Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Get amazing 2017 gift savings now
Cut your gift-giving costs for 2017 in HALF – or even by 75% – by hitting the after Christmas sales. You may feel shopped-out, but it is so worth it. For best selection, go early on December 26, and revisit periodically between December 27 and January 7 for further markdowns on the most abundant items.
Things you'll want to look for first – bright and early on December 26:
– Toys, games, and gadgets. Toys, gadgets, games and more in both holiday-themed and regular packaging will be marked down so stores can return to normal stock levels. These are, by far, the fastest to go.
– Clothing and warm winter wear. The great thing about clothing is that not everything will be Christmas themed. Some pieces will be winter themed, but there is plenty of winter left. And some things will just be marked down because the store doesn't have the room to keep them. In particular, look for slippers, robes, hoodies, sweatshirts, graphic tees, thermal wear, hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, and boots.
– Blankets. A standard go-to gift for the holidays, stores always get more blankets than they sell. Of course, there will be plenty of holiday-themed ones, as well as novelty blankets, but they should also have a nice selection of high-end, soft blankets.
– Candy, food, beverages, and tableware. These get marked down quickly because once the holidays are done, left-over themed packages appear “outdated”. But in reality, most goods still have a long shelf life left. You’ll find nuts, candy, holiday baking supplies, paper plates, napkins, and even things like cereal.
– Seasonal inventory. Retailers get special items they only carry during the holiday season. Once Christmas is over, they don't have a place to continue displaying these items in 2017. This includes special gift packs that can contain anything from a new apron to candied nuts.
– Health and beauty items. After Christmas is one of the best times of year to buy perfume, cologne, grooming kits, multi-item make-up sets, lip balms, shampoo, body wash, and much more. It's common to find multiple-item gift packs, which are typically a bargain over normal individual prices.
– Towels, washcloths and other linens. It's a perfect time to replace your worn out linens, or to buy ahead for wedding or graduation gifts. Think bath towels, washcloths, kitchen towels, hot pads, flannel or jersey sheet sets, and more.
Things you'll want to look for on December 26, and check back on until about January 7:
– Christmas items. This is, by far, cheapest time of year to get that new pre-lit tree, more strings of lights, new ornaments, and other beautiful decorative items.
– Wrapping supplies. Wrapping paper, boxes, bows, ribbon and more get marked down once, then again and again – beating even dollar store prices. Grab some for next Christmas, but also look for neutral wrapping supplies that could be used for multiple occasions during 2017.
– Anything you noticed a lot of. This varies from store to store, so keep a mental tab on things that are in abundance on December 26. Then decide whether to take your chances that they will get marked down further and still be there if you came back in a few days.
3 bonus tips for after-Christmas shopping:
- Pick your store(s) very carefully. Consider what you're really looking for before setting out on December 26. If you're looking for items like clothing, blankets, and linens, you might want to choose a store that specializes in those. If you're looking to replace your broken string of lights and pick up some new wrapping supplies, you'll want stores like Walmart or Target.
- Know your retail prices. Just like any other sale, you'll do best if you know the normal retail price of items. Occasionally you'll run across items that may be 50% off, but the original price is inflated beyond the true value of the item. Not everything that is on the after Christmas sale shelves will be a good deal.
- Shop with coupons. Sometimes coupons can also be found to pair with the abundant after Christmas deals. Look for ones for every type of store, including clothing stores and grocery stores. At SavingsAngel.com, we have thousands of coupons in our free coupon database for grocery, household, and health and beauty items. For other stores, like clothing retailers, we recommend checking Retailmenot.com for coupons.
