What to buy and not buy in December
December 08, 2016
December is the month when most people do a lot of shopping.
DealNews.com has looked through its archives from years past to help you find the most savvy purchases in December.
Buy in December
Gift card freebies
A popular promotion in December — especially among restaurants — is to offer a gift card at a price that's lower than the redeemable value. For example, last year Papa John's, Applebee's, and other restaurants offered gift cards that were worth more than what shoppers paid for them.
Retailers are more likely to offer a gift card with purchases that reach a certain amount, or bundled with a specific product. For example, last year Target offered $100 gift cards with Apple Watches, while Dell Home gave $200 gift cards with 55" TVs.
Discounted iTunes gift cards
December is the best month to find discounts on iTunes gift cards. The most frequent deal was $100 in iTunes credit for $80, but another offer was $75 in credit for $55.
Tools and hardware
December is an excellent time for tool and hardware deals, with 50 percent more tool deals than in January and more than in November. Look for significant discounts on power drills, wrenches, general tool sets, and more.
Christmas decorations... after Christmas
If you wait until December 26, you'll see discounts of 40 percent to 75 percent off seasonal goods. However, if you need to buy decorations before the big day, look to Home Depot, Crate and Barrel, and JCPenney for inexpensive options. Also, any seller with fresh-cut trees is likely going to start discounting them around December 20.
TV deals
While Black Friday is the best time to buy a TV, some great TV deals linger into December. On the first weekend in December last year, 75 percent of the TV deals were excellent — even better than from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday. There are fewer deals overall in December, but the ones that do appear are generally a great value.
Jewelry
Jewelry deals aren't very good in December, but they're better than in any of the upcoming months. So if you want to get a present for the holidays, or are even thinking ahead to Valentine's Day, check out Szul and Diamond Princess for deals on diamonds, and Kohl's for discounts on its jewelry section. If you’re interested in pearls, which are often more affordable than many realize, pearl necklaces started at $8 last year.
After-Christmas sales for clothing
After-Christmas sales are a great chance to get what you really wanted for the holidays, and they’re dominated by clothing and shoe deals. Check out Nordstrom Rack, Nike, and Tory Burch for up to 92 percent off select items.
Wait to buy
High-end electronics
A new car
Exercise equipment
Winter apparel
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