With Christmas now over and New Year right around the corner, now is probably the best time of the year to look for deals and bargains in the post-Christmas and Boxing Day sales in order to lessen the stress on your wallet in 2012. For those that enjoy window shopping around your local town, there are plenty of ways to find the very best deals in and around countless different kinds of stores from clothing and shoe stores all the way to grocery and convenience stores. Here are some tips for finding and succeeding in the sales this year:
Christmas themed items
Christmas is still technically a commercial holiday and it is a time of year when consumers probably spend more than they do all year round. Countless Christmas themed items such as mulled wine, chocolate tins, biscuit barrels, advent calendars and even Christmas cards, wrapping paper and more always see a major stock clearance after the holiday season comes to an end. Why not get a head start and treat your family to a cheeky post-Christmas treat in the sales, or why not be even smarted and stock up for next year? Mulled wine, chocolate tins, advent calendars and more will usually last until a year or more afterward, but always read the sell by and use by dates to make sure.
Seasonal items
Seasonal items defines a number of different things. Some times arrive on the shelves specifically for winter whereas others may have been there all year round without you realizing. Christmas puddings generally taste better when they have had time to ferment, so stocking up on Christmas pudding while it is on offer and saving it until next year could be a good idea. Clothes specific for the winter season such as coats, sweaters, gloves, scarves and more will be on the sale racks as stores clear out for the coming spring months so you will be able to snap up bargains in this department. Basically, when it comes to seasonal specific items, after the holidays, they will likely be much cheaper and in stock clearance, keep this in mind when shopping around town for the New Year.
Toys and gadgets
With toys, games, mobile phones, iPads and modern technology often being strategically released around the holiday season, the post-Christmas sales are the best time to shop for gadgets and toys. Shop for previous models of mobile phones rather than the latest so you can spend that little bit less and the same applied to other modern electronic gadgets. Children’s toys that are themed around Christmas will also be on sale, so consider buying these for next year to save some money. Video games also often see a dramatic drop in price in preparation for the next gaming season so take up this chance to save some cash on the latest and greatest video games on the market.
Shopping can indeed be stressful, especially around the holiday season but perhaps even more following it. The New Year can be incredibly expensive, but with a bit of smart shopping around stores in town, you could potentially save yourself a pretty penny in 2012 and beyond. Use the aforementioned list of tips to help you save money in the New Year by taking advantage of the post-seasonal sales.