A Time to Buy

As a financial institution, we usually preach the practical side of money, which often manifests itself as save, save, save! BUT, there are times when spending makes sense. With the holidays approaching, we’ll all be out there spending, trying to make this holiday season the best ever … on a budget. So finding good deals on what we buy is a smart idea. With that in mind, the peeps at MSN Money have highlighted a few items that are often priced best in November. Let’s take a look …

Seasonal Apparel
With winter setting in, you might think cold-weather clothing would be priced with a “What-the-market-will-bear” attitude. Not necessarily. According to those in the know, we will likely see a situation similar to last year, when apparel stores trotted out their best online prices/coupons in the weeks leading up to the Holy Grail of bargain shopping, Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving).

Home Furniture
Conventional couch-type wisdom has always pointed to January as the best month to buy furniture; manufacturers introduce all their new styles in February and retailers look to make room in their showrooms. But wait, according to the people who track such things, data shows we saw 39% more home furniture deals in November 2010 than January 2011.

Cookware
It’s tough to host killer parties without killer cooking weapons. Lucky for you, if you’re in need, now’s a good time to check out killer deals on new cookware. Last year saw a nice increase (about 25%) in cookware deals during November. Keeps your eyes peeled!

HDTV
Want to catch Rudolph and all his holiday buddies in High Def this year? November just might be the month to save some money. With Black Friday looming, HDTV prices fall 15-20% below the PREVIOUS LOWEST PRICES. Even Scrooge would love this!

Movies
Black Friday may as well be Blu Friday with all the deals on Blu-ray/DVD titles. Experts are predicting a return to last year’s prices, when big-name titles were going for as little as $5. Speaking of popular movies and good deals, we found an early-season deal on Harry Potter gift sets (DVD/Blu-Ray at 19-23% savings, plus free shipping) at DeepDiscount.com.

NOT Toys
Holiday spending lists often include toys, but November is NOT the time to buy the latest must-have playthings. According to the experts, you’ll find the best buys in the 14 days leading up to Christmas. Check out dealnews.com for advice on timing for buying toys.

The Giving Season approaches, and if you’re a smart shopper, the giving may come with prices much easier on your budget. Remain vigilante during November. The experts are predicting a month filled with savings.

To make holiday spending easier on your budget, give our Holiday Club Savings account a try. This special account allows you to routinely set aside a fixed amount of money throughout the year for future holiday purchases. In mid-October, the entire balance saved is disbursed automatically to your Vantage checking or Regular Savings by automated transfer. Now’s the time to get one going for next year. Get started today!