South Texas Living Magazine (1) Dec. 2014 | 页面 11

Finding Big-Ticket Bargains During the Holiday Season Five unexpected big ticket bargains you can find at holiday time. (BPT) - Bargain hunting is practically a sport, especially during the holiday shopping season. Deloitte's 2014 annual holiday survey predicts the average American will drop nearly $1,300 this holiday season. With that level of spending in mind, planning to save real money elsewhere is crucial to managing a household's bottom line. the end of the year. Stores such as Lumber Liquidators purchase these products at discounted rates and pass the options and savings directly to consumers, resulting in a great deal that can also increase the value of a home. Seasonal purchases Promotions such as standard Black Friday deals or free * Gas grills and air conditioners. Stores may offer deep holiday shipping are nice but often don't add up very discounts on off-season products such as air conditioners quickly. and gas grills. This rule of thumb is particularly valuable for people who live in cold weather climates, where summer Huge value can be found on big-ticket items since their goods become especially obsolete during the long winter need can be anticipated months ahead. Purchasing them months. seasonally or via year-end clearance sales can provide savvy consumers with hundreds or thousands of dollars in * Furniture. The holiday season brings sales and savings. promotions at many furniture stores on living and dining room items as people are preparing for holiday Here are a few examples of products that fall into each entertaining. In addition, outdoor furniture is generally at category: its best price due to it being out of season. Year-end closeouts * Boats. Boat dealers are often trying to move inventory during the winter season, which gives the buyer an upper * Cars. With the next year's models already on lots for a hand in negotiating prices. The off-season is also a popular number of months, dealers are anxious to move cars from time for boat shows, where dealers often offer their best the previous year. Moreover, December is their last chance prices of the year. to improve year-end sales numbers - whether at the dealer or individual salesperson level. No matter a consumer's methodology, a little planning goes a long way in finding bargains. There are very helpful * Flooring. The end of the year is a great time to buy new websites - such as www.dealnews.com - that do a great job hardwood flooring. Suppliers and mills often assess their staying on top of deals both large and small. Online forums inventory at this time and clear out product lines before and traditional word of mouth can also assist in the hunt. South Texas Living – “The Good Life” (11)