When it comes to shopping, it seems like you always miss the best opportunity to buy something. For some reason you always seem to buy what you want or need just a few days before it goes on sale, or you happen to just miss the sale and have to pay full price again. One way or another you always seem to miss that sweet spot that is the best time to buy that one thing you really wanted. However, there are ways to determine when the best time to buy everything is: in fact, there’s almost a science to it, and armed with that knowledge you can get the best deals all of the time.

Of course, you probably already know that there are certain times of the year in which some products are cheaper than usual. This happens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes a store is trying to get rid of old stock. Sometimes the item is simply not in season. Or perhaps the item is unpopular at certain times of the year. Either way, under circumstances like these, many different items will be either more expensive or less expensive. For a quick example, let’s use swimming trunks and pool toys; during the summer months, these items are more expensive, because they are more likely to be purchased. During the winter months the prices are reduced because they are expected to sell less during the cold season. In the end, that’s the whole formula. Items are more expensive when they are expected to sell and less expensive when they are not, simple as that.

What to Buy in January, February and March

We’ll break down the times of the year with four quarters, three months each. aThe first quarter is January, February, and March. One of the products you can get at a reduced price during this time is boats. This quarter is not boating season, and as we discussed earlier, products that are not in season are often sold at a reduced price. Ironically, this quarter is not boat season, but it is boat show season. That means you can often get a really great deal on a very recent boat model at such shows. Why it's boat show season when it isn't even boating season is anyone's guess.

Computer monitors and accessories are often quite affordable during this quarter. While there is no particular reason for it other than the fact that it is tradition by now, electronics clearances are most common during this quarter, particularly in January and February.

Other products that find themselves at a reduced price during these months are air conditioners and gas grills. Why? Well, it’s awfully cold in most places during those months, so either you aren’t outside grilling or your house needs to be warmed instead of cooled. Granted, it’s not very useful to buy them at this time, but you can always procure them during the first quarter simply to be used later when they are needed.

Believe it or not wedding supplies and services are cheaper at this time as well. The majority of engaged couples get married in the spring, making that the most expensive time to procure wedding supplies and book a venue for the wedding itself. Because this is the case, it is much cheaper to buy wedding supplies and book a venue in the winter.

In a notion that is somewhat opposite to the overarching guideline we provided earlier, winter clothing is also cheaper during this first annual period, particularly the later into the period you are. It is pretty much assumed by sellers that everyone has bought their winter clothing within a month or two of winter starting. That’s why, if you wait until the latter half of the winter months, you can often buy winter clothing for far cheaper.

Of course, there are other items during this quarter that sell for low prices as well. There are often massive clothing sales immediately after Christmas. Rugs and flooring also sell at nominal prices during January, as are bedding and sheets and even furniture. All of these sell especially cheap in January because stores are often trying to get rid of old stock and replace it with new ones. Other products that sell at lower prices in January are motorcycles (because they are out of season) and video games.

As for February, many cell phone deals exist that revolve around Valentine’s Day for some reason. Whatever that reason is, you can often get an amazing deal or even buy one get one free. Of course, chocolate is also something that is easily acquired at a super low price, provided that you buy it after Valentine’s Day.

March is a great time to buy items that are in-between their seasons, such as luggage in regards to vacations and golf clubs because newer models are likely coming out to replace the old ones. It’s also National Frozen Food Month, so believe it or not all of those are cheaper as well.

What to Buy in April, May and June

The second quarter includes April, May, and June. There are many items that sell better in this time frame as well, such as televisions and various electronic equipment. The Japanese fiscal year ends in March, so they tend to get rid of nearly all of their older models soon afterwards. If you’re OK with last year’s model you can get it for cheap right around here. One particular electronic that is sold around this time at a great price is digital cameras, if you are, again, willing to own a slightly older model.

In a sense, houses are a good buy during this quarter, but not because they are cheaper. In fact, buying a house during the second quarter is more expensive than buying one in the first quarter, however, there is a much wider selection of homes in the second quarter than the first, making it a better time to buy a home if you want more to choose from.

The second quarter is also a great time to take advantage of graduation sales, specifically for cookware and other kitchen equipment. Stores tend to sell these important products at the approximate time of graduation for the soon to be full-fledged adults that need them, and there is certainly no reason you cannot take advantage of that sale as well.

You can also take advantage of thrift stores and their spring cleaning operations. Many thrift stores are eager to clear out some of that extra stuff that’s taking up space in their stores, so if you want to go bargain hunting, the second quarter is a great time to do it. Even vacuum cleaners can be acquired at a low price during this time because new models come out in June.

As for the months in particular, you can turn to April for sneakers. Warmer weather means more working out and exercise by more people, and that means footwear stores are going to be enacting sales while sneakers are a hot item. Clearly that’s something you should take advantage of.

May is a great time to buy larger household items, like refrigerators. New refrigerator models come out in May, meaning the older models get discounted. If you haven’t figured it out by now, the best deals always include buying the older model as opposed to the brand new one. The same can be said of mattresses, which are also available at a great price during May, and office furniture, which is often available at a reduced price after tax day.

As for June, it is a great time to buy dishes, which are usually on sale because of wedding season, and gym equipment or memberships. The latter is true because many gyms are suffering from poor attendance around this time, so they are eager or even downright desperate to bring in more members for their gym. For the same reason gym equipment for the home is usually discounted as well. It’s also a good time to buy power tools, because Father’s Day is right around the corner and that’s everyone’s default present.

What to Buy in July, August and September

The third quarter includes July, August, and September, and is a great time to buy computers. This is because Intel and AMD are bringing out new stuff, making the old ones more affordable, and back to school sales often bring some great deals to the table as well. It’s probably one of the most affordable times to buy computers all year.

Because new stuff comes out in August, July is another month that has great furniture clearances. This includes home decor discounts because its wedding season, so be sure to get all of the fancy draperies and silverware you need. July is also an excellent month for purchasing power tools, and PC games are available at a great price around this time as well thanks to summer sales.

August sends kids off to dorms, and that means dorm supplies become cheap and popular. This includes linens and storage containers, and a variety of other things that one would consider useful to have in their dorm. It’s also a great time to purchase office furniture, kid’s clothing thanks to the back to school fever, school supplies for the exact same reason, and swimwear because, well, it’s summer’s end, when everyone is getting rid of the inventory that won’t be needed for fall.

Speaking of the end of summer, September is the best time to buy appliances, with the exception of the refrigerators that were being sold in May. Most new appliance models come out right around this time of year, meaning you can purchase the older models for cheap. This is also something you can probably buy at a nominal price during October as well.

In a similar manner to this, the best time to buy bicycles is also during September, since it is the end of the biking season and new models are coming out. This is also about the time that new car models are coming out, which means many car lots will be aiming to clear out the older models so they’ll have room for all of the new stuff. Needless to say, this means that you can get some great deals on cars. Finally, as winter comes closer, most summer equipment gets liquidated, meaning you can buy things like lawnmowers at a reduced price compared to the normal cost. Holiday airfare and wine also tend to be on sale during September.

What to Buy in October, November and December

Finally, you have the fourth quarter, October, November, and December. Because the new car models came out this is still a good time to buy older models at a killer price. It’s also roughly when holiday deals start coming into effect, which includes silverware and other kitchen equipment. Cookware is usually on sale all quarter, meaning you have three months and then some to acquire everything you need. This is another good time to buy digital cameras thanks to the announcement of new models during this time, and again, now that it gets cold, things like outdoor grills and air conditioners will be available at a reduced cost. If you have somewhere you can store plants to last, this is also when they go on massive sale, since it is unlikely any of them will survive the winter at the store’s outdoor section and they need to be liquidated. And of course, with Christmas as the primary holiday of this quarter, you can get great deals on toys and games during this quarter as well, with them getting better and better the closer you get to Christmas itself. Speaking of which, now that winter is back, the aforementioned cheap wedding deals are back in effect as well, so why not enjoy a Christmas wedding for much cheaper than a summer one would cost?

As mentioned previously, October is right up there along with September in terms of great deals for appliances. For everything except refrigerators, now is the time to get them. It’s also an excellent time to get Broadway tickets if you are interested, because it is the off-season for Broadway and is not as busy or as profitable as they usually are. Jeans tend to go on sale because so many of them are left over after the back to school rush we all either love or hate, so it’s a good time to acquire a few pairs of jeans as well. And with winter coming into full swing, outdoor equipment and furniture like patio chairs and swings will be hugely discounted too, so definitely take advantage of that.

As far as Fall is concerned, November allows you to get the best possible deals on appliances, more so than either October or December. You’ll still have to settle for the older models, but old is a relative term when it is only a matter of a few years. You can also get a huge amount of candy around this time, because of how much surplus is always leftover from Halloween. Granted, most of this candy may be Halloween themed and they aren’t always the most popular brands. It’s also a great time to purchase electronics of all sorts, mostly because of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. These are the two times when pretty much everything is on sale at ridiculously low prices, making it the ideal time to buy something that is usually expensive, like computers, televisions, or other electronics. Of course, considering the inherent dangers of those days, it’s up to you to decide if such risks are worth it. Finally, November is a great time to buy tools, which tend to be significantly discounted at around this time.

As for December, you can buy champagne for really cheap during the month because the demand is so high and all of the providers are competing with each other. Buy all the holiday champagne you want, because it’s cheapest during the time it is most coveted. For opposite reasons, you can acquire golf clubs for fairly decent prices at this time because it is the off-season for golf and chances are the demand for golf clubs is not very high. This is also the reason why pools are so inexpensive in December. Who buys a pool in December, so why bother charging a lot for it? This is store logic that you can take advantage of and have a pool cheaply installed and ready for summer. You can also still get electronics for really good prices even after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, In fact, good deals on electronics usually last until the Super Bowl, so you have plenty of time to go and find what you need out there and buy it while it is still affordable.

The Best Time to Buy Everything During the Week

These are all of the months and annual periods in which things are sold at good prices, but did you know there are days of the week in which certain goods are cheaper as well? Appliances are most affordable on Sundays, when people tend to be out shopping for such things. You can almost always find good deals on large products like this during holidays as well, no matter how minor they are.

Electronics, including televisions, video games, cameras, and more are cheapest on Mondays, when manufacturers apply rebates to them. This makes it the best time to advance the technological level of your household.

Entertainment venues, such as museums, amusement parks, and similar attractions tend to be cheaper in the middle of the week, when there are less people who have the time to actually get out and do such things. Certain venues may even have free admission days every once in a while.

Even gas has a time of week when it is cheaper, that being the weekdays. Gas is more expensive on the weekends when more people are driving about and driving longer distances, and the prices usually go up by Thursday, so fill your tank before that to save a decent amount of money on road tax. Finally, you have chocolate, which everyone already knows the general rule of thumb for: if a holiday traditionally includes chocolate, you can buy a ton of it for really cheap after the holiday itself is over. Easter, Christmas, Valentine’s Day: whatever it is, if it has something to do with chocolate you can rest assured that you can get that chocolate for really cheap immediately afterwards.

In the end, the best way to ensure that you know the best time to buy anything and everything is to simply keep an eye out for amazing deals and bargains as you go about your day to day business. A keen and observant eye will spot better deals and better bargains than others on any day of the week or any month of the year. That said, keep in mind what is supposed to be available at a discount and you’ll find those deals much more easily.