In 2017, you may resolve to save more, spend less or budget better. Whatever your money goal, the one common key to your success is shopping smart. That means knowing when’s the best time to buy just about anything. To help you out, we’ve created a purchase calendar to plan your shopping for the year. With a fresh page on the calendar comes a fresh start for sales. These products are discounted in : It’s the month of love and gift giving, but might be a better time to buy major items for yourself than trinkets for your loved one. There aren’t any major shopping holidays in March, but that doesn’t mean sales are lacking. Look for sales on these products: St. Patrick’s Day essentials. has its fair share of spring deals and discounts, including:Buying a vacuum isn’t the most exciting purchase, but it’ll be less painful if you take advantage of a spring cleaning sale. Look for these at department stores as well as manufacturers like Dyson.
April showers bring flowers — and sales blossom then, too. Here’s a look at some products to consider buying this month:Use May discounts as a perfect opportunity to buy small kitchen appliances, such as coffee makers and blenders. These products normally are included in the home discount portion of Memorial Day sales. may be one of the shorter months of the year, but its supply of shopping events isn’t lacking. Smart purchases include these products: The temperature usually rises in , but the prices of certain products drop. Consider buying these items during the summer: Close out summer by buying summer products? Look for end-of-season clearance sales in : With deals on items as varied as electronics and back-to-school supplies, is a surprising month for good buys. Pick up reasonable prices in these departments: Don’t let the cost of shopping spook you during the Halloween season. There will be plenty of deals on these product categories in :
is the month for sales, which means some of the most popular tech products fall to their lowest prices: The end of the year is just the beginning for discounts in some product categories. Look for sale prices on these products in : Courtney Jespersen is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Updated Jan. 3, 2017.A good night’s sleep means the day ahead is that much easier, breezier, and relaxed. No one wants to wake up with a backache or try to fall asleep on a mattress that’s bumpier than the forest floor. If you feel like you’re stuck in a new rendition of “The Princess and the Pea,” it might be time to buy a new mattress. Memorial Day weekend is historically one of the best times of the year to buy a mattress, but it’s still important for you to be prepared with purchasing knowledge before you set foot in the store. Labor Day weekend in September is also one of the best times to buy a new mattress. Find out what other great September deals you can expect to find, plus many more in our monthly deals guide!
I’ve spent my career talking about saving money, but I also believe that there are certain things that you should invest in. A mattress is one of those items. A good night’s sleep is priceless and a mattress isn’t something you buy every year. So, working within your budget to buy the best bed you can afford is important. That said, of course you still want to get the best deal on your dream mattress! Here are some tips on how to buy a mattress for the perfect night’s sleep. I recently purchased two and here’s what I learned! This is because the same mattress may be at two different stores, but under a different name and model. Manufacturers oftentimes will create a mattress for a particular retailer under a certain name. So, make sure you go into the store and test the floor models out. Some salespeople will know the inside scoop on comparing, but many times they won’t have this information. Keep in mind a floor model may have been on the sales floor for months, so it may be much softer than the one you would receive.
Make sure you ask a knowledgeable salesperson how long the mattress has been on the floor and how much firmer your new one would be. You can negotiate prices at a mattresses store. I recently found a store website that had a special offer online. I brought in the offer and the store honored it as well as an additional discount. If they won’t nudge on the price, ask for free delivery, rails, sheets, or even pillows. In some stores, you can save big bucks on floor models and some past returned items. These mattresses are sanitized and resold. If you decide to go this route, ask the store to honor a guarantee and warranty on the structure of the mattress. I’ve exchanged mattresses in the past, and many mattress stores will allow you to return or exchange your mattress if it isn’t comfortable. Most will ask you to give it several weeks to months to see if the mattress will break in for you before returning. Ask about restocking and pick-up fees so that you are aware of any associated costs.
Make sure you understand the warranty and what it covers. It should be at least 10 years. Find out if the cost of the mattress includes the rails. If it does, great! If not, ask if your current rails will work with the new mattress before buying new ones. Check for coupon codes before you make your purchase! You can find codes for free shipping and dollars off at popular mattress stores like Mattress Firm, US Mattress, and Sleep Train Mattress Centers, as well as department stores that sell new mattresses like Macy’s, JCPenney, and Sears. Keep an eye out for sales on mattresses like JCPenney’s in-store coupon for an extra 10% off select mattresses! Ask about a mattress protector in case you do want to make a return. Some stores will not accept an exchange unless you have had one of their waterproof mattress protectors on the mattress. And finally, if the mattress begins to sag in the middle after your return/exchange period is up, be sure to let the store know.