February is a tough month for many retailers. It’s also the shortest month of the year, but it’s certainly not lacking when it comes to savings. Many people are still recovering from holiday spending sprees and credit card binges.
Buy Early Or Buy Late Strategies For Deals
When you are looking for deals, there are two ways that work. Buy before the season or buy at the end of the season. At Lowes, Home Depot and Menards your best month for deals is usually February and September. February for deals on winter related items and September for deals on summer related items.
That means sales demand is generally low, so stores get creative with sale promotions in February. Lowes, Home Depot and Menards stores will be clearing out the winter merchandise and making room for the new spring items coming in.
Now, all stores will have clearance items available year round, you just need to know where to find it. But February is a different animal and clearance can be found almost everywhere at Lowes. Why?
Lowes store sales peak in late spring and early summer. Departments like lawn and garden and lumber/building materials are now starting to reset the departments for maximum sales coming up. And that means major department resets in lawn and garden, lighting, plumbing, paint and lumber areas.
Luckily, some summer products like grills, air conditioners, replacement doors and windows, and even lumber for a new deck are quite a bit cheaper. Fewer customers are really looking to buy and last years stock is being cleared out. If you’re in the market, now’s a good time to buy.
You might not score as big a discount as you would at the end of the season, but this month you’ll find deals on several spring and summer projects like patio stones, deck packages, power equipment, and ceiling fans. Find out what the best and worst things are to buy at Lowes in February.
February Deals On Humidifiers, Air Conditioners, Fans and Garden Hoses
Again, seasonality makes this one work. You only think about cooling off in a July heatwave not the middle of February. You don’t think about air conditioning until you need it. You don’t worry about watering the grass until its 90 degrees out.
And so you’ll find bargains on humidifiers, A/C units, fans, garden hose and sprinklers. In the sticky summer months customers will do almost anything and pay any price to escape the heat. Do the smart thing and buy one now.
You wont find a great selection in most stores as Lowes will send most air conditioners and fans back to the manufacture in late September. But you will find some clearance, open boxes, a few of last years models and displays at great savings.
February Deals On Patio furniture
Patio furniture goes on sale all the time. It’s an item that Lowes, and of course Home Depot, are always trying to move with sales and special offers. But February is truly a great month to shop patio furniture if you can do a little driving and you do your homework.
Like air conditioners and fans, you wont find a great selection in February, but most stores will have a few pieces from last year.
New furniture styles are typically unveiled in early spring, so retailers are clearing out old styles in February to make room for new items in March. That also means its very unlikely you will find complete patio sets at any one store.
You may have to drive around to 3 or 4 locations to get a matching set if that’s what you want. But you could save about 80% off regular price of the new stuff!
Don’t forget about those extra pieces of patio furniture and accessories you need when friends and family come over. And at 80% off, who cares if its matching? An extra lounge chair or deck chairs. Umbrellas. Deck boxes. Patio Cushions.
Mix and match and don’t forget to bargain on a last one or slightly damaged item. I’ve seen customers walk out the store with last years patio chairs that sold for $59 each get them for $10 a piece!
Tax Software Deals And more
We mentioned in the January buying guide that tax software deals will pop up throughout the weeks leading up to April 15, and we noted that sales pick up in February. Most Lowes stores started selling tax software about 2 years ago but your best deals are still on Amazon.
You will see markdowns of up to 50% off programs from H&R Block and Turbotax as soon as late February. It’s reasonable to expect that these early cuts will translate into even better deals in late March.
The biggest sales of both big-screen TVs and home theaters are directly before and after the Super Bowl. Dealers want to clear their inventory for new product lines and customers want to upgrade for the highest-rated show of the year.
You can also expect quite a few Presidents’ Day sales during the 3-day weekend, which will take as much as 80% off of apparel, as well as hand tools, bedding, and furniture. Look to clothing and department stores for big Presidents’ Day sales too.
What to avoid buying in February? Refrigerators.
Refrigerator deals are coming, but not just yet. The new models roll out in the spring, and that’s when the discounts will appear on last year’s models. It’s just a few months away, so just wait for the prices to fall.
By Victoria Stone