What Not to Buy on Memorial Day 2018

By on May 22, 2018

Memorial-Day-Sale

If you are looking for deals this holiday weekend, there are definitely certain product categories that you should keep an eye out for. Regarding start times, Kristin Cook, Managing Editor of Ben’s Bargains, says “Early Memorial Day sales started on the 18th this year, but most sales will kick off starting on Monday the 21st and run through Memorial Day weekend.”

Here are our picks for what not to buy on Memorial Day (and what to buy instead).

Gas Grills

gas-grill-labor-day-nope

Any sales you see on grills on Memorial Day will be a pittance compared to the sales at the end of summer. On average, you will see discounts on gas grills ranging up to 20% during Memorial Day sales, not the 40% to 75% sales that will pop up as the summer season draws to a close post-August.

What to Buy Instead: Appliances: Typical to most major holidays, retailers like Home Depot, Lowes and Sears offer discounts between 30 to 50 percent on on major appliances like refrigerators and washer/dyer combos. Look for discounts on small appliances as well, which should be discounted at the highest percentage until Labor Day. Price match retailers against each other for competitive pricing and look for expanded discounts related to store credit cards.

Summer Clothing Lines

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These clothing lines have just been released and won’t have much more than a 20% to 40% discount off the retail price. Swimwear, in particular, will be much cheaper toward the end of the summer.

What to Buy instead: Spring / Winter Clothing Lines. You will find discounts ranging from 50% to 90% on Spring clothing lines from retailers sure as 6pm, Sierra Trading Company, Old Navy, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Target, REI, Kohl’s and other clothing retailers. It’s a great time to get a deal on next year’s winter coat at closeout prices.

Pool Supplies / Floats

pool-floats

This is the season when everyone is getting their pool back in order, thus discounts on pool gear will be minimal. The same goes for all the fun toys that you toss into your pool; floats, beach balls, etc… Discounts on these products usually hit as the busy summer season, typically late August / early September.

What to Buy Instead: Travel Deals: Instead of outfitting your own pool, book a deal at a hotel where you can lay by their pool. We typically see deals ranging from 40 to 60 percent off hotels and flights during Memorial Day weekend sales. Look to sites like Expedia, Kayak and Travelocity for weekend sales.

General Electronics

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Memorial Day is usually an extremely poor holiday for deals on laptops, televisions and anything made by Apple. Laptops will go on sale in late July / early August with back-to-school sales, televisions will go on sale as football season starts, then prices will drop even more in November. As for Apple, look to September for iPhone discounts and November for MacBook discounts.

What to Buy Instead: Mattresses. This is a killer month to spend money on a new bed rather than what screen you will be staring at while falling asleep. You will see mattress sales ranging from 40% up to 80% on Memorial Day at retailers such as Sears, Overstock.com, Macy’s and smaller mattress retailers.

Fitness / Workout Gear

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If you have been lax on your New Year’s resolution to get in shape for the beach, you have our permission to wait one more month. Big-box and fitness retailers will be clearing out old products during June, hence you will find discounts that match January’s clearance events.

What to Buy Instead: Camping Gear / Sneakers. If you really want to burn some calories, how about hiking up a trail and camping out for a night? May is the absolute best time to find sales on camping equipment, usually ranging from 30% to 80% depending on the product. We are also seeing amazing sales on Nike gear from stores like Finish Line and general sneaker sales on eBay.

About Mike Flacy

Editor-in-Chief for The CheckOut. During my free time, I love to write about pop culture, home theater, digital photography, social media, mobile technology and cool gadgets!

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