Memorial Day sales are among the best of the year. Retailers are slashing prices on everything from big-ticket appliances to backyard essentials.
However, keep comparing prices throughout the sales. The deepest discounts are concentrated during the four-day weekend from Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25. Some deals extend into Tuesday or Wednesday, but inventory on the best items thins out fast after Monday.
Look for deals on the following items, according to DealNews.com and SmartSMSSolutions:
Major appliances
Memorial Day is widely considered the second-best time of year – only after Black Friday – to invest in major household appliances. Manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, and GE usually launch their new models in the late spring, which forces big-box retailers to clear out existing inventory to make room on the showroom floor. You can expect to see price cuts of 35 percent to 50 percent on refrigerators, dishwashers, and laundry equipment. May is also a good time to buy high-BTU air conditioners and dehumidifiers before the first major heatwave spikes demand and prices.
Mattresses and bedding
If you need a new bed, May is the best month of the year to replace your mattress. The industry follows a specific inventory cycle: manufacturers usually unveil their latest designs and sleep technology at major industry trade shows during the summer, which means retailers need to sell current showroom stock throughout May to make room for June deliveries.
During this window, it is common to find discounts ranging from 30 percent to 60 percent for brands such as Sealy and Tempur-Pedic and “bed-in-a-box” brands such as Nectar and DreamCloud. To sweeten the deal, retailers often move beyond price cuts and lean heavily into “sleep bundles.”
Home furniture and outdoor living
Whether you need a new bedroom set, a dining table, or a sofa, you can get them for up to 75 percent off. In addition, Memorial Day marks the start of the outdoor season. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Wayfair, and Target all run aggressive patio furniture sales, usually 20 percent to 40 percent off sets, umbrellas, cushions, and accessories. This is a strong category because retailers need to move spring inventory before summer collections arrive.
Spring apparel
Because it’s toward the end of the season, Memorial Day a good time to shop for spring apparel. Retailers will be making way for new summer items, and that means you could score deep discounts on spring looks.
Cookware
May kicks off the summer wedding season, and summer and early fall are still the most popular times to get married. Cookware is one of those items that makes it onto wedding registries as well as gift lists for new graduates; it can even be a good choice for mom if she enjoys cooking. Look for lower prices during the Memorial Day sales.
Home goods
White sales in January are one of the best times to buy home goods such as bedding and bath items. But, May is a decent time to shop for home goods, as well. Look for deals on king sheets, pillows, bed in a bag sets, pillows, and towels.
With Memorial Day markdowns, you can buy high-ticket items at some of the year’s lowest prices.
However, wait to buy TVs, laptops, tablets, athletic apparel, lingerie, perennial plants, summer apparel, and grills.
