3 On Your Side: 3 Things To Buy In January
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Did you shop until you dropped over the holidays? While many people plan to stay clear of the mall for a while and rest their credit cards, bargain hunters can find some great deals. In fact 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan tells us about 3 of the best things to buy in January.
Since shopping crowds thin out considerably after the holidays, retailers are really trying to get people back into stores. In a number of categories you'll see some pretty good deals. Dealnews.com examined January pricing trends over the past few years and Features Director Lindsay Sakraida says if you need furniture, you may be in luck!
According to Sakraida, "Typically a lot of manufacturers will release new models in February so retailers that have old stock which is bulky, they can't keep it for very long, will start putting those items on clearance. So you can actually get discounts of up to 75 percent off from department and specialty stores."
If you've made a New Year's resolution to lose weight. Sakraida says, "Fortunately January is one of the best months to buy fitness equipment. We see double the number of deals. You can get a stationary bike or a home gym or an elliptical trainer, at 15 to 60% off which is a fairly significant discount."
If you want to get a head start on your taxes, discounts have already been seen on software of up to 40%. According to Sakraida, "You want to pay attention to whether there is an additional fee, if you file through the software, for federal is usually free, but state filing can sometimes cost extra, and that's an expense that you want to take into account. We've seen some software deals that include that cost which makes it a better value even if it's slightly more than other software."
So what should you avoid buying in January? Well if you're in the market for electronics you may want to hold off until February. That's because next week the Consumer Electronics Show is being held in Las Vegas. Once that wraps up, often older model televisions, cameras and tablets go on sale. Some items are priced at clearance levels as store's make room for the latest and greatest gidgets and gadgets.
To check out what things Dealnews.com expects to be more expensive throughout 2013,
CLICK HERE.
