This post comes from partner site DealNews.com.
Lingerie
June has traditionally been a great month for lingerie sales, and few stores can rival the Victoria’s Secret Semi-Annual Sale, which typically lasts three to four weeks. As we note in our analysis, discounts get better toward the latter half of the sale — rising from a maximum of 50 percent at the beginning of the month, to up to 70 percent off, plus stackable coupons, during the last week. Also, the threshold for free shipping drops from $100 to $50 over the course of the sale.
As a result, we encourage shoppers to wait a few days and take advantage of the more aggressive discounts that come later in the month. In terms of purchases, we recommend looking at deals that offer low per-unit prices when you buy multiples, such as three bras for the price of two, or five pairs of panties for $27. All told, you’ll save as much as $30 per item on dresses and loungewear, plus $6 off with free shipping.
Although the Victoria’s Secret Semi-Annual Sale is the most prominent lingerie sale this month, it is by no means the only one. Last year, Macy’s, Kohl’s, American Eagle and Frederick’s of Hollywood all had competitive deals, including bundles of bras and panties.
Outdoor gear
June sees a 72 percent bump in Editors’ Choice deals on outdoor goods. Which is great news! Normally, seasonal goods don’t go on sale until the end of the season, and prices on camping, fishing and hiking supplies will definitely drop when cold weather moves in. But this is a rare opportunity when you can pick up these items in time to use them for summer.
We’ve seen especially good deals on Ozark brand camping items from Walmart, and Daiwa fishing gear at Dick’s and Cabela’s. You can find tents for $50, sleeping bags for $10 and fishing reels for two for $30. Also check REI Outlet for similar deals.
Food and crafts for Dad
Contrary to popular belief, we don’t see particularly good tool deals leading up to Father’s Day (this year’s is
Sunday, June 18). We do however see some nice coupons at restaurants, so you can treat dear ol’ Dad. Last year, Olive Garden cut 20 percent off to-go orders, Outback Steakhouse took 15 percent off your entire check, and Hooters offered 10 free wings with purchase of 10 wings and a drink.
For something a little more lasting, look for free or cheap workshops to make Father’s Day gifts. Home Depot offered a Build a Father’s Day Trophy Smartphone Holder Workshop for free for children ages 5 to 12. (Plus, kids got to keep their craft and receive a certificate of achievement, workshop apron and commemorative pin.) And Michael’s had a card-making workshop for $2, which included supplies (which is still cheaper than most store-bought cards).
Free fishing permits
This month, several states will allow free fishing on public bodies of water without requiring a fishing license in celebration of National Fishing and Boating Week. Normally, those licenses cost anywhere from $25 to hundreds of dollars depending on where you live and what type of fishing you’ll be doing. (Many states have 1-day licenses that typically cost around $10 as well.)
Before you head out, check our fishing gear deals, which more than double in June from the month before.
$1 family movies
Many parents are already starting to go bonkers this month with kids out of school, and there are many weeks still to go. Your local cinema is here to help, offering $1 movie tickets on second-run family titles (translation: all the films are rated G or PG, and they first came out at least a few months earlier). Regal and Cinemark both have such programs, which may have begun already. But every location has a different schedule, so check your local theaters to see what’s playing and when.
Fresh produce
Depending on where you live, your local farmers markets may have been looking a little anemic last month. (Plenty of root vegetables, and not much else!) But, finally, all the bounty of the summer growing season is going to start rolling in. You’ll probably see the effect even at big supermarkets, where the price for a pint of blueberries or strawberries will drop some 50 percent from midwinter highs.
What you’ll get on sale this month really depends on where you are. But much of the country can expect berries, cucumbers, leafy greens, summer squash and zucchini, tomatoes, corn and peaches to start popping up in June. In conventional supermarkets, these items will be cheaper than they were over the winter. At farmers markets, it’s tough to compare since they simply wouldn’t be in stock over the winter. Organic local produce is usually expensive, but tends to pay off in quality.
Gardening supplies
Speaking of growing things, maybe you’ve got flowers or vegetables at home. Now that the spring planting season is over, stores are eager to off-load excess gardening tools and supplies. June provides lots of price lows on sprinklers, mulch, hose nozzles and more. These items are pretty affordable to begin with, but saving a few bucks on each will add up.
Gym memberships
With people exercising outside, parents staying home with kids, and many going away on vacations, summer is a very slow time for gyms. Head in to get a deal on your membership (remember, to strengthen your negotiating position, don’t be afraid to walk away at any point — or at least let them think you will). If you can’t get a discounted rate, at least try to get a month or two free, no money down, and/or free classes and training sessions.
Items to avoid for now …
June is not a good time to shop for some of the big-ticket items that you may be eyeing. Follows are some purchases you should put off if you want to get the best prices:
Grills
Nothing evokes thoughts of summer like a backyard barbecue. But as tempted as you may be to purchase a new grill this month, our research shows the best time to buy a grill is in August and September. That’s when you can find discounts that take up to 50 percent off your favorite name-brand grills. If you can, make do with your current grill and upgrade at the end of the season.
Amazon Echo or Google Home (IF you’re an Apple fan)
Rumor has it that Apple will unveil an Echo-like bluetooth speaker, enabled with Siri, at their Worldwide Developers Conference this month (June 5-7 in San Jose, California). For those in the Apple ecosystem, this would be way better than trying to work around with another (noncompatible) Bluetooth speaker and voice-activated personal assistant.
Laptops
Back-to-school sales start at the end of this month, but they don’t really pick up until later. Even in July, there will be twice as many Editors’ Choice laptop deals.
HDTVs
If there’s one thing you should avoid buying in June, it’s a new TV. The summer months are traditionally bad for TV deals in the sense that you don’t see many offers, and prices are higher than usual.
However, if you must buy a new set, we recommend sticking with 55-inch TVs. Sets of this size have plateaued in price around $550 for name brand, and $400 for off-brand.
What’s on your shopping list for June? Share with us in comments below or on our Facebook page.
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