Savings Tip #3: Shop the January Sales

January sales can be worth braving the cold for. 

Expect prices to be cut 40-70%. (Skip lesser deals.)

Usually I’m an online shopper, but this time of year the best deals are to be found in the stores.

Certain items have the best prices of the whole year in January. Plus you get some exercise and you get to try them on!

I know. this series of posts is supposed to be about saving money, not spending money. And we’re all tired of shopping after the holidays. But if you need something, it’s a good opportunity.

Here are some of the bests deals in January.

Money Saving Tip #3:  Shop the January Sales

1.  Special occasion dresses are deeply discounted.

If you have a wedding or other special occasion coming up this year, now is the time to shop for your dress. If you need one for the spring or summer months, it’s still best to shop for it in January. Waiting until early summer to shop will give you mainly prom dresses. Most of us older than high school age prefer a more sophisticated look.

All special occasion dresses are on sale now. Some are discounted more deeply than others, but good deals are out there. You might find deeper discounts later in the month, but the selection of sizes and styles will be much less. I was at our local Macy’s last week and shoppers were everywhere going through the racks of gorgeous dresses.

I bought the navy lace dress you see here for just $37. You can see by the tag that it was originally $189. For the price of a sweater I now have a beautiful high quality (just look at that heavy lace!) dress I can wear for many occasions. I love it! I plan to wear gray pearls with it, but it would work with all sorts of jewelry

2.  If you need a new coat, now is the time to start looking.

The best prices on winter coats usually come towards the end of January into early February. You might want to see what’s available in your size now to get an idea of what you might like. Sizes will disappear with the big coat sales in February, so take mental notes on how many are available in your size. Then when the coat sales arrive, you can go the first day to get your coat. I expect a discount of at least 50% before I buy a coat.

If you need a decent looking coat for work, stick with classic styles and colors. You’ll get more use out of it that way and get more value for your money. Wool or wool blend coats usually keep their good looks longer. Choose a color that won’t show dirt very easily to save on cleaning costs.

3. Winter shoes and boots are on sale in January. You can scoop up some good savings on these. A classic pair of boots never seems to go out of style.

4.  Some handbags go on sale in January.

I bought a beautiful evening bag for $4.50 last January. What should you spend on your everyday bag? The rule of thumb is to spend on a good handbag you’ll use for work about what you usually spend on a dress. It’s difficult to find leather purses at a reasonable price anymore. You might have more luck with that on ebay. Darker colors will show less wear over time and you will get more use from them.

6.  Look for high quality clothing at deep discounts for your work wardrobe.

Sticking with classic styles and colors helps these items to not go out of date very quickly. They are called classics for a reason! Darker colors won’t show stains and dirt as much as lighter colors. Also solid colors are not as memorable as prints. So you can wear them more often without people thinking you are wearing the same clothes all the time. Why not get the most wear out of them as possible? After all, it’s just your work wardrobe. Have more fun with your clothes when you are not at work!

7.  All winter clothing and accessories are on sale.

Not just hats, scarves, and gloves, but cozy slippers, robes, and winter pajamas (flannel) too. Some gift possibilities for next year here.

8.  Sheets, comforters, and towels are on sale.

Compare department store sale prices with discount stores like TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Kohl’s, and even odd lot stores. They all have luxury brands as well as every day brands. Some of these could make good gifts if you know the person’s taste. I think soft, white fluffy towels are usually welcome.

Remember Want vs. Need

For all of this shopping, keep in mind your budget, what you can really afford right now, and what is a need rather than a want. If you just pack your closet with things you don’t really need, you are not really saving any money. Right?

I hope this helps your budget. Finding deals in January seems like we’re spending too much money on clothing. Just remember you won’t be spending that much on clothes the rest of the year. And stick to it!

This post is part of a series of posts called 50 Money Saving Tips You Can Use. (Click to see.)

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Just find the “Follow Square Pennies” box on this page. Here’s to saving at least $1500 more this year!