Waste Not, Want Not: Best Deals to Buy in January

Happy New Year! Or is it? In the world of deals, January might seem like a bit of a let-down, but it’s actually a pretty good time to find solid discounts for several reasons: 1) retailers will be eager to lure back shoppers who have gift cards to spend, 2) the annual Consumer Electronics Show in early January will drop prices on “old” tech products, 3) the Super Bowl is just around the corner (February 2nd) and that means TV sales and 4) retailers traditionally want to liquidate seasonal items like Christmas decorations. Here are some of the best deals to buy in January:

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

To buy Christmas decorations and wrapping paper. If you’re an extreme planner, then you’ll be ready for the traditional January sales on all the stuff that’s left over. Look for sales at department store chains like Macy’s and JCPenney and retailers like Michael’s and Cost Plus World Market.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Super Bowl LIV (54) lands on February 2nd, and that means the annual round of sales on big screen TVs. Outside of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the best deals of the year on TVs are in January. You’ll find the lowest prices of the past 12 months during this period.

After CES wraps up in Las Vegas on January 10th and the shiniest 2020 model lineups have been introduced, the pressure to move TV inventory is increased. New models usually start making their way to stores as early as February.

Speaking of CES…

The little old trade show that takes place in Las Vegas every year and rocks the tech world will also have an impact on tech deals. As with TVs, new gadgets will be finding their way into stores soon after being announced at CES and you’ll start seeing the steepest deals of the older products’ life cycles.

Current generation laptop and desktop PCs typically get a dip in prices in January. If there is one constant in the world of tech, it’s that patience always pays off and the price will go down, sometimes dramatically, after the initial months of release. Only a few products, like gaming consoles, have freakishly long life cycles and hold their prices for years (plural).

Time to Spend Those Gift Cards (But Wait for the Sale)

Retailers don’t count gift card purchases as sales until those cards are redeemed, so they’ll be looking to lure customers back as soon as possible after Christmas and into January.

Anywhere between 35% to 45% of holiday gift cards are redeemed in January, which is not terribly high, and retailers are keen to remind their customers to use them — and that means more more discounts for you.

Resolve to Save More

Not surprisingly, the beginning of the new year sees plenty of deals on fitness-related products while people still have the motivation (and the memory of their new year’s resolutions) to spend on their future coat hangers,. (Just kidding.)

Last year, we saw a lot of good prices on fitness equipment, supplements and gadgets from stores like Amazon, Walmart, REI and Bodybuilding.com (including a rare 30% off sitewide discount).

January is not only a good month to improve your body, but also your home. Aside from July, this month is an excellent time to look for deals on furniture because new year models will be arriving in stores in February.

Don’t Forget Deal Alerts

If you want to make sure you don’t miss any upcoming  January deals on Ben’s Bargains, don’t forget to set up deal alerts (registration required). You’ll receive an instant email and get the first chance to jump on a great deal before it disappears. And the best deals are gone fast!

You’re also welcome to send us tips or suggestions. Good luck!

– Mike Flacy contributed to this report.

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2 Comments

1. 

   Ann

   December 31, 2014 at 11:09 am

   Hello, I just found your website while searching for an inexpensive windows 8 tablet. Very informative! I now have some good alternatives to more expensive tablets, including the asus tab, etc, thanks to your wonderful website! I have placed bensbargains.com in my favorites.
   Thank you.
   Ann

   Reply
2. 

   Louis Heavner

   January 11, 2014 at 8:40 am

   your comments about gift cards surprised me. I thought they counted them as sales when purchased. Good work!

   Reply