Editor's Note: This story comes from partner site DealNews.com.
By the time February rolls around, winter is well and truly here, and people may not be thinking about shopping outside of necessities. And if they are, they might not be expecting to find any real deals. But there are big opportunities to shop and save in February!
Check out our below guide on what to buy in February, but don’t miss the items to avoid, as well. Those will likely be on sale later in the year, so it’s best to hold off for now.
The 9 Best Things to Buy in February
1. Free Frozen Yogurt
National Frozen Yogurt Day falls annually on February 6. And yes, that’s during the middle of winter. But free froyo is still free froyo! We already know of two chains that will be celebrating the food holiday this year:
Menchie’s: Visit your local Menchie’s on Tuesday, February 6, to take advantage of their “buy one, get one free” frozen yogurt promotion. Plus, if you join their rewards program and scan their app in-store, you can earn “double smiles” from February 7-20.
Yogurtland: This chain is offering up a similar deal for National Frozen Yogurt Day 2024. On February 6, you can take advantage of a BOGO free offer and earn two times the points that day as a rewards member.
Other frozen yogurt chains will likely take part, too. For example, last year TCBY offered customers up to 6 ounces of free frozen yogurt at participating locations to celebrate the day. We recommend following your favorite brands on social media or signing up for their emails to stay on top of special offers.
2. TVs for the Big Game
When is the best time to buy a TV? Well, it’s not February — we usually see a bigger selection of TV deals around Black Friday. But February also isn’t the worst time to pick up a new big screen. And some people do take the opportunity to buy a TV this time of year rather than waiting until November, as we tend to see decent offers in February ahead of the Super Bowl.
What kinds of TV discounts should you look out for this year? Well, in February 2023, we saw 47 noteworthy deals on TVs, with about 11% of them being good enough to qualify for our Staff Pick designation.
One of the most popular offers we saw was for Amazon Fire TV Omni Series 4K HDR TVs starting at $230 at Amazon. As far as individual-TV deals, we came across an LG 70″ 4K HDR LED UHD smart TV for just $400 from Micro Center.
Another notable deal came from Best Buy. It offered a Toshiba 75″ 4K HDR LED UHD smart Fire TV for $570 last February. This deal earned our Staff Pick designation but was also noteworthy because we often see 75″ sets go for that price around Black Friday or in pre-Black Friday sales, but not often at other times of year.
3. Winter Clothing
While February is still in the midst of winter, many retailers start trying to clear the racks during the month to make room for spring apparel. Because of that, we expect to see decent discounts on winter clothing, some of which should be part of Presidents’ Day sales.
In general, though, watch for outerwear offers like the following:
- Jackets from $12
- Quilted vests for as little as $21
- Coats starting around $43
We should also see at least a handful of February deals on jeans. Look for prices starting around $16, and some stores may have BOGO free deals, too. Joggers could be as low as $10, while select promotions could offer multiple pairs of lounge pants that work out to about $14 per pair. Chinos, meanwhile, could start as low as $12.
As for tops? Don’t count on a ton of sweaters being on sale, but the ones that are could see serious savings. For example, last year we saw sweaters for both men and women drop to around $17. Sweatshirts and hoodies should also see low prices, with pullovers falling to $9, hoodies dropping to $13, and sweatshirts going for just $15.
4. Cruises
For many stuck in the throes of winter and freezing gray days, the idea of a cruise to a warmer locale likely sounds very appealing. With select types of travel slated to be more affordable in 2024, it’s worth checking out what different companies and online travel agencies are offering.
February is a good time to look for cruise deals in particular, as it falls within what is known as “wave season.” That’s a time when cruise companies see a “wave” of bookings and offer up special promotions and deals to travelers.
Note that some of the best offers may come when you’re already sailing, and companies are encouraging you to go ahead and schedule your next cruise.
Watch for great savings on trips for two. Last February, we saw a Princess 7-night cruise for April that cost $898 for two people, or $449 per person. The catch? It was an Alaskan cruise, so it wasn’t one of the warmer trips to take. That said, there’s a good chance we’ll see plenty of other cruise deals pop up up in February, with some ships heading to sunny beaches instead of frosty glaciers.
5. Fitness Equipment
January is huge for fitness equipment deals because so many people make New Year’s resolutions related to health and exercise. Then we see another surge in fitness interest in June, when people are motivated to get in shape before beach trips. In both cases, retailers respond with deals on different types of fitness gear to entice shoppers.
But what you might not think about is buying fitness equipment in February. Plenty of people buy new pieces of gear in January and never open them, or only use them once or twice before their motivation wanes. Because of that, they may return the products before the window is up, which means retailers could have another influx of fitness items in February that they’re desperate to offload.
Watch for both open-box and new fitness equipment to be on sale in February, as stores move past the “new year, new you” narrative and into products for spring.
In February 2023, we saw deals like the following, among other offers:
- Exercise balls for $9
- Kettlebells for $20
- Weight benches for $80
- Adjustable dumbbell pairs for $99
6. Valentine’s Day Sales
While other holidays may bring heftier sales than Valentine’s Day does, we expect to see discounts on specific items around the February 14 celebration. Think typical Valentine’s gifts, but also sweetheart-themed products, such as a Wilton 12-piece XO cookie decorating kit going for $8 at Walmart.
Watch for special gifts from flower delivery services, too. These could include a Valentine’s bulldog plush and 9-piece truffle heart box for $30 from 1-800-Flowers. We should see Valentine’s deals on chocolate, as well, of course, including 20-piece confections in heart-shaped boxes for $30 at Amazon.
We’re also expecting sales on Valentine’s gifts from select retailers. Last year, eBay took 20% off Valentine’s Day gifts, while Amazon cut up to 45% off Valentine’s Day fashion, and Target knocked up to 25% off Valentine’s Day kitchen and dining products.
Speaking of dining, keep an eye out for Valentine’s Day restaurant deals at your favorite places to eat. California Pizza Kitchen, Olive Garden, and even White Castle were among the chains offering specials around Valentine’s Day last year.
7. Valentine’s Clearance Items
February 15 is the day after Valentine’s Day and therefore the best opportunity to treat yourself to all the fun goodies left over. Whether you want a cute red-and-white teddy bear or your favorite chocolate-covered cherries, you shouldn’t miss the Valentine’s clearance sales.
Any store that has Valentine’s Day items on its shelves will almost assuredly offer deep discounts on February 15.
The savings may get better over time, but don’t wait long to shop. The selection will likely dwindle quickly, and you don’t want to be stuck with the gross candy no one else went for.
8. Presidents’ Day Sales
Presidents’ Day is the third Monday in February, and it might be the biggest shopping opportunity of the new year, as many stores participate in promotions and a decent amount of items go on sale.
Should you expect the same sale volume as around Black Friday? Not quite, but the deals will still be worth checking out.
Watch for great savings on furniture, mattresses, major appliances, and electronics, for example. These will be some of the best things to buy during Presidents’ Day sales.
Furniture: Look for Presidents’ Day sales to offer up discounts on all kinds of furniture, including items for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and other spaces. There’s even a good chance we’ll see discounts on select pieces of patio furniture, in case you’re looking ahead to warmer weather.
We could see sales from Ashley Furniture and Wayfair taking up to 50% off select types of furniture, while Macy’s could cut up to 60% off.
Watch for some Presidents’ Day promotions to take off even more. Last year, we saw Houzz’s Presidents’ Day sale cut up to 80% off, while Wayfair featured discounts as high as 70% off in its own clearance event.
Mattresses: Mattresses will likely boast discounts as high as $1,000 off, depending on where you shop and what size of bed you’re adding to your cart.
For example, Serta discounted select mattress and adjustable base sets by up to that amount in 2023. And Costco took up to $700 off mattresses during its Presidents’ Day sale last year.
Major Appliances: As for major appliances? Whether you need laundry machines or want to redo your whole kitchen, you can expect Home Depot to take up to 53% off, Lowe’s to take up to $750 off, and Best Buy to offer a variety of discounts, as well. Plus, watch for brands like Samsung to offer modest savings on their Bespoke line of appliances. In February 2023, they knocked up to 33% off.
9. Humidifiers (Maybe)
Winter often brings dry conditions along with cold weather, which means more static electricity and irritated nasal passages during the most frigid months of the year. A humidifier can help with both of these issues, especially if you have one set up near your bed to use at night.
There’s no guarantee we’ll see significant deals on humidifiers in February, but it’s worth watching for some to surface. Last year we saw a Honeywell Mini 0.5-gallon cool-mist humidifier for $33, as well as a 6.5-liter cool-mist humidifier for just $40.
Plus, humid air can hold heat better, so if you feel like your heating system isn’t doing a great job this year (or want to try to cut down on your utility costs), consider investing in a humidifier to make the heat hang around longer.
What NOT to Buy in February
Luggage
When to buy: March
Why: Whether it’s related to spring break vacations or something else, luggage often goes on sale during March. Wait to buy until then, when we should see sales from department stores as well as brands like Samsonite.
Spring Clothing
When to buy: April or May
Why: Spring apparel is just starting to hit shelves, so it’ll probably be several weeks before we see discounts.
Android Phones
When to buy: July or November
Why: Some of the bigger flagship phones should be coming out in the first six months of the year, while others will probably be announced as late as October. Because of that, Prime Day in July or Black Friday in November will likely have the best deals.
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