Summer is the time to buy these items when they’re on sale

Hopefully, you bought everything you need for a cool and fun-filled summer.

Kiddie pools, bathing suits, patio furniture, grills, umbrellas, and beach/pool towels are best purchased in the winter and spring. If you didn’t buy them then, they may be hard to find or more expensive now. Once the summer hits, you may as well wait until the end-of-season sales, unless you need them now.

The summer is the best time to buy things that you won’t need until after August. With the help of Nerd Wallet, the summer months are the best time to buy these items.

June: Tools and grills – In preparation for Father’s Day, many retailers will offer deals on power tools, grills, and men’s clothing.

Pool chemicals – Stock up on the chemicals you will need to keep your pool sparkling and swim-ready at a moment’s notice.

July: Apparel – If you don’t want to wait for the end-of-summer sales, buy summer clothes now. You’ll likely find a better price than you would’ve at the start of the season.

July Fourth items – In the days leading up to Independence Day, there’s an abundance of sales on red, white, and blue products. Barbecue and backyard items, sporting goods, jewelry, and furniture also tend to be on sale.

School supplies: Retailers start increasing their inventory of school supplies on sale in late July. If you have the new school supply lists, shopping these deals early can help you avoid the back-to-school rush. Stock up on low-cost items such as notebooks and pencils. If you can, purchase extra low-price notebooks, pencils, and other basic school supplies and donate them at a “stuff the backpack” or “stuff the school bus” event in your community.

Personal electronics – Personal and more expensive electronics like calculators and laptops are typically less expensive the closer to the start of the school year.

Note to Arizona newbies: Many states offer dates when shoppers do not have to pay state sales tax on items such as school supplies. Arizona is not one of those states.

Amazon Prime Day – Usually held in July, you can score screaming deals in nearly every category. If you prefer to support local businesses, as we do, look for retailers who will offer sales at that time.

August: Camping gear – Not a lot of demand for camping gear when the kids are back in school. Replace the items that wore out over the summer so you will be ready come spring break or next summer. Keep your campers happy!

Outdoor products – Look for lawn mowers and other seasonal outdoor equipment to hit the sale racks.

National Day of (blank) sales

If you haven’t heard of it, there is a National Day Calendar. It lists fun things to celebrate each day, such as NASCAR Day (the third Friday in May) or National Beef Burger Day (May 28). Some retailers offer special sales to commemorate the day. For example, these days are coming up in the summer:

June 13 is National Sewing Machine Day. Craft and sewing machine stores may be having big sales. Stock up on the materials you will need for back-to-school clothes or holiday sewing projects.

The second Saturday in August is National Garage Sale Day. As the old saying goes, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” You never know what treasure you will find at ridiculously low prices.

Planning ahead is the key to saving money and time. Happy shopping!

Join Rosie on the House every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on KTAR News 92.3 FM. If you’d like to send us questions or comments, email mailto:info@rosieonthehouse.com. Follow us on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook. For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert since 1988, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program. Call 888-767-4348 with questions and comments.