The Best Times Of The Year To Buy Anything
3 min readThey say strike while the iron is hot. But you only know the iron is blazing once the malls start announcing big discounts and the stores display big, bold red signboards on their windows. But why wait when you can be three steps ahead of everyone else? The key is knowing when the biggest end-of-season sales, warehouse clearance, and price drops in the Philippines are happening, and where.
To be a wise consumer means timing your purchases perfectly as seasonality significantly affects pricing of any items. This applies to items related to fashion, home improvement, and tech.
“Buying/spending is like math and science, it could be studied,†says Dr. Pinky Intal of MyFinanceMD. “Sales and promos have a cycle and if you know these trends, you can still save a lot when you buy stuff that you need. It’s all about knowing when to buy what you want to buy.â€
The Law of Supply and Demand dictates that you can purchase quality items at their lowest price drops ever. Make your money count all year round by checking the infographic below on which items to purchase in certain months of the year.
First quarter
The start of the year is basically about making everything new.
| Month | What to buy |
| January |
Gym and fitness equipment. Because ‘New year, new me’ Beddings and linens. Bringing calm or vibrant tones is good luck Clothing and apparel. Extended post-Christmas shopping Furniture. New models are about to arrive new month |
| February |
HD and Smart TVs, cameras, electronics. Prices are slashed big as this is the time new models will be released Furniture. Showrooms need to clear get new floor models |
| March |
Perfumes and chocolates. Stores need to get rid of the stocks from Valentines season Luggage. Because travel season is just around the corner |
Second quarter
Think back-to-school and rainy days.
| Month | What to buy |
| April |
Umbrellas and raincoats. The sun is hot and the rain is mostly away. Home and gardening supplies. Vacation season is also a good time to spruce up your home. |
| May |
Laptops, tablets, cellphones. Parents bank on new phones to stay connected to their children going to college, or as graduation gift. Bags and school supplies. Basically back-to-school preparations. Swimwear. Competition is tough among retailers. Mattresses. Retailers need to sell them away to make way for new stocks. |
| June |
Refrigerators, air-conditioners, and other cooling units. Because the rainy season is starting. Also, new models usually arrive around this time. Tools and home improvement supplies. Watch out for rainy season sales and Fathers’ Day promos. |
Third quarter
It’s typhoon season and Ghost Month becomes an impeding factor to purchase.
| Month | What to buy |
| July |
Beach and travel vacation packages. Off-season because it’s a bad time to be going to the beach. Camping gear. Nature trips are no fun when it’s raining either. |
| August |
Plane tickets. It’s off-peak season because the stormy weather poses a challenge to flights. Stocks. It’s the worst performing time of the year so you can buy them at low prices. |
| September |
Wine. It’s harvest season! Swimwear and sunglasses. The typhoon season forces retailers to make big price cuts. |
Fourth quarter
The ’Ber months mean cleaning up the inventory and making consumers spend while they have the power to.
| Month | What to buy |
| October |
Appliances. New models are arriving again so stores dispose of older versions with big discounts. Halloween costumes and decorations. Halloween parties are getting closer and shops are capitalizing on this. |
| November |
Candles and funeral flowers. Sellers cut back the price on the second week to get rid of the leftovers. Halloween-themed candies. The designs are now so last season. |
| December |
Jewelry, clothing and apparel, car. Retailers generally want to clear their stocks to give way to the new models. Air-conditioners. Because baby it’s cold outside, and inside. House. Real estate companies market to OFWs coming home. |
About the author
eCompareMo eCompareMo is the No. 1 financial e-commerce site in the Philippines. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @ecomparemo.