January holiday sales


The Ultimate Guide to US Holiday Sales

Although sometimes it feels like in the United States, there is always something on sale, there are a handful of important dates through the year you surely must know. Sure, some shopping strategies will help you to get a better price just about any time. But there is nothing better than shopping on particular dates known for fat discounts. That's when the holiday sales come in.

Some holidays have a firm date, and Americans observe them every year on that date, regardless of the week's day. For instance, Independence Day is always celebrated on July 4, no matter if it's Sunday or Wednesday. Other holidays are observed on a particular day of the week, regardless of the date. One example might be President's Day, which is always celebrated on the 3rd Monday of February. One year, the date is February 15, while another year 2020, it might be February 21.

Here we compiled the list of most important dates you must know to get the biggest bang for your buck, month by month:

January

Those sweet first weeks of January, virtually everything that was not sold before Christmas goes on sale. Apart from that, on January 16, there is a Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Although a federal holiday, it's not known as a big significant sale event. Nevertheless, it's January! The month after Christmas. As said, most stores want to get rid-off last year's merchandise to attract shoppers with sales for the whole month. Some say that the best shopping deal is to be made the weekend before January 15. However, we think that during the latter half of January, retailers are eager to unload their stock of winter merchandise even more. Expect discounts of 50 percent off or more on all winter clothing, mainly coats, sweaters, scarves, gloves, and boots. What else to buy in January? Sporting gear. For retailers, winter is over. They already think about Eastern. For you, well, you have maybe three more months of cold weather for skiing and other winter sports. Weirdly enough, the fitness and wellness gear are on sale in January as well. Perhaps something to do with the New Year's resolutions enthusiasm?

One less known fact: Since the 1800s, in the United States, January has been historically known as the month of "White Sales," when all types of linens are discounted. Why they still call it "white"? Well, there used to be times when all linens had only one color, white. Even today, you can head to online department stores for deep discounts on sheets, comforters, bedding, towels, and other linens. In all colors and designs, you can imagine, of course. It could be an excellent time to upgrade your bathrooms or kitchen.

February

There are two important dates this month - Valentine's Day on February 14 and President's Day on February 20. The winter is almost over, so you can buy all winter gear and apparel at a discount now. And thanks to heavy competition among jewelers, you can expect discounts across all types of fine jewelry a few weeks before Valentine's Day. Since this day is about love and emotions, lingerie retailers like Victoria's Secret try to take advantage of it by offering discounts, too. Time for sexy.

March

Although there are St. Patrick's Day and Easter in March, none is the event of a classic sale in retail. Nevertheless, winter is almost gone.  That means that you can get huge discounts on all winter stuff still unsold, including skis, boots, boards, winter clothing, and all winter sports accessories. Luggage and all kinds of bags and backpacks are on sale in March, too.

April

The Japanese fiscal year ends in March. That means all Japanese goods, like televisions, stereos, digital cameras, and other electronics,s are on sale as they try to get rid of old stock. April is also a good month for beauty products, as the spring makeup lines are coming out this month. Make sure to check sites offering coupons.

May

There are two essential Dates in May, Mother's Day on May 8 and Memorial Day on May 15. Both stores and Americans are getting ready for the summer season and looking for spring clothing and camping gear. You will get the best deals during Memorial Day weekend.

June

After Mother's Day, there is Father's Day in the United States on June 19. Perfect time to shop for all kinds of men's fashion. Think neckties as a traditional gift. Other goods on sale are men's "toys," here think all sorts of gadgets and tools.

July

July 4, Independence Day. You know, the day Americans kicked the British butts, won the war for Independence, and got free from the terrible British oppression. Whether the British were so awful or even occupants is a matter of opinion, we won't go into it here and now. What we all can agree, Independence Day is now one of the most important American holidays. If you were here in the United States, you would see more trucks with an American flag than any other time a year. The truth is, nowadays, it's mainly about beer and barbeque. And shopping, of course!

Apart from barbeque and beer, Americans also love camping. Usually, they do all three together. But what that means for you? Sale on camping gear and everything connected to camping, tents, canopies, hunting, and fishing gear (do not forget that we must not ship anything related to firearms, though). One of the best stores you can think of is Cabela's. The good news is, there is more in July. Notably, a Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale, Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale, and Amazon's Prime Day. You will get deep discounts on a wide variety of Amazon products.

August

There is no holiday in August, but there is still plenty of items where August is a good month to shop. Summer is almost over, so you can snap up some summer clothing. There may not be many hot and sunny swimming days left, but that's precisely why swimsuit clearance sales will give you the best prices in the whole year. So, buy new swimsuits now to stock up for next year or winter vacation somewhere warm. It's also back-to-school season. Even if you're not shopping for school, it's an excellent time to buy, for your home office perhaps. Pick up cheap items like binders, pens, highlighters, and other office stuff, plus laptops and computer accessories. Coupons are usually plentiful.

September

Labor Day - another important American public holiday, celebrated on the first Monday of September. With summer officially over in September, just about everything summer-ish goes on sale. Outdoor and patio items, camping gear, tents, and sleeping bags last for years, so why not buy them when one in September? And of course, summer clothing and shoes are on sale, too. There are also specific Labor Day sales, like Macy's Super Weekend.

October

Columbus Day remembers Christopher Columbus' arrival to the Americas on October 12, 1492. It is observed on the second Monday of October. This long weekend in October is falling out of fashion, and sales will be modest compared to other three-day weekends. However, you'll still find deals on clothing and home goods. And there is also Halloween on the last day of October. If you celebrate Halloween or just like to buy a dress cheaper, now when summer is definitely and entirely over is the right time. There is one particular item to shop for in October, however - iPhones. New iPhone models are usually announced in September and ship to stores in November. That means sellers typically mark down previous-generation iPhone models in October.

November

November is packed with important dates when it comes to shopping. November 11 - Veteran's Day. There are some sales on Veteran's Day but hold off. Wait for the most significant sale event of the year, Black Friday. Note that there is also Cyber Monday just after that.

Thanksgiving Day - the most important of all US holidays. It's always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Right after the feast, the very next day - Black Friday. The biggest sale event of the year! What you may not know, Black Friday is meant for shopping in person, in brick-and-mortar stores. You will find many items with a massive discount on the Internet, and we suggest looking for the deals. There are even websites that make searching for Black Friday's deals easier. Check out Bfads.net, BlackFriday.com, TheBlackFriday.com, or SlickDeals.net. Nevertheless, choose carefully. For many things, you will get better deals on another occasion. Toys, bedding, outdoor and fitness stuff, winter clothing, jewelry, or tools are examples of goods you will get better deals on at another time.

For online shopping, there is Cyber Monday! Right after Black Friday, sort of its online rival. As Black Friday is mainly about big retail companies, Cyber Monday allows smaller stores to compete with larger ones. Cyber Monday is mostly about technologies. So, where are the best deals on Cyber Monday?

All kinds of gadgets, devices, and appliances. Tech stuff such as phones, earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, or cameras. You'll find generous discounts on these items, as well as countertop items such as food processors, slow cookers, and espresso machines. Cyber Monday is known for "doorbuster" deals on electronics - TVs, laptops, computers, gaming consoles, printers, and other electronics. Do your research, Google what you want, compare prices, and don't rush. Do not jump on a deal that seems too good to be true. Take the time to read reviews. And feel lucky you shop on the Internet, whenever in the world you are, because retail shopping in the USA is just CRAZY!

December

Yes, Christmas, one of the most beautiful times of the year. But also a shopping frenzy, sometimes pretty stressful. You may want to unload yourself a little bit by shopping online. Merchants are trying to move product in the last weeks before Christmas and right after Christmas. Everything that was on sale and was not sold is on sale in December, too. Pretty much everything is being sold with a discount in December.

Toys are among the usual suspects. Only popular toys, those who are "in" right now, might be the exception, as retailers try to make money riding the wave.

Don't forget about the days after Christmas: Many retailers run after-Christmas sales between December 26 and January 1. And then all start over again…

 

Travel Deals, Sales and Bargains to Look Out For Now

Photograph: Lucky Team Studio / Shutterstock. com

From flights, trains and hotels to package holidays, these are the best travel deals right now

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‘Tis the season to be jolly. That’s right, it’s travel sales season – and you could get huge discounts off trips for 2023 and beyond. Cheaper flights, trains, cruises, hotels, rentals, packages and more are all ripe for the taking.

Prime travel sale season lasts from Black Friday all the way through to the January sales. From flights and accommodation to package trips, below are all the travel deals to know about right now.

Packages

easyJet Holidays

easyJet’s package holiday arm is offering up to £300 ($361) off trips lasting all the way up to October 2024. Find out more here. Ends January 31.

Lastminute.com

Lastminute.com is offering flight/hotel package deals with discounts of up to £300 ($361) and reduced deposits. Destinations include the Maldives, Crete, Rome and Edinburgh – see more here. Ends January 31. 

Virgin Atlantic 

Virgin Atlantic Holidays – that’s the airline’s package holiday branch – is offering discounted trips to USA and Caribbean destinations such as New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Jamaica and St Lucia. Check out all the deals here.

Thomas Cook

All-inclusive holidays are heavily discounted by Thomas Cook, with hundreds of pounds off trips to destinations such as Mexico, Barbados, the Canary Islands and Egypt. Find out more here.  Ends January 31.

loveholidays

Online travel agent loveholidays is offering up to 15 percent off selected hotels in destinations such as Corfu, Majorca, the Canary Islands and the Algarve. Find all hotel deals here. Ends January 31.

G Adventures

Adventure travel company G Adventures has up to 25 percent off trips throughout 2023. Cuba, Vietnam, Ecuador and New Zealand are just a few of the destinations featured – find out more here. Ends January 31.

Trains

Eurostar

Cross-channel high-speed rail operator Eurostar has one-way tickets from London to Paris, Lille, Brussels or Rotterdam for just £39 ($47). Included travel dates are between January 23 and March 24, and the deal is live until January 16. Find out more here. 

Flights

British Airways 

BA is offering a variety of discounts on both long- and short-haul trips to destinations around the world. Find a full range of discounts on the website here. Ends January 31. 

easyJet

Budget airline easyJet has up to 20 percent off flights between the UK and Europe up for grabs, for travel between January 18 and September 30 2023. All the details are here. 700,000 seats are up for grabs in total – when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Ryanair

Ryanair has a bunch of getaways throughout next summer available for just £29. 99 ($36). Venice, Porto, Barcelona and Ibiza are just a few of the destinations included in the sale, which you can find out more about here. 

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand’s new year sale has flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Auckland going for just $1,175 (£975), with other options from Honolulu, Chicago and Houston. Find out more here. Ends January 16. 

Cathay Pacific

Looking for long-haul bargains? Cathay Pacific has huge discounts on flights between the UK and destinations such as Thailand, Australia, Japan and Vietnam. Travel dates range from February 1 to June 30 2023 and you can find out more here. Ends January 31. 

Accommodation 

Hilton

Save up to 20 percent on Hilton hotels throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East by booking here. Expires January 31.

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