February is home to many amazing deals that will lure you in and allow you to enjoy post-holiday shopping without worry. However, there are many things that you should probably avoid shopping for if you want to get the most out of your budget during this amazing month of sales. Luckily, as long as you know what to avoid you should be able get the most out of your shopping experience while holding out for the right time to buy the items on this list. So, hold tight, because these ten items should be avoided until later in the year to ensure you don’t wind up spending way more money than you have to.
1. Skip Valentine’s Day
You may think that shopping Valentine’s Day clearance is a must during this month, but you may be surprised by how much money you’ll save if you don’t. At the beginning of the month, Valentine’s Day items will be full price until the middle of the month when the holiday actually occurs. After that, items like chocolate and cards will hit the sales shelf, but they won’t be at a very high discount. Like most of these sales, you’ll have to wait a couple of weeks after the holiday to ensure the best possible deal, which will take you straight into the month of March. Jewelry, particularly Valentine’s Day themed jewelry won’t go on sale for some time after the holiday is over. You may even have to wait until the summer months to find the perfect sale for these items. Flowers, particularly from delivery services, will take a small discount, but most of these items can be used in other arrangements so the savings really won’t be worth all of the troubles.
2. Travel Plans
It’s almost the time of the year where soaking up some sun is your highest priority. However, that doesn’t mean you should be tempted into making Spring Break or summer travel plans during the month of February. With so many students shopping around for last minute deals, you’ll probably find it nearly impossible to find anything that will make your travels budget-friendly. Spring Break shopping should have been completed back in November or December, so you might be out of luck here. That is, unless you’re willing to be flexible with locations and dates. Summer is still on the plate though, but you may want to wait until March or April to begin looking for the right deals for your summer time getaway. By doing this, you should save quite a bit on all of your travel needs.
3. Perfume
Perfume is another classic Valentine’s Day gift for men and women alike, so it’s no surprise that it should probably be a no-go during this month’s shopping experience. Of course, there are more reasons than the upcoming holiday for this price hike though. February sees more new releases of perfumes and colognes, which means there’s usually very few discounts to be found, even on the older scents. However, this is the perfect time to shop around the new lines to see if there is anything that may strike your fancy. If a perfume isn’t a hit, then there’s a good chance it will be on the clearance rack faster than you think. If not, you will see these items on sale during the holiday months or when the particular scent is out of season.
4. Cameras
Wedding season is coming up in the Spring, as are many other photo opportunities, like the nicer weather and sunny vacations. Thus, buying a camera or any camera accessories may not be wise in the month of February. As income tax money begins to come in and people begin to splurge on tools like expensive cameras, you may find that the so-called deals seem even worse. The best thing you can do is keep an eye on clearance sales on your favorite camera websites, or simply wait until a better tech deal rolls around. You may be able to find something good before Black Friday comes around, but if you’re not in a hurry to buy a camera then hold out for the huge savings late in the year.
5. Theater Tickets
Movie nights are a cliché date for Valentine’s Day, which is why you probably won’t see many movie ticket deals during the month of February. Of course, this may not be too hard to overcome considering there’s not a lot of great releases coming out during this month anyway. However, even if there is something you want to watch you may want to hold off on the movie for a month or wait for it to hit the cheaper movie theaters in your area. You may not want to sit through movies during this month anyway considering they will mostly be overcrowded, which will mean you won’t get the full experience. Of course, soon, you’ll see cheaper days at some movie theaters and gift card packages at bulk stores, which will make your movie experience a whole lot cheaper.
6. Gym Memberships
With the buzz of New Year’s resolutions still in the air, you may find that getting a deal on a gym membership is harder than you think. Many gyms will actually be full from the surge of people who want to get in shape in the New Year as well as those who don’t like to work out in the cold weather. Thus, gyms aren’t exactly looking to draw in new people, which means deals will be scarce unless you get a nice salesperson who wants to make a great impression. The best thing you can do is wait for the resolution buzz to wear off and the weather to warm up a bit. At this point, people will start to drop out of the gym like crazy, so most fitness centers will be looking to draw in new people. Your best luck may be in the summer time, so try to check out online videos and other workout regimes in order to keep up with your fitness levels until you can find the best deal.
7. Fresh Produce
February is a hard time for grocery shopping, especially when it comes to shopping for produce. This month is right between the early Spring months and the late Winter months which means that produce can be a little scarce so prices will go up a bit. You may also find that there won’t be the best of quality of produce in the store, which will make the higher price feel even more unworthy of your hard-earned money. This year has brought lots of harsh weather conditions too, so don’t be surprised if items that are normally cheap are much higher in price, particularly those that come from California. If you can, shop frozen foods to make up for the difference in price. They won’t taste as great, but you’ll be able to save money while still getting the nutrients and ingredients you need for all of your favorite dishes.
8. Restaurants
Going out to eat this month may be another bad choice, particularly if you plan on going to pricier establishments. Since most places book up for Valentine’s Day, they also have the option to raise their prices, which means you won’t get the same value that you might at other times. Even some fast food restaurants will hike up the price of their food to meet the demand of people eating out more during this month. Apart from that, some establishments will have to raise prices because of the lack of produce and fresh ingredients due to poor weather conditions. Instead of eating out, place the money you would have spent in a restaurant in a jar. You may be surprised by how much you saved during the month.
9. Smart Phones
February has been buzzing with new technology release dates, including many smart phones that will make you want to spend your money on the spot. However, if you can, try to avoid shopping for a smart phones during this month. Not all of the phones have release dates in February, so you won’t be able to enjoy some of the sales on older phones in the brands that are releasing new phones. Even phones that are releasing new items may not host sales on their older models, particularly Samsung which had many issues with their older models. If you wait a few more months, you’ll be able to find many items on clearance and the newer phone models should take a price decrease when the Black Friday sales arrive. Not to mention, waiting some time will give you accurate reviews to consider, so you won’t choose a phone that is going to leave you disappointed.
10. Refrigerators
If you had plans to buy a refrigerator in the month of February, then you may want to put those dreams on hold for a month or two. The new Spring line of refrigerators will be showing up soon, which means with a little patience you will find amazing deals on older models that are just as amazing as the new one. Of course, your best bet is to shop around before you invest in a new refrigerator too. This can be one of the easiest items to overspend on and many people often have buyer’s remorse after buying a product. Make sure you measure properly before you choose the right match for your home. You should also look for Energy Star products to save even more money on the product once it is installed in your home. You should also check out reviews to ensure you’re getting an appliance that is going to last your family a long time without dealing with any problems. By avoiding shopping for this in the month of February, you can be prepared for when the sales begin, which will save you even more money.
Although February is a short month, it still has some of the best deals in many different areas. However, if you want to save a bit of cash and peace of mind, then you will try to avoid these ten items that may be on your shopping list. This should clear up plenty of budgeting room for the amazing sales though, so no matter which way you look at it your frugal shopping experiences will be right on point during the month of love.
