Best Time to Buy things..

Below are clips from different sources helping you to time your purchases.

Here is a similar article in bankrate.com http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/cheap/20040319b1.asp The article is in full at the bottom..

From Smart Money:

AT 50 CENTS a roll — instead of the regular retail price of $4 — buying wrapping paper after New Year's is an easy way to save. The same holds true for buying half-price inflatable pool loungers and patio furniture after Labor Day weekend.

In fact, bargain lovers know that there's a smart time to buy just about anything. For example, those looking for a great deal on a car should shop on weekday mornings in September.

Groceries are cheapest on Sunday evenings.

We talked to the experts, and found the best time to buy everything from wine to wedding dresses.

Airplane Tickets
When to buy: On a Wednesday, 21 days (or a couple of days earlier) before your flight.
Why: Airlines make major pricing changes (and run fare sales) every week, typically on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings. About 21 days out from your flight, you'll see plenty of deals out there as airlines scramble to fill seats, says Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, a consumer travel advice Web site. Don't wait much longer, she cautions; prices jump significantly from 14 to seven days ahead of departure.

Appliances
When to buy: During a holiday weekend.
Why: You'll find sales on select models all year long, but retailers bring out the big guns for holiday weekends, says Carolyn Forte, homecare director for the Good Housekeeping Institute. But don't worry about spending your Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends shopping for a new fridge — smaller holidays like Columbus Day and President's Day have their share of sales, too.

Baby Clothes
When to buy: During your pregnancy.
Why: Once you know your due date, keep an eye out for end-of-season clearances, recommends Alan Fields, co-author of "Baby Bargains." "If you're [newly] pregnant now, you know you'll be having a baby next summer," he says. "Well, right now, stores are closing out all the summer clothes." You can pick up newborn essentials like onesies for less than half price. (For more ways to save, see our column Oh Baby!)

Broadway Tickets:
When to buy: Hours before the curtain rises.
Why: How does a $25 front-row seat to the smash musical "Wicked" sound? Several musicals offer same-day ticket lotteries that offer up orchestra seats at inexpensive prices. If you'd rather not gamble on getting a seat, wait in line at the famous TKTS booth in Times Square. There, you can get tickets for hit musicals for up to 50% off. On a recent night, prime seats were available for "Hairspray," "Rent," "Sweeney Todd" and "Beauty & the Beast." (For the right times to drop by TKTS, and other ways to save, see our column A Midsummer Night's Dream.)

Cars
When to buy: Weekday mornings in September.
Why: By September, all the next year's models have arrived at the lot, and dealers are desperate to get rid of the current year's leftovers, says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. It's the prime time of year for incentives and sales, not to mention bargaining. "Any car that's been on the lot for a long time loses its value in the eyes of the car salesman," he says.

Heading to the dealership on a weekday morning also helps because there's low foot traffic, meaning you'll have ample time to negotiate and fewer people trying to buy the same car. The more demand, the less willing a salesman is to go down on price, says Reed. (For more, see our column Summer Car Savings.)

Champagne
When to buy: December
Why: Most people assume that because everyone wants a good bottle of Champagne for New Year's Eve that prices go up during the holidays, says Sharon Castillo, director of the Office of Champagne, USA, which represents the trade association of growers in the Champagne region. But due to fierce competition among the Champagne houses, prices are actually lower during the holidays than they are at any other time of year. (For more on picking the right bottle, see our column Break Out the Bubbly.)

Clothing
When to buy: Thursday evenings, six to eight weeks after an item arrives in stores.
Why: After an item lingers in stores a month or more, retailers start dropping its price to get it out the door, says Kathryn Finney, author of "How to Be a Budget Fashionista." These season-end clearances tend to be the same month that designers host fashion weeks (February and September) to preview the next fall or spring collections. So smart buyers can check the catwalk to see if any of this season's trends — say, leggings or military-style jackets — will still be hot next year, and then scoop them up on clearance.

Hitting the mall on a weekday ensures you'll get a good selection. "On the weekend, you'll only get picked-over stuff because the stores don't have time to restock," she says. By Thursday, most of the weekend sales have begun, but everything available is on the floor.

Computers and electronics
When to buy: Just after a new model is launched.
Why: When the latest and greatest of a product is released, you'll often see prices drop on what had previously been the best thing out there, says Tom Merritt, executive editor for CNET, an electronics review web site. Case in point: When Apple released the Nano last September, prices for the now-discontinued Mini dropped 12%, from $199 for a 4GB to about $175. So keep your eyes open for announcements from major manufacturers. Want a little less work? Time your purchases for after big annual technology show like MacWorld (next held Jan. 8-12, 2007) and the International Consumer Electronics Show (next held Jan. 8-11, 2007).

Gas
When to buy: Early morning or late evening on a weekday. (OR another source says before 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, as gas prices start going up for the weekend..)
Why: Time your trip based on whether prices are rising or falling, advises Marshall Brain, founder of HowStuffWorks, a consumer guide. Gas stations tend to change their prices between 10 a.m. and noon, so hit the pump in the early morning if gas prices are on the rise. Go later in the day if prices are falling. Tipsters on GasPriceWatch.com reported that on Sept. 3, a WaWa gas station in Lanoka Harbor, N.J., was offering regular gas for $2.85 a gallon. One day later the station's price had dropped to $2.65. In that case, going early would have cost you 20 cents more per gallon.

Try not to buy gas on the weekends, Brain says. Gas prices are often slightly elevated, as stations try to profit from leisure travelers. (For more ways to save, see our column Save on Gas.)

Gift Cards
When to buy: A day or two before you give it.
Why: These days, gift cards carry a plethora of hidden pitfalls, from expiration dates to dormancy fees, says Dan Horne, a professor of marketing at Providence College known as the "Gift Card Guru." That countdown to fees starts as soon as you buy the card. "You don't want to short-change the recipient," he says.

Groceries
When to buy: Sunday evenings.
Why: Store sales tend to run Wednesday through Tuesday, says Teri Gault, founder of The Grocery Game, a consumer savings program. On Sunday, you'll also have the latest round of manufacturer's coupons from your morning paper. "You can maximize your coupons available for that shopping week," she says. Heading to the store close to closing time means you'll have access to sales on fresh items that must be sold by the end of the day, such as meats and baked goods.


Of course, you'll also benefit from in-season items that can be frozen for use later in the year, says Gault. That means turkeys at Thanksgiving and hams at Christmas and Easter. During the spring and summer, buy fresh produce. Peaches bought at $1 per pound now can be kept frozen for smoothies and pies throughout the winter, she says.

Shrubs, Trees and Other Plants
When to buy: Fall
Why: Take a break from raking up leaves to purchase trees, shrubs and other perennials for your yard. Prices nosedive after midsummer, as garden supply stores and nurseries try to clear out their stock. You can also get great deals on bulbs during the fall. Just store them according to the package instructions for best planting results next spring. For more, see our column Cheap Landscaping Tricks.)

Televisions
When to buy: Six to 12 months after a particular model is launched.
Why: A new TV drops in price after a few months on the market, says CNET's Merritt. Although there will be newer models out there, it's unlikely they'll offer any significant improvements to justify that brand new price. "The technology is proceeding at such a pace that the models out there are not going to be obsolete anytime soon," he says. (For more, see our column The World Is Flat.)

Wedding Dresses
When to buy: Between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Why: Boutiques are stocked up on dresses for the post-Christmas rush (many people get engaged over the holidays), yet traffic is low, says Fields, who also co-authored "Bridal Bargains." "It's not a busy time to buy a wedding dress because people are thinking about the holidays," he says. You'll also have room to bargain.

Wedding Announcements: Well, when you need them, but don't go through the wedding planners or other stationary businesses! Most of the stationary companies will deal with you directly, saving you about 40% over retail prices!! Check their website and ask for a catalog.

Wine
When to buy: Early fall.
Why: For best selection, you can't beat the fall harvest season. That's when most vineyards release their latest vintages. Buying in August and September is also your best shot at snagging so-called "cult wines" — those with limited production and high demand, says Kathleen Schumacher-Hoertkorn, CEO of New Vine Logistics, an online interstate wine retailer. (For more, see our column Buying Wine Online.)

January
Houses and Condos - GREAT time to find motivated buyers
Winter Clothing (after holiday sales)
Toys - post holiday sales
Bedding and Linens (Original Jan WHITE sales)
Indoor Furniture (New furniture hits the showrooms in February)
Digital Cameras (new models are announced in Jan)

February
Bicycles
Swimwear
Humidifiers (get enough discounted filters to last the NEXT season as the models change each year!)
Sports gear and running shoes
Houses and Condos

March
Televisions
Camping Gear
Bicycles
Swimwear
Winter Clothing
Sports gear and running shoes

April
Televisions

May: Nothing

June: Ditto

July
Computers
Swimwear
Indoor Furniture

August
Lawn mowers and outdoor furniture
Computers
Swimwear
Dehumidifiers

September
Gas/charcoal grills
Automobiles - new models coming out next month
Shrubs, Trees and Perennials

October
Gas/charcoal grills
Winter Clothing

November
Automobiles
Televisions
Toys

December
Air conditioners
Automobiles
Televisions
Toys

Good Days:
Tuesdays
DVD's

Wednesday
Airlines tickets

Holiday Weekends
Appliances


Article from bankrate.com

Month-by-month guide for finding bargainsBy Laura Shanahan • Bankrate.com

It used to be that consumers had to wait until after the holidays to get good deals on gift items, greeting cards and so forth, or shoppers had to wait until well into a season to get needed clothing or supplies. Happily, it's increasingly a buyer's market, and in recent years, some of the best sales often also take place immediately before the related holiday or season.
Here's a month-by-month guide for the best times to purchase all sorts of consumer goods, based on my experience as a longtime shopping columnist in New York City:

January
Sad, but true: The average American gains seven to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. And what do they resolve? To diet and exercise, of course. Retailers are right there with great sales on workout and sports gear and apparel. The enormous interest in the annual Super Bowl has made the two weeks prior to the game a huge TV-sales period, second only to Christmas.

"White sale" items -- sheets, pillowcases and blankets
Computers
Workout and sports gear
Blowouts on winter wear: coats, scarves, gloves, hats and boots
Televisions

February
She may be weary, women do get weary, seeing that same shabby couch. And lamp shade and recliner, for that matter. And men do, too. Especially in the inclement, stay-in-the-house month of February. To the rescue: Traditional Presidents Day sales of furniture and housewares. And while you're cooped up inside on your new sofa, it's a great month to look for spring and summer cruises.

Jewelry
Chocolates
Fragrance, toiletries
Resort and cruise wear
Furniture and housewares

March
Whether you're off on an early spring cruise or just getting a jump start on warm weather vacation planning, the good news is that this is the month luggage is likely to be priced to move. As the month comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, stormy weather outerwear usually is marked down to move in March.

Windbreakers and raincoats
Gardening tools
Luggage
Frozen foods (it's National Frozen Food Month!)

April
Now that you've done your spring cleaning, you can't help but notice how grungy the walls look compared to the rest of your polished and bright abode. That's what the paint and wallpaper retailers figure -- and that's why they tempt you with cut-rate prices on wallcoverings.

Spring finery
China
Kosher foods
Eggs (chocolate and chicken-laid)
Wallpaper and paint

May
It's Memorial Day and the traditional kickoff of summer. You can spend the first long weekend of the year in your backyard or at a picnic -- or by spending big bucks on a big-ticket apppliance. Retailers try to lure you into the latter by traditionally putting major appliances on sale.

Major appliances (Memorial Day weekend)
Barbecue and picnic foods
Summery handbags and totes
Pre-season savings on swimsuits and sandals

June
Summertime and the living is leisurely -- which is why merchandisers know you'll be looking for portable entertainment devices like DVD and CD players and boomboxes.

Summer fashions
Hardware and home fix-it tools and materials
Televisions and portable music players
Dairy foods (Happy National Dairy Month!)

July
Now that the heat is really on, you may notice that ceiling fan you hoped would take you through another summer isn't quite up to the job. Fortunately, July kicks off the super air-conditioner sales. And if you also stock up on crafts supplies often marked down at this time of year, you can play indoors in comfort.

Deeper discounts on summer dresses, suits, shoes and swimwear
Air conditioners (now through September)
Major appliances (Fourth of July weekend)
Barbecue and picnic foods
Craft supplies

August
Because outdoor furniture is seasonally related, retailers know August is "last-chance gulch" for you to spring for some -- and what better incentive than a swan-song-of-summer sale?

"White sale" (see January)
Outdoor furniture
Fresh produce
School supplies
Pre-season fall fashions
Swimsuit and other summer-wear "steals"

September
September's a big food month as people start stocking up on canned goods for the winter, and the month many charities typically launch drives for foods with long shelf lives. It's also desperation time for home sellers who missed finding the right buyer in the spring and summer but want to be moved before the worst winter weather sets in.

Homes
Scooters and bikes
Deeper school-supplies sales
Canned goods

October
This is the month car dealers are forced to make room for new models and start slashing prices on last year's cars. The best time to buy a car -- new or used -- is late in the month as salespeople strive to meet or beat quotas.

Candy, for the neighborhood ghosts and goblins
Cars
Outdoor sports equipment

November
Before you shiver your timbers under winter's full blast, retailers vie for your heavy blanket and down comforter dollar with tempting sales.

Fall-clothing blowouts, winter-wear markdowns
Blankets, comforters
Thanksgiving fixings: cranberries, turkey, yams, etc.

December
Used to be you had to wait until after December to get good buys on holiday-related gifts and goodies. But not in today's market. Indeed, seems almost everything a person could covet is on sale -- except for that computer you really, really want. Which is why we have the wonderful month of January when computer prices tend to be cut to the quick.

Perfume, ties, sweaters, jewelry, billfolds and other popular gift items
Food serving and storing pieces, from crystal to plastic
Party foods and treats -- roasts, cakes, pies, etc.
Holiday greeting cards (Once it's one minute past the holidays, don't dare spend more than half the preprinted price!)
-- Posted: March 19, 2004