Happy Mother’s Day! Congrats Grad!
If you haven't already, you will hear and see these things very soon. You will also start to see many of these sayings on cards, plates, napkins, and other party supplies, which will show up very quickly in stores.
And being proactive AFTER those events pass can help you score big and save money.
But wait, what? Can buying these things after they have passed help me save money? How can buying after an event, holiday, or season has passed help me save money?
It’s all about timing
Marketers love showcasing the newest and brightest things for an upcoming event, holiday, or season. So, of course, they will put them out several weeks ahead of that time of year to get you excited and remind you that you need to purchase said items for the upcoming event, holiday, or season. They want to capitalize on your excitement to lure you in to buy items at full price, which, in turn, could break your budget.
The key to being thrifty is timing up your execution of the “good buy.” You have to wait until AFTER the event, holiday, or season to strike because that is when stores want to get those remaining items out of their inventory. And since they want these items out of inventory (to bring in new inventory), they will discount said items. Depending on the store and how long past the season will determine how large of a discount, but I promise you, either way, you will be saving in the long run.
The waiting game is worth it
I have found shopping after a holiday or event is extremely helpful for saving money, not only on party-themed dishware but also on children’s clothing. As any parent of small children knows, kids are either rapidly destroying clothes or shoes or growing out of them. I try to shop off-season and buy up in their sizes for future use rather than wait until the season comes along and pay full price for items.
I have been able to buy winter jackets at 80% off the regular price, swim suites at a fraction of the price, and play clothes for a whole bag that normally would have cost over $100 walking out the door, down to under $20.
Patience is a Virtue
The caveat is that you now have to hold it for an entire year or several months to be able to use it. But in my personal opinion, taking up some storage space is well worth it when you can sometimes save 50 – 75% on items.
I have also been able to purchase items off-season and save them for birthday presents or holiday gifts. This makes it hard if your love language is gift-giving because your natural instinct is to give the item you just bought to the intended recipient. However, I promise, if you practice patience, it will still feel just as good giving it to them later as it does if you were to give it to them right then and there.
Planning ahead
Being proactive is part of the success of this plan. There is the off chance you may run into one of the off-season sales racks at the store, but your chances of saving more increase when you are mindful of the timing.
Many stores put their seasonal or event-themed items on sale the day or week after. If you plan to make a trip a few days after, or even the day after, you can save on wrapping paper, party supplies, decorations, and more.
Be Intentional
Our friends at Ramsey Solutions say, “Don’t buy just to save.” You need to be intentional and have a purpose for the items you are buying, not just buy them because they are a great deal. If your kids already have a pair of winter boots that will work perfectly fine and still fit them next year, don’t buy a new pair because they were “so cheap!”
Don’t buy out the Class on 2024 party supplies if you don’t plan on having a graduation party in 2024. To play it safe, stick to “Congrats, Grad!” if you have a high school junior this year.
Yes, you can get some amazing deals, but you can also spend unnecessary money if you don’t have a plan to use the items or if they will be redundant.
The purpose of shopping off-season is to help with your overall budget, not add to the total expenses. If you have never budgeted before or have tried and want to improve, our financial coach at Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers can help walk you through the process, helping you feel more confident in your budgeting habits.
The benefit of buying off-season
May 6, 2024
Lindsey Curry
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