Want a new iPhone? What to buy (and skip) in May
While you鈥檙e stopping to smell the flowers this May, you might want to admire some sweet sales, too.
Here鈥檚 everything you should buy (and skip) during the month of May.
Buy: Furniture
We recommended holding off on major household purchases until May. That鈥檚 because Memorial Day is a great time to聽buy indoor furniture, patio furniture and even mattresses at discounted prices.
Last year,聽J.C. Penney discounted select furniture styles by up to 50%, while Crate & Barrel offered聽a promo code good for 15% off select items.
This year, Memorial Day is on May 30, but sales often聽begin at least a week earlier. In fact, some retailers are already gearing up. For instance, Overstock聽is inviting shoppers to register their email addresses so they鈥檒l be notified about聽.
Remember that some prices are聽automatically reduced 鈥� as was the case at J.C. Penney in 2015 鈥� but other sales require consumers to input a coupon code at checkout.
Skip: Home electronics
We suggest making electronics purchases in聽November, when prices on laptops, tablets, gaming consoles and other electronics are usually at their lowest,聽thanks to聽Black Friday events. Last year, a handful of major stores sold video game console bundles for just $299.
Buy: Small kitchen appliances
While you鈥檙e outfitting your home with a new聽sofa, chair or table at Memorial Day sales, check out the coffee聽makers, blenders and other small kitchen appliances, too.
Look for discounts at departments stores, such as Macy鈥檚, Kohl鈥檚, J.C. Penney and Kmart, as well as at home and kitchen specialty stores.
Last year, Macy鈥檚 offered up to 20% off select kitchen items, and Williams-Sonoma handed out savings of up to 60%. We also saw plenty of free shipping offers for orders above a certain threshold.
Skip: iPhones
Apple recently released its 4-inch 聽This announcement聽might have you itching for an upgrade, but hold off for a few more months.
Rumors suggest that the tech company will be unveiling a brand new iPhone 7 at its annual keynote event in September. If that pans out, prices on previous iPhone models at Apple and third-party retailers are likely to drop.
See how September plays out before you spend聽hundreds on a new cell phone and .
Buy: Spring apparel
Clothing sales are a given each May. Now that warm-weather styles have been on shelves for a few months, you can expect retailers to bring down prices.
Our best advice for finding聽these deals? First, check retailers鈥櫬爏ale sections or clearance racks both in-store and online. Then register for your favorite clothing store鈥檚 email list 鈥� it might聽send you exclusive deals. Finally, fill your cart with sale-priced shirts and shorts while you鈥檙e getting that KitchenAid mixer and coffee table on Memorial Day.
Bonus: 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� Day
May 4 is 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� Day, and you鈥檒l be feeling the force when you see the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥�-themed deals and discounts that come on this day each year.聽Whether you鈥檙e a supporter of Luke Skywalker or a fan of Darth Vader, you鈥檒l see sales on聽merchandise featuring your聽favorite character.
Last year, we spotted price cuts on apparel inspired by the movie series,聽video games and more. If prior years are any indication, we expect savings at outlets including聽Amazon and the Disney Store.
Courtney Jespersen is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: courtney@nerdwallet.com. Twitter:聽. This article first appeared at .
