Tip Tuesday.......Know What's On Sale & When

Alright, everyone!!!! As promised I'm about to present to you the list for knowing what's on sale and when. Having this list could save you a ton of money and will help you to stock up.

I normally keep this list in my Home Management Binder or my Coupon Binder. I know several people that use this list all the time.

1. January 

This is the BEST time to stock up on all holiday-related items. The markdown is seriously anywhere from 50% to 90% off. That's a huge savings people!!!!!!

• Diet Foods: Lean Cuisine, Kashi, Healthy Choice, South Beach, Special K, Smart Start, oatmeal and diet aids
• Winter Health: Cold medicines, vitamins, cough syrup 
• Seasonal Produce: Pears, cabbages, oranges, broccoli, cauliflower, grapefruit, tangerines, carrots, celery, collards, kale, avocados, spinach, and chard.
• Super Bowl Sunday: Veggie trays, chips, dip, cheese, sodas, sandwich items, snacks, cut fruit, crackers, and wings
• Other Items: Discount gift cards, bedding during Winter White Sales, tea, calendars

2. February 

There are so many things on sale after the Superbowl, Valentine's Day, President's Day, and Chinese New Year. It's time to stockpile!!!!! Plus like I said in a previous post, this is the reason why we celebrate VDay after the 14th.......just saying. 

• National Canned Food Month: Canned vegetables, fruit, soups, pie fillings, meats: tuna, chicken, salmon
• National Hot Breakfast Month: Frozen waffles, Cream of Wheat, oatmeal, waffle & pancake mix, syrup, sausage, bacon, and hashbrowns 
• Seasonal Produce: Asparagus, carrots, artichokes, broccoli, chard, collards, cauliflower, celery, oranges, grapefruit, turnips, kale, pears, parsnips, and potatoes
• Valentine's Day: Boxed and bar chocolate, lubricants & KY jelly, perfume, cards, stuffed animals, candles, gift sets, and wine/sparkling cider
• Other Items on Sale: Flowers other than red roses, canned water chestnuts, sports gear, big screens from the previous year, and soy sauce

3. March

Did you know that March is National Frozen Food Month? This means that it's an awesome time to stock up on all your favorite frozen foods.

• Frozen Food Month: Frozen meals & entrees, side dishes, veggies, and desserts & juice concentrate
• St. Patrick's Day: Decorations, Irish soda bread, corned beef, and cabbage
• March Madness: Cut fruit & veggie trays, sandwich items, chips, dips, cheese, soda, crackers, snacks, and wings
• Spring/Easter: Decorations, accessories, baskets, eggs & egg dyeing kits, candy, ham, strawberries, gift sets, and dresses
• Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, carrots, celery, grapes, lemons, grapefruit, limes, mushrooms, onions, radishes, spinach, strawberries, peas, and rhubarb 
• Other Items On Sale: Luggage
• Clearance: Winter clothing, ski & sledding equipment, and snow shovels

4. April

I don't know about you but I LOVE April. Between Easter and the start of Spring, it's a wonderful time. All of the Easter items are at really low prices.

• Easter: Decorations, egg-dyeing kits, baskets & grass, toys, games, candy, chocolate, spring dresses & apparel 
• Spring: Bird feeders, spring cleaning supplies, gardening equipment & seeds, umbrellas & raincoats, rain boots, and allergy medicine
• Earth Day: CFL & LED lighting, reusable bags & water bottles, Energy Star appliances, natural & organic foods & personal care products
• Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, avocados, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, carrots, grapefruit, peas, strawberries, and rhubarb
• Other Items on Sale: Discounted gym memberships, secondhand garage sale items, last-minute cruise deals, tax discounts, and end-of-fiscal-year electronics

5. May

Get ready to fire up the grills and celebrate Memorial Day weekend which has amazing deals. May kicks off with Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day. Now if you're a mother like me, I don't mind getting discounted gifts after Mother's Day.

• Mother's Day: Photo frames, gift sets, bouquets, candles, jewelry, crafts, perfume, and chocolate
• Cinco de Mayo: Salsa, shredded cheese, tortillas, tortilla chips, canned & refried beans, shredded lettuce, pinatas & pinata fillers, frozen Mexican entrees & snacks which include taquitos, mini tacos, and chimichangas.
• Memorial Day: Sandwich fixings, charcoal, BBQ sauce, ketchup, condiments, salad dressing, plastic utensils, potato chips, dips, and paper plates
• Seasonal Produce: Potatoes, beets, artichokes, peas in the pod, asparagus, blackberries, avocados, carrots, corn, green beans, onions, raspberries, and strawberries
• Gardening: Flowers, seeds, watering cans, plants, compost buckets, water hoses, weed killer, mulch, plant food, and soil
• Things For Summer: Lawn mowers, barbecues, grilling utensils, sunscreen, outdoor furniture, insect repellent, shorts, sun hats, beach toys, and bird feeders
• Other Items on Sale: Mattresses and military discounts

6. June

Happy National Dairy Month!!!!! Get ready for rarely see discounted items like milk for only $1.84. Also, there are huge savings on seasonal fruits and vegetables. Don't forget about those gifts for Father's Day.

• National Dairy Month: Ice cream, cheese, eggs, yogurt, butter, and milk (look for FREE milk Catalinas when you buy cereal promos)
• Fourth of July: BBQ sauce, hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, salad dressing, mustard & mayo, ketchup, charcoal, potato chips, dips, Popsicles, soda, relish, ice cream, and frozen treats
• Gardening: Flowers, seeds, watering cans, plants, compost buckets, water hoses, weed killer, mulch, plant food, and soil
• Things For Summer: Lawn mowers, barbecues, grilling utensils, sunscreen, outdoor furniture, insect repellent, shorts, sun hats, beach toys, bird feeders, swimwear, sandals, kid pools, and sandboxes
• Seasonal Produce: Potatoes, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cherries, cucumbers, eggplant, grapes, honeydew, nectarines, peaches,  avocados, corn, red onions, raspberries, strawberries, apricots, summer squash, sweet Vidalia onions, tomatoes, and watermelon
• Other Items on Sale: FREE donuts in honor of National Donut Day on June 5th, and tools
• Clearance: Umbrellas, rain boots, jackets, sweaters, and floral wreaths from Memorial Day

7. July

July is the perfect time to start looking for those early back-to-school deals and it's National Ice Cream Month. Not only that, there are several produce items that are for really low prices.

• 4th of July BBQ Sales: BBQ sauce, charcoal, hot dogs, hamburgers, ketchup, condiments, salad dressing, potato chips, dips, and picnic items
• National Ice Cream Month: Ice cream, fudgesicles, drumsticks, and popsicles
• Back-to-School-Sales: Backpacks, folders, binders, crayons, and pencils
• Seasonal Produce: Blueberries, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, figs, grapes, nectarines, red onions, green beans, peaches, sweet bell peppers, Asian pears, Bartlett pears, strawberries, watermelon, plums, potatoes, and summer squash
• Other Items on Sale: Paper goods, sunscreen, and insect repellent

8. August

It's back-to-school time in August and I know most parents love and hate this time of year. Thankfully you will see huge discounts on every kind of supply your child will need. 

• Back-to-School Supplies: Paper, binders, erasers, pens, crayons, markers, notebooks, backpacks, note cards, glue, tissue boxes, sticky notes, scissors, staplers, and USB flash drives
• Disinfectants: Hand sanitizer, Clorox & Lysol wipes, and sprays
• School Lunch Items: Single serve juices, Lunchables, chips, crackers, pudding cups, lunch meat, and PB&J
• Seasonal Produce: Avocados, berries, cherries, corn on the cob, figs, onions, cucumbers, eggplant, peaches, plums, green beans, melons, peppers, watermelon, summer squash, tomatillos, and tomatoes
• Other Items on Sale: Camping gear, fans, laptops, sunscreen, insect repellent, sunflowers, charcoal, swimsuits, gardening supplies, and seeds

9. September

Sales during the month of September are mainly focused around Labor Day. You will find some great deals from then until Black Friday. I will normally stock up my home office around this time. Yes, it's a little picked over but the deals are worth it. 

• Back-to-School Items: Backpacks, folders, pens, pencils, paper (filler & printing), erasers, binders, and dividers
• Labor Day: Shoes & apparel, movie theater perks (free popcorn, soda, & concession candy/snacks), weekend travel or park passes, restaurant deals, and party supplies & snacks
• College Savings: College supplies, incentives to open 529 savings plans, incentives to open college savings accounts (for parents & students)
• Kids' Health Items: National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month: Lunch boxes, kids' first aid supplies, healthy foods for kids, prepackaged kids' health lunches & snacks
• Seasonal Produce: Squash, tomatillos, tomatoes, kale, collards, Brussel sprouts, apples, beans, artichokes, cucumbers, onions, eggplant, pears (Asian & Barlett), grapes, and peppers (bell & chili)
• Other Items on Sale: Fresh-cut flowers and bikes
• Summer Clearance Items: Charcoal & lighters/lighter fluid, bug spray, fans & air conditioners, camping gear, gardening supplies, and BBQ supplies including grills

10. October

Get ready to find great deals on Halloween candy and costumes marked down to almost 75% just days before Halloween. This is also a good time to stock up on spices before the holidays because those prices will go up. 

And PLEASE let's not skip over Thanksgiving and dive right into Christmas!!!!!

• Baking Goods: (mid-October to late December): Canned pumpkin, baking chips, evaporated milk, and pie crust (mix & ready-made frozen)
• Swimwear: Cover-ups, shorts, swimsuits, flip-flops, goggles - retailers are eager to unload these items in most parts of the country, where temperatures are rapidly falling
• Snow Removal Gear: Shovels, de-icers, and snowblowers
• Seasonal Produce: Pears, apples, artichokes, arugula, beets, brussels sprouts, chard, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cranberries, mustard greens, parsnips, potatoes, pomegranates, pumpkins, yams, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and turnips
• Other Items on Sale: Oils and broths

11. November

Probably one of the most skipped over month except on the day of Thanksgiving!!!!!! Everyone is running around crazy and planning their Black Friday shopping. But you can find great deals on Halloween costumes and decorations. Don't forget to stock up on all of those fixings for your holiday meals. And unfortunately, let's not forget that this is usually the start of Cold & Flu Season so be prepared to stock up on medicines and bleach......lots and lots of bleach!!!!

• Baking Goods: Cake & brownie mixes, evaporated milk, nuts, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, cream cheese, and coconut
• Canned Foods: Vegetables & fruits, spaghetti sauce, soup, and broth
• Cooking Gear: Flatware, pots & pans, cookware, and knives
• Seasonal Produce: Apples of all varieties, brussels sprouts, beets, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, lemons, oranges, celery, cranberries, kiwis, pears (Anjou & Comice), pomegranates, pumpkin, squash, and yams
• Cold & Flu: Tylenol Cold & Flu, Nyquil, Hall's, and tissues
• Black Friday/Cyber Monday: Appliances, housewares, toys, clothing, and electronics
• Other Items on Sale: Wedding gowns & accessories, peanut butter, peanuts, kids' toys, flower bulbs, and athletic shoes
• Seasonal Clearance: Halloween Clearance, outdoor furniture, rakes, and bikes

12. December

Tis the seasons to save money......Seriously though......grocery deals are still around but the biggest savings is right after Christmas. We're talking about big-ticket items that can be up to 80% off. As an extra bonus, all the Christmas decor and gifts will be on sale at amazing prices.

• Baking Goods: Whipped cream, butter, sugar, flour, cake mixes, marshmallows, brownie mixes, muffin mixes, bread, and pie crusts
• Canned Foods: Spaghetti sauce, broth, condensed milk, soup, vegetables, and fruit
• Holiday Dinner: Cranberry sauce, gravy mixes, eggnog, deli platters, sparkling cider, Jell-O & marshmallows, instant potatoes, dinner rolls, and frozen pies
• Seasonal Produce: Apples, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, citrus fruits, dates, kale, leeks, mushrooms, papayas, onions, spinach, bok choy, pomegranates, radishes, sweet potatoes, and winter squash
• Golf Gear: Clubs, gloves, and apparel
• Other Items on Sale: Gift cards, sparkling wine, electronics, jewelry, and toys
• Clearance Items: Thanksgiving decorations, table settings, and turkey carving products

There you have it!!! That's the complete list of what's on sale and when. I hope you find this helpful.

@livingtobudget