What's On Sale In May?

Retailers used to be fairly consistent about when they marked down specific product categories. For example, bedding and toys received the biggest discounts in January and July was the best month to find indoor furniture on sale. But times have changed and today's retailers are marking down merchandise, sometimes as soon as it hits the sales floor.

The good news is, that according to Consumers Reports, there is still some predictability left on when we should shop for the best deals on some of the major categories.

May Sales

Generally speaking, May is the best month to shop for athletic apparel and shoes, cordless phones and small consumer electronics. The report also offered a few year round tips such as:

• Booking airline tickets on Wednesday morning can save travelers money because airlines are scrambling to sell unsold seats for the next week to 10 days.

• The worst time to buy jewelry is Valentine's Day and the December holidays.

But again, with today's shoppers almost refusing to buy regular-priced merchandise, the top way to find the best price on something you want to buy is by watching the sales circulars and by comparing prices online.

See also: ConsumerReports.org