Economics 101 taught us the laws of supply and demand: Buy when there's no demand, and sell when there's a lot of it. But we don't always apply this logic to our spending habits.
Retail patterns don't change over the years, and timing your purchases - on various things such as furniture, electronics and clothes - means saving money.
FreeShipping.org's Best Time to Buy Guide and Consumer Reports weigh in on what you should buy in the coming months:
Jewelry
Because the retail calendar is often scheduled around holidays, you should never buy jewelry in February or December. No romantic holidays fall in July or August, so retailers slash prices on baubles.
Gym memberships
Mother Nature is a sauna and public pools are open, so gyms aren't signing up a lot of members. The worst month to buy a gym membership is January, when New Year's resolutions bring in a new crop of gym-goers. Seek out gyms offering seasonal deals.
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Maintenance
Lawn mowers and air conditioners are typically bought in spring, so Consumer Reports says that you should buy in August.
Computers
Before the holiday rush in November and December, retailers try to sell off old models before new ones hit stores. Also, Consumer Reports recommends buying desktop computers and laptops before the back-to-school rush.
Swing sets
When the kids head back to the classroom, it's the perfect time to get a deal on big-ticket toys for the back yard. Retailers mark down swing sets and other large items to make room for wrappable holiday gifts, so buy big outdoor toys in August.
Champagne and sparkling wine
With New Year's long gone and graduations mostly over, July is the best month to stock up on bubbly.
Paint
When spring approaches, people flock to home-improvement stores, meaning that, by summer, serious repairs and upkeep have probably been done. Demand for paint decreases in the summer - who wants to paint outside in this heat?
Furniture
Like clothing, furniture follows a strict retail schedule and arrives the same months each year: February and August. For stores to make room, furniture is deeply discounted in January and July. Consumer Reports says July is the best month for indoor and outdoor furniture.
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