Navy
Potential savings: Up to 70 percent
