If you are a bargain hunter you probably have an idea when certain items will be on clearance. For example, you can always expect Halloween Candy to be on sale early November, or Easter Candy right after that holiday. Food especially packaged or customized for a holiday usually goes on clearance after that occasion. You probably also know that the launch of a new product usually comes with a high value coupon for that item and heavy promotion on stores.
Stores promote sales around special occasions with a loss leader to bring customers in their stores. But do you know when that is going to happen? You can have an idea when this will happen if you understand which items are usually on sale throughout the year.
Let’s start with January. The beginning of the year is the perfect time for new resolutions. You will find diet foods and items being heavily promoted. It is also the middle of the winter and the perfect time to catch a cold. Cold remedies are usually on sale. Expect to find hot cereal promotions at your local grocery store. January is also time for Superbowl promotions and you will likely find soda/crackers and chips on sale. January is also the time when holiday items can be found on clearance.
February brings more hot breakfast promotions. Also expect candy sales to dominate through the middle of the month. Then you can find all this candy on clearance towards the end of the month.
March is Frozen food month and with it come lots of frozen food promotions. It is also the time to start spring cleaning so you can find lots of promotions for cleaning items. Depending on the year this is also the time when Easter promotions take place: lower priced eggs, ham, etc. Let’s not forget St. Patrick’s Day, you can find corned beef and cabbage on sale.
April can overlap with March on the Easter promotions. But you can also expect Earth day promotions during this month: a lot of organic food/cleaning and health items go on sale now.
The month of May marks the start of grilling season. You can expect coupons for grilling goods to start coming out now: mustard, barbecue sauce, canned beans, marinades, hot dogs, paper plates, sunscreen, insect repellent, allergy medication. It is also the time for Cinco de Mayo and you can find promotions for chips, salsa, guacamole, etc.
June is National Dairy Month, expect promotions and coupons for milk, cheese, ice cream, etc. Through this month and the next month of July promotion for grilling goods continues.
July marks the start of Back to School campaigns. In August there will be sales on back to school supplies, also lunchbox food items: lunchmeat, pudding cups, poptarts, grain bars. Retailers also begin discounting summer items to make room for back to school gear and clothes.
September, in addition to more back to school sales, it’s a big month for sales on baby items. New lines of baby items are promoted. Most of the summer clearance becomes deeply discounted after Labor Day.
October brings candy sales and the beginning of baking season. In November you can expect traditional thanksgiving foods to be on sale: turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, canned pumpkin, etc. You can also expect to find Halloween items on clearance now.
In December you will find all Thanksgiving items on clearance. Sales for baking goods continue as well as for food items traditional of Holiday dinners: eggnog, party supplies, wrapping paper, etc.
I have only been using coupons for a few months but this summer I was able to stockpile barbecue sauce, canned beans and other grilling items. Last week I stockpiled peanut butter I got for free at my grocery store and this week I bought a few boxes of Poptarts to donate. Stockpiling foods when they are being heavily promoted is the best way to save hundreds of dollars on your grocery bill.
