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February’s Sizzling Shopping Deals
The weather is cold, but the deals are hot
Danielle Del Plato
February may be the shortest month of the year (despite that extra day this year), but retailers still manage to pack in a range of sales events.
The promotions you’ll see this month include deals related to Presidents’ Weekend (Feb. 17-19 this year) and Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14). There may be some sales ahead of the Super Bowl (Feb. 11), and possibly even some small sales to celebrate Leap Day (Feb. 29). Plus, retailers will be discounting items throughout the month in a bid to start moving out winter pieces to make way for spring inventory.
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“There’s a lot of seasonality in retail in February that makes shopping interesting,” says Sarah Jankowski, director of user growth and integrated marketing at Shopkick. “I’ve even seen Easter in stores already, so everyone is trying to push anything winter out of there.”
Keep in mind that some retailers will start their Presidents’ Day sales even before the holiday weekend or extend them through the following week. Here’s a look at some of the categories where, according to shopping experts, you’ll find sales this time of year, as well as where to shop and how much you could save.
Mattresses
Presidents’ Weekend is the first long holiday weekend of the year, and it’s also one of the best times to invest in upgrading your mattress — and your sleeping situation.
“In general, rather than product-specific sales, you’re going to see storewide discounts,” says Kimberly Palmer, a consumer expert with NerdWallet. “That’s typical of the three-day holiday sales.”
You’ll find mattresses on sale at department and furniture stores as well as in both brick-and-mortar and online specialty mattress retailers.
Where to find deals: Casper, Serta, Sleep Number
Potential savings: 40 percent off or more, plus bonus gifts with purchase such as pillows or mattress toppers
Appliances
Like mattresses, appliances are one of those large purchases on which retailers make big price cuts to entice shoppers during Presidents’ Weekend. You’ll find deals on all large appliances, including washers and dryers, refrigerators, ovens and dishwashers. In general, retailers will offer big discounts on purchases of multiple appliances.
Purchasing an eco-friendly appliance? Plug the product and your zip code into this tool at EnergyStar.gov to see whether you may be able to boost your savings even more with a rebate.
“We typically see the biggest discounts at the Big Box stores and department stores, and at major retailers like Amazon and Target,” Palmer says. “But there will be sales everywhere, so you can also shop local. Sometimes if they aren’t explicitly matching prices of their competitors, there might still be room for negotiation.”
Where to find deals: Lowe’s, Best Buy, local appliance stores
Potential savings: 30 to 40 percent or more
Technology
While laptops, cellphones and gaming consoles may not be the types of products traditionally discounted during Presidents’ Day sales, retailers in recent years have been leaning in to promotions for such items in mid-February.
“In this category, there may be fewer items that qualify for the discounts, so it may not be exactly what you’re looking for, but it’s definitely worth checking out what’s on sale,” says Julie Ramhold, a senior staff writer and consumer analyst at DealNews.
Where to find deals: HP, Lenovo, Dell
Potential savings: 50 percent or more of select items
Valentine’s Day merch
While there will likely be some sales on jewelry, chocolate or flowers leading up to Cupid’s Day (look for V-Day coupon codes if you’re shopping online), you’ll find far bigger discounts starting on the 15th, with prices falling even further as the week progresses on all things red and pink.
“Valentine’s Day is on a Wednesday this year, so if you’re waiting until the weekend to celebrate, I’d wait until after Valentine’s Day to buy the candy or the heart-shaped whatever,” Jankowski says.
Where to find deals: Target, CVS, Walmart
Potential savings: 80 percent or more
Winter clothing
Winter may last a few more weeks, but apparel retailers are already making room for spring as they move winter clothing over to their clearance racks. That makes this month a great time to find deals on all cold-weather clothing, including jackets, snow pants, boots, hats and gloves. While deals may fall even further next month, the selection will also become sparser.
One caveat for such purchases, however: Read the fine print.
“A lot of those clearance items are a final sale,” says budgeting expert Andrea Woroch. “So if it’s for yourself, make sure to double check the size and fit will work.”
Where to find deals: Nordstrom, JCPenney, Old Navy
Potential savings: Up to 70 percent
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