Shop smart this weekend and you'll save big on summer needs. The discounts start as early as today in the run-up to the Fourth of July.
The pre-Independence Day sales rate as a great time to buy summer sportswear that's been marked down from the spring, national shopping expert Brent Shelton of FatWallet.
He also says major furniture stores are motivated to move inventory this weekend – and that other good buys include kids' clothes, air conditioners and outdoor sporting gear.
He says to wait on electronics, jeans and laptops, though, until prices go lower later this year.
Shelton shares with NewsRadio 740 KTRH the Fat Wallet guide on what to buy and want to hold off on, followed by his own analysis:
‘BUY,’ HE SAYS
Outdoor Sporting Gear: As summer vacations ramp, hiking, camping and fishing gear will see deep discounts, as will some of the best deals of the summer on pools and outdoor toys and games as big box and sporting goods stores advertise 4th of July sales early and often.
Swimwear: Fourth of July sales may not be the best for all summer clothing, but for swimwear and beachwear, sales features top brands and site-wide category discounts ranging from 25-75 percent off.
Kids Clothing: Popular clothing brands offer site-wide sales that focus on summer apparel for children and babies. Saving of 20-40 percent can be found on shorts, polos, dresses and sandals as retailers look to make room for new back-to-school items later in July.
Air Conditioners: Both savings and selection will fall out of favor after July 4th sales events. Stores like Walmart and Sears will discount portable and discount window units upwards of 25 percent. Procrastinating until July warms up can result in a purchase with less features and benefits for a similar or higher price.
Furniture: July is one of the best months to purchase furniture for the home. July 4th sales kick-off clearance of last year’s living room and bedroom sets as furniture stores are reducing prices on existing inventory to make room for new models arriving in late August.
‘WAIT,’ HE SAYS
Electronics: Those seeking good deals on most consumer electronics products will want to hold off until Prime Day and Back to School sales. Better pricing on Amazon products (Echo, Dot, Fire Tablets, Kindles and Fire TV), as well as TVs, home theatre and wireless tech heats up more after the holiday.
Jeans and denim: The best denim sales of the year happen during August’s Back to School events for kids and in October for adults. Waiting can offer shoppers twice the savings over buying jeans in July.
Laptops and Tablets: Main back-to-school laptops deals loom large in late July and August. Waiting offers parents a much larger selection of desktop, tablet and laptop deals that stack with additional savings from 2016 Tax Holidays, student discounts and shopping rewards, often better than Black Friday deals.