Butter production spikes in June and July, so stock up now. You can freeze it for up to six months.
With few bubbly-worthy holidays on the horizon, look for discounts on sparkling wines.
No sane person would want to be outside painting now, right? Maybe that’s why retailers slash prices on interior and exterior paints in late summer.
If your living room is starting to look lackluster, end-of-summer furniture sales couldn’t come at a better time. New furnishings usually arrive in stores in February and August, so capitalize on retailers’ need to offload past-season styles.
Summer might be half over, but there is plenty of time for outdoor entertaining. Now that Memorial Day and the Fourth of July have come and gone, grills get serious markdowns. Check local big-box retailers and GrillsDirect.com.
If your backyard needs a facelift, scoop up patio furniture now. Retailers start moving leftover outdoor furnishings to clearance about mid-July.
Get ahead of the holiday rush and scoop up a lower-priced gym membership now. The bonus? You’ll be in the workout habit before it’s time to work off the Christmas carbs.
You’ll probably see discounts on older-model computers and MP3 players, as updated versions land on shelves in early fall.
“Retailers are trying to sell off older models before October, when the holiday rush starts,’’ says Allison Kade of the personal finance site LearnVest.com. “But if you want a newer model, wait until September, when you’ll see discounts timed for back-to-school,’’ says Maria Lin, LearnVest’s editor in chief.
Lin points to Apple’s current deal: Get an education discount and save $50 to $200 on a new Mac, and get a $100 gift card to use for apps, music, and e-books.
If you don’t mind storing them, pick up discounted swim accessories as retailers clear out stock at the end of the summer. The same goes for camping gear. You might be anxiously awaiting the end of grass-cutting for the season, but don’t overlook deals on lawnmowers this month.
And retailers cut prices on linens, desk organizers, and storage containers in the hopes of attracting college-bound consumers.
Holly E. Thomas writes for The Washington Post.
