What to Buy When: October to December

Last week I was in an Au Lit store browsing the fine linens section. I thought I'd look at sheet sets. After falling in love with a particular sheet with a stunningly high thread count, I found out that the set (fitted, flat and two pillowcases) would cost me $1,000 before taxes.

On a side note, when I mentioned that in the weekly Walletpop editorial meetings, the general response was, "People buy $1,000 sheets?"

I blanched which made the sales associate tell me that they have their white sale in January when everything will be 20 per cent off. That doesn't mean I'll be buying those sheets. Instead, here's a list of what to buy on sale during the months of October, November and December.October:

• Big appliances
• Cookware
• Electronics: The iPhone 5 arrives this month so previous models will be marked down.
• Toys
• Car accessories and parts
• Cars: Dealers are looking to get rid of old stock to make room for next year's models because September is when new models hit the showroom floor.
• Jeans

Now is also the time to start pricing real estate if you're looking to buy in the next six months to a year.

November:

• Cookware
• Electronics
• Toys
• Candy: Halloween candy goes on dramatic sale
• HDTVs and home theatre systems: new models are already appearing on shelves to tempt holiday shoppers so last year's models are priced to sell quickly.
• Wedding dresses
• Kitchen accessories
• Recreational vehicles

December:

• Air conditioners
• Champagne
• Computers
• Cookware
• Designer clothing
• Jewelry
• Electronics (hardware)
• Winter clothing

This is separate from Boxing Day sales where the prices are more discounted.

Days of the week

Monday:

• Accessories

Tuesday:

• Airplane tickets. Some experts say Wednesday. We say comparison shop before you buy.

Wednesday:

• Shoes
• Groceries
• Children's clothing

Thursday:

• Books
• Clothing: Ask any sale associate in your favourite stores and they'll tell you that they tend to get new shipments in the middle of the week. That means older items get marked down just in time for late week and weekend shoppers.

Friday:

• Jewelry
• Belts

Saturday:

• Big appliances such as fridges, stoves, washing machines, etc. People tend to shop for home appliances on weekends because they have time to browse and comparison shop. Retailers usually offer incentives during this time to encourage purchases.

Sunday:

• Dinner out: This is usually the quietest night for restaurants so you can find a deal or two.