For two years, I’ve been shopping for a new red coat. Challenging and time consuming, including returning one I ordered online that didn’t fit, I finally bought an O.K. purple one. Then, I saw a brown plaid Pendleton coat advertised on Facebook for $50. Wow, I thought, that’s a great price. So, I ordered it although it isn’t a color that I like at all.
Every week, I write and send out my newsletter Helpful Money Tips for You. This week’s newsletter has a number of financial tips that will be valuable to to you and your family during 2024. See it below. I’m getting a lot of compliments on the newsletter. People like it because it’s brief and has information from a variety of sources that they can put to use right away.
Although many people are tired of shopping after the holidays and the bank account may be low, sales in January are worth taking a look at. DealNews.com suggests: Holiday leftovers — Holiday chocolates, decorations, holiday decor, and clothing are possibilities for savings. Small kitchen appliances — Expect to see savings on a variety of small appliances.
The holidays are a big time for spending and gift giving. Americans are expected to spend between 3 percent and 4 percent more in 2023 than last year, about $957.3 billion and $966.6 billion, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. That’s about $875 per person on gifts, decorations, food, and other holiday-related purchases.
With an increase in the use of the internet for shopping, the lines between Black Friday and Cyber Monday are blurring. However, my biggest Black Friday shopping recommendation, compare prices, also applies to Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday continues to be the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created.
In recent years, Black Friday sales have changed. They’re starting earlier and many are now online. That means fewer people are crowding to the malls. However, some people still love the rush and the doorbusters. In my weekly newsletter, sign up here, https://tinyurl.com/makeyourmoneywork, I’ve been saying for weeks to compare prices.
Although Black Friday is a few weeks away, you can find lots of deals available so you can start comparing prices now. Like last year, the 2023 holiday sale season started early, with major retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target offering big sitewide events in early October. A difference is this year prices will remain steady through Black Friday.
October isn’t one of the best months for sales, but it does has plenty to offer as far as deals go. Black Friday has started to stretch into the middle of the month instead of just happening in November. And, October is also well-known for Halloween sales. For the best things to buy in October, DealNews.com offers these suggestions:
Labor Day these days is all about beaches, barbecues, games such as baseball, football, and volleyball, and shopping. It’s also a great weekend for travel. This year, 57 percent of Americans plan to travel for Labor Day weekend, more than 150 million will enjoy a barbecue or picnic, and thousands will attend a college football game.
