You can save money on your purchases if you time it just right. Retail prices typically follow patterns throughout the year, and the biggest discounts usually aren’t random.
“Each year, I pay close attention to when prices are the lowest and highest, because I always want to get the best deal and save as much money as I can for my business,” explained Olivia Parks, owner and lead organizer of Professional Organizers Baton Rouge. “I’ve found that the best times to shop at major stores are pretty predictable each year, and will likely stay the same for 2026.”
If you want to save some serious cash, here are the best times to shop in 2026, according to experts.
Holidays
“Holidays are a great time to shop for clothes,” Melanie Musson, finance expert at Quote.com, wrote in an email. “Clothing retailers typically advertise Presidents Day sales early in the year, followed by Memorial Day Sales and so on. Don’t be surprised if you can find many items for 50% off during these sales.”
According to Bobby Ghoshal, CEO at Dupe.com, a platform that uses AI to find lower-priced replicas of consumer products, the first holiday weekend sales typically start around Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. This is when stores try to push inventory that wasn’t sold during the holidays, followed by Presidents’ Day and Memorial Day weekend.
“These are great times to shop at your favorite retailers because most sites and stores will offer 30 to 50% off their inventory,” Ghoshal added. “If you’re in the market for larger appliances, these are the weekends I suggest shopping. Mattresses, TVs and clothing will also see heavier discounts.”
Parks also recommends Black Friday weekend for bigger purchases.
“Many items are heavily discounted, much more than they regularly are,” she said.
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The Beginning of the Year
Although the beginning of the year is part of the holiday season, these deals usually run into February as well.
“January and February are great months to shop because major stores run big New Year’s sales, so I usually stock up on organizing bins, shelves and home products during this time,” Parks said.
At the End of the Season
Shampaigne Graves, women’s consumer expert, trainer and speaker, recommends buying off-season or at the end of a season for the lowest prices.
“For example, a retail brand like Ralph Lauren creates capsule collections that can be bought off-season for up to 70% off MSRP, depending on the retailer or outlet where the goods are being sold,” Graves explained.
However, the only caveat is the limited availability of sizes, she added.
“If a shopper has particular cuts needed for their clothing, such as petite or big and tall, on-season discounts are a better route,” Graves said.
If you want to know about upcoming deals and sales, the consumer expert recommends signing up for email lists at your favorite stores.
“Knowing when sales and discounts are upcoming allows shoppers the opportunity to shop smart by doing things like stacking coupons on top of existing discounted items,” she said. “These discounts and coupons sometimes being exclusive to email subscribers only.”
For deals on specific categories, Parks likes to shop for cleaning and home-refresh items in late spring, as many stores offer spring-cleaning sales and promotions. You can also find deals on sporting goods at the end of the season.
“If you’re looking for ski gear, you should check out the sales around March. You don’t want to wait until after the season, as the store will generally clear inventory before then, but you can still drive strong sales in the final few weeks,” Musson wrote. “If you’re looking for water activity gear, you’ll find the best deals at the end of August into September.”
Retailer Shopping Events
Retailers often hold regular shopping events, including Amazon Prime Day, Target Deal Day, Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, etc., where you can find lower prices.
“Stores from Nordstrom to Walmart to Amazon to Victoria’s Secret host their annual sales sometimes multiple times a year,” Ghoshal said. This is also one of the best times to find low prices on products they make themselves, such as Amazon Kindle or Fire devices.
“The good news about these retailers having their own sales events is that it inspires their competitors to lower their prices and compete with sales around this time too,” Ghoshal added. “So, if Nordstrom is having an event, check out their competitors for similar sales promotions.”
Thrift stores also hold their own shopping events.
“If you’re shopping at thrift stores, you have to find out which day they do their markdowns because you’ll find the best selection on that first day,” Musson wrote.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best Times To Shop in 2026 If You Want To Save Serious Money
