From DIY gear to used cars: the best time of year to find a bargain

Sales, seasonal ranges and retailer quirks mean that simply buying at the right time of year could save you hundreds of pounds.

There are certain times of the year that we all associate with sales and the potential to save a bit of money on the things we’ve been planning to pick up.

The January sales have long been a favourite choice for savvy shoppers, while the growth of Black Friday in the UK has given bargain hunters another date to target.

However, if you really want to maximise your savings it pays to do your homework, as certain goods are at their cheapest at specific times of the year.

Car insurance

If you need to sort out a new car insurance policy for your motor, then chances are you will find the best prices around three weeks before the start date for the new policy.

An investigation by MoneySavingExpert found that typical quotes for a policy starting in 21 days worked out cheaper by as much as £531 than when searching for quotes for a policy starting in 30 days.

Leaving it to the last minute is a bad move too. The research found that buying on the day you need the policy to start could cost an eye-watering £1,156 more than when shopping around 21 days before the start.

It seems to be down to question of risk – if you’re shopping in advance, rather than at the last minute, you give the impression of being an organised person and therefore more likely to be a careful driver.

A used car

If you’re on the hunt for a new motor, then it’s a smart move to time your shopping around the launch of the new number plates in September and March.

According to AutoTrader, dealers often look to clear out their old stock ahead of the flood of new cars to coincide with the plates, so you may be able to negotiate a bargain.

AutoTrader reckons certain quieter periods of the year, like August or in the run-up to Christmas, can be a good time too as dealers are desperate to at least bring in some cash towards their targets.

If you're selling your old car, we've put together a series of guides to selling on AutoTrader, Gumtree and webuyanycar.

Find the best car finance option on loveMONEY's comparison site

Flights

Flights comparison site Skyscanner has built a nifty little tool to help you find the best time to book a flight, based on where you are flying from and your planned destination.

For example, if you are flying from London to Marrakech, the cheapest flights are on offer around 10 weeks before departure, costing around 13% cheaper than average.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most expensive time is the last week before departure. 

Things fluctuate a little more if you are flying from Manchester to Hong Kong.

While the last week is again the most expensive, you will also pay more than the average if you book between seven and 13 weeks before departure and more than 20 weeks before you head off.

The cheapest time to book is just five weeks before you head off, which works out at 6% cheaper than average.

Our sister site loveEXPLORING regularly lists travel bargains and last-minute deals.

TVs

Consumer champions Which? last year tracked how the average price charged for three different TV sets changed over the 12 months – a high-end LG OLED, a mid-range 4K 7 Series Samsung, and a budget 43-inch LG.

The OLED was released with a massive £3,000 price tag in April, but within two months it was available for £1,000 less. It was at its cheapest around Christmas and Black Friday.

With the Samsung, the set cost £1,300 at launch in June 2017. It dropped down to almost half that price shortly before Christmas, but it wasn’t until March this year that it halved in price.

The budget TV started at £650 but within a couple of months, it had dropped below the £500 mark. It has steadily fallen since then and is now available at around £350.

Around eight months after launch appears to be the sweet spot for getting the best price, while it’s notable that sets rarely drop below half of their launch price. So if you see the set you want at 50% off, move quickly.

If you're buying a TV, check out cashback sites Top Cashback and Quidco and consider also using a cashback credit card to save even more.

Furniture

New furniture styles tend to launch in February and August. As a result, stores are often looking to clear their old stock beforehand, so that’s when you’ll find some decent bargains.

If you’re looking for outdoor furniture, then the best time will be as the weather starts to turn for the worse. Retailers don’t want all of this year’s stock still on their hands next summer, so anytime from September onwards is likely to offer the best bargains.

Just make sure you have somewhere to keep them dry during the iffy weather months.

BBQs and lawnmowers

Along similar lines, if you’re looking for items that will see the most use during the summer months –​​​​​​​ things like lawnmowers and BBQ sets –​​​​​​​ then leaving it until autumn is a smart move.

According to credit card firm Marbles.com, this is when you’ll bag the biggest bargains, saving around a third on each in October compared to when the weather is at its hottest.

If you're a keen gardener, we've got a separate guide on how to save money.

Kettles and toasters

A study by Which? a couple of years ago suggested that there is, in fact, one time of year that’s best for picking up goods like kettles and toasters.

Supposedly you’re best off hunting for a deal September as that’s when stores are most likely to be competing for the student market, since it marks the start of the academic year.

DIY gear

The spring is undoubtedly the most popular time of the year for a bit of DIY. Not only is the weather better, making it easier to carry out those jobs that involve a bit of time outdoors, but you also have a succession of bank holidays in which to do them.

Little wonder then that this is also a cracking time of year to pick up the tools you’ll need.

According to Marbles.com’s research, you can pick up drills for as much as 45% off in April, with similar discounts on offer for electric saws. The savings on ladders are much more modest at 12%, but this is still the best time of the year for picking one up.

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