I can hardly believe it, but Christmas has come and gone! Now is one of my favorite times of year, though...clearance time! There are a few tips/tricks for shopping clearance that I thought I would pass on to you.
Stores like Target, CVS, etc are all marking down their Christmas/Holiday sections right now. Most stores start out at 50% off right after the holiday. If there is something you really need or HAVE to have...buy it now before someone else snatches it off the shelf. But, if it's something that would just be a nice addition or something you already have a few of, then hold out. They WILL mark everything down to 75% off...and most likely even 90% off! The key is to get there on the day that everything gets marked down again to get the best selection. So, you may have to keep checking each morning if you are serious about stocking up on ornaments and Christmas lights.
Many stores also will have sales on regular merchandise this time of year. Again, be aware that sometimes these "clearance" prices that they are advertising are not necessarily as low as you are going to get. Do your homework on what a fair price is and shop around. Especially for bigger ticket items. Don't be fooled by all of those big fancy sale signs!
Make sure you use your coupons, too! There are definitely coupons out there that will help you save money at retail stores. A lot of them don't expire until 12/31, so there is time to use them!
In January you'll have a chance at stocking up on toys at Target and Walmart as they clearance out a lot of their toy sections. These toys will also be marked down to 75% or more at Target, but it's almost a sport to see if you can get there at the right time to be able to fill your cart! I love shopping the toy clearance because it allows me to fill my gift closet for the year for a fraction of the price! Many of the toys I gave my kids this Christmas were bought last year on clearance!
Above all, keep in mind that it's not a deal unless you need it. Yes, you will probably see some trinkets and decor marked down to next to nothing in the coming days/weeks. But unless it is something you really NEED and will use, don't buy it! This is probably my biggest hurdle...I find it very hard to resist a deal!
Enjoy spending some of that Christmas money!