Aaaah, yes….one of my favorite sights to behold….Those beautiful red and orange clearance tags. This time of year they are popping up all over, almost as if they are flowers blooming. This is the time to take advantage of some great summer clearance sales.
Clearance sales can either save you money or else they can get you into financial trouble. Don’t use clearance sales as an excuse to over shop! When you are shopping clearance, make sure you play smart in order to save the most money:
Buy only what you really need.
Remember that when you get a great deal you are only saving money if the purchase is a necessary one. Stocking up on next year’s clothes for the kids is a money saver, but buying extra items that you don’t need is just spending more moneyt. Make a commitment to only buy things that you are certain you would have to pay more for later.
Time it right.
Sometimes, it is advantageous to wait around for the real bargains. Clearance items often get marked down a few times before they get sold. If you think that a clearance sale will be better if you wait a week, don’t rush into buying. On the other hand, make sure you don’t wait too long, or else the clearance items will be picked through. It may be helpful to ask a store associate how long the items will be on the shelves or when they will be marked down again.
Stock up.
Clearance items are great for stocking up on things that you’ll need later. They are also great opportunities for purchasing items that you have been waiting to buy until they were on sale. There are also many items that you can stock away as gifts. End of summer is the perfect time to buy beach towels, ice chests, outdoor furniture, etc. In most parts of the country there is still plenty of time this year to use these great summer buys.