BEST BUYS OF SPRING (March, April, May) - Kiplinger

BEST BUYS OF SPRING (March, April, May) - Kiplinger

BEST BUYS OF SPRING (March, April, May)

Bargains are blooming this time of year. Here are seven purchases to make in March, April and May.

MARCH: Coats and outerwear
At the end of winter, retailers clear out their cold-weather clothing to make room for T-shirts, shorts and swimwear. That makes March an ideal time to plan ahead and stock up on bargain coats, hats and gloves for next winter.

MARCH: Flood insurance
It's not any cheaper to buy flood insurance at this time of year, but this is as good a time as any to do so before the spring thaw puts your home to the test. Create a flood-risk profile at FloodSmart.gov to see if you could benefit from flood insurance.

MARCH: Frozen food
It's national frozen-food month, and sales and coupons abound. If you have a freezer, stock up. You can store some foods as long as one year. (Use this storage guide from the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service when deciding what to stock up on.)

APRIL: Used cars
Looking for a used car? This is the best month to shop. Every year, car dealers stock up to kick off the spring selling season. Buyers have a full selection of inventory to choose from and plenty of willing negotiators to land the best deal. We'll show you some Great Deals on Used Cars.

APRIL/MAY: Kitchenware and utensils
Kitchen items make a great gift for new grads and newlyweds, so sales are often plentiful this season.

MAY: Mattresses
As retailers make room for new models, mattress shoppers will find a lot of wiggle room on price, says Luke Knowles, founder of FreeShipping.org. Look for discounts of up to 50%, as well as promotions for free delivery or free disposal of your old mattress.

ALL SPRING LONG: Vacations
Besides the week of spring break, you can usually grab a stellar deal on travel throughout the spring shoulder season -- until Memorial Day weekend, when summer pricing goes into effect. Plus, you'll get pleasant weather and fewer crowds.

BEST BUYS OF WINTER (January, February)

Story from Kiplingers.com

Yes, deals abound on Black Friday, but you can save money on plenty of things all winter long -- particularly electronics. Here are ten things whose prices thaw despite the cold this season.

DECEMBER/JANUARY: Weddings
From dresses to reception halls, you'll save a bundle with a winter wedding, according to Denise and Alan Fields, authors of Bridal Bargains. It's the industry's slow season, so don't be afraid to haggle your way to even lower prices -- you might find people are willing to deal.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY: TVs
New TV models arrive in the spring, making January and February prime time to save a few hundred dollars on the outgoing model year, according toConsumer Reports. (It's worth watching for Black Friday deals and holiday sales in December, too.)

JANUARY: Linens
It may be cold outside, but you can make the indoors warm and comfy -- and save money in the process -- by shopping department stores' "white sales" in January. It's not uncommon to find discounts of 10% to 60% on sheets, blankets, towels and more (and not just in white).

JANUARY: Gift wrap
With prices marked down as much as 75%, post-holiday sales make a great time to stock up on gift wrap, ribbon and tags. Look for neutral patterns that you can use year-round to make the most of this deal.

JANUARY: Carpet and floor coverings
Few people buy carpet in January, so that's the time to snag a discount as dealers try to drum up business, says Alan Fletcher, author of The Complete Carpet Buying Guide. Make your purchase by February 15th, though. As people start receiving their tax refunds, business -- and prices -- pick up again.

JANUARY: Furniture
New furniture hits showrooms in February, according to the American Home Furnishing Alliance. That means you can save 10% to 50% in January as retailers make room for the new inventory. (See summer for another good time to buy.)

JANUARY/FEBRUARY: Digital cameras
With the Consumer Electronics Show and Photo Marketing Association convention at this time of year, new camera models start arriving at retailers. That means deep discounts on last year's perfectly good merchandise.

ALL WINTER LONG: Real estate
Most people don't shop for houses in the winter. But lower demand equals lower prices. You'd usually sacrifice selection by house-hunting in winter, but with the current lagging market -- and large number of foreclosures - bargain hunters should have plenty to choose from.

Competition brings deals to online shopping websites

The Wall Street Journal lists the Big Three online merchandising sites as Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and Ebay.com. In their testing, they found the best overall shopping experience was to be had on Amazon. Ebay came in second, featuring cheaper prices overall. Walmart lagged behind, with a far inferior user experience.