Are you getting a discount because school is beginning or because summer is ending? Do you care? Either way, you’re not paying retail.
USA Today reports on the pluses of procrastination: There are bargains to be had by consumers who still haven’t completed back-to-school shopping lists for their kids. Just like waiting until December 24 to buy Christmas presents can yield bargains, shoppers who have put off buying backpacks, pencil boxes, and other back-to-school can expect deals now at least through Labor Day from retailers like Office Depot, JC Penney, L.L. Bean, Staples, and Walmart. Some sample sales:
Walmart, through Sept. 20, is selling 70-sheet notebooks for 15 cents. For 25 cents it’s offering 100-sheet composition books; 24-count Crayola crayon boxes and 4-ounce bottles of Elmer’s School Glue.
WalletPop, meanwhile, presents a video that’s chintzy on specific offers but makes a valid point: Deal hunters should know that now is the time to scoop up cheap barbecue grills, bathing suits, and other goods past their seasonal prime. For that matter, throughout the year, there are lots of opportunities to save money simply by timing your purchases right. As its name indicates, FreeShipping’s “Best Time to Buy Guide” lists the best seasons (and in some cases, specific days of the week) for getting deals on more than 75 purchases, from boats to TVs, cell phones to wine.