WHAT2BUY in JUNE, part 2

Part One of WHAT2BUY in June focused
in on the supermarket deals.
In the Frugal Yankee's second part of WHAT2BUY in JUNE, we'll be focusing on things other than food. That topic is covered in part one. As we've said in the past, even though there may be good deals out there, this does not mean you should buy it. It is only a good deal if you need tit and if it is a good deal. That is what being a Frugal Yankee is all about.

Summer is here. When a season hits its full stride, it means several things. One thing it means is that all those fancy, latest fashion duds (clothes) that came into the stores six to eight weeks ago is ready to go from full price to the discount racks. Retailers need to move the stuff out the doors to make room for the in-coming fall clothes. This is the time to consider looking at the discount racks. This is the early stage of the discounting. This means the prices haven't hit bottom, at least not yet. What it does mean is the prices will lower and the selection will be greater. As the summer progresses, those clothes that don't sell will see lower and lower prices, but there won't be as big a selection as there is now. The trick is to balance off desire for an item with how long it will be on the discount racks.

With Father's Day fast approaching many retailers will offer up lose leaders to draw people in especially places that sell tools. Father's Day and tools is almost a no brainer, but this is a good time to look around for those items needed on the work bench or the garage. Even after the day of paternal celebration ends, those retailer who guessed wrong and have too many tools leftover, will be looking to lower their stock by offering even better deals.

Two appliances, and the Frugal Yankee uses that word loosely, can also be found at relatively good deals. The best one is refrigerators. Look for appliance stores to offer some very decent deals. The new models come to the show rooms in May for Mother's Day. The older models go on sale and those that did not sell on May are now reduced even more in June. A Frugal Yankee will also take a close look at demo models and even those that have some surface blemishes. if the blemish will be facing a wall, why not buy it? No one will see the blemish and the pocketbook will enjoy the good price.

The other 'appliance' that goes on sale in June is televisions sets. This year 3D sets are being pushed by dealers. Don't buy one unless you have too much money and there is a desire to be the first on your block, neither of which fits the definition of a Frugal Yankee. But new TVs will be arriving in the stores in late summer for early fall roll-outs. This means that from June through late August, television sets will see 25 to 40% markdowns. Expect plasma sets to be affordably priced as they go head to head with 3D sets. If money isn't there for a TV, another good time to buy is December.

Many of the big box home improvement stores have seen an uptick in home remodeling purchases. The products being sold are basic improvement projects like paint and other simple, easy to do projects. To help that end of their product lines, they will be offering deals on a variety of products. Look closely at their circulars for loss leader deals. Take advantage of these especially if you have projects in mind.

In this economy certain luxury items are not doing well at all. This means if you have the money and the desire these items can be negotiated with vigor. One such item is pianos. Head over to the piano store and make your best deal. Along similar lines, this would be a great time to either buy or re-negotiate a gym membership. With summer in full bloom, most folks are exercising outside. This means cash flow at gyms stinks. Negotiate a lower monthly rate or no enrollment fee. Perhaps consider moving to a new gym, one that is offering strong promotions to get you in.

A few other items to look for good deals are ice cream, popsicles, ice tea mixes, soda and bottled water. These will be used as loss leader lures as summer time BBQs, picnics and trips to the beach grab hold of most folks. Best bet is to look at supermarket circular to see which store is offering the best deal, then stock up.

Overall, there aren't a ton of deals to be had in June especially with non-food items. There are deals with food and the frugal Yankee encourages you to check out part one of this WHAT TO BUY I JUNE series. Yet that being said, the savvy shopper can find deals on some items, but please remember, buying anything just because it is on sale, is not what the smart Frugal Yankee does.




Attachment	Size
SummerSale.jpg	35.28 KB
70% Off.jpg	45.77 KB
GymMember.jpg	31.5 KB
Sale.jpg	25.85 KB
FY Logo041110.jpg	41.84 KB
70Off.jpg	45.75 KB