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We’ve finally made it to the last month of the year and the high point of the annual sales calendar! Savvy shoppers know this month is a twofer: You’ll find lots of great deals well before Christmas, and then you’ll find a lot of things at a deep discount after the holiday.
So if you can afford to spend, you’ll find a lot of great opportunities. But just because something’s a deal, it doesn’t mean you buy it, according to money expert Clark Howard.
“If your budget is really tight and you don’t have the money, there’s no more juice to squeeze out of the orange, what do you do? You make things for people yourself or do experiences with people, something you know they love doing that you go do with them that would be inexpensive. It doesn’t have to involve spending a lot of money!”
That said, if you plan to play Kris Kringle by opening your wallet, make sure you get your online shopping done by December 14 (aka, Free Shipping Day). That way you can get guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve!
Possibly the most notable retailers to offer sales like these include Costco and Best Buy. In the past, Costco’s 12 Days of Deals savings event featured items in nearly every category — including travel! If you didn’t see what you were looking for during what has now been dubbed “Black Friday month” (November), you might want to be on the lookout for the Costco sale in addition to “countdown to Christmas” sales happening at other stores. Currently, Best Buy is offering a 20 Days of Deals sale ending on December 17.
This is a great month for the handyperson in your life to save money (maybe it’s you!). Try shopping for cheap tools at Woot with this deal site’s dedicated tool page, at The Home Depot or at Lowe’s Home Improvement.
And don’t forget about discount tool retailers such as Harbor Freight and Northern Tool. No matter where you choose to shop, be sure to see our guide to the best places to buy cheap tools before making your purchase.
December is typically a month when you can save big on tires thanks to Discount Tire’s mid-month flash sale. Last year, the tire retailer offered $50, $80 or $100 off a set of four tires. Warehouse clubs such as Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale also tend to have additional savings on tires at the end of the year. Keep your eyes peeled around December 15.
Each December, Costco has a semi-annual sale with some great deals on furniture. Look for deals in stores around December 15. You’ll pay only a 14% markup on furniture, which is ridiculously low compared to regular furniture retailers. (Note that Costco stores don’t offer delivery, so you’re responsible for moving whatever you buy yourself.)
December has at least one food holiday that usually offers the opportunity to get some discounted or free food. This includes National Cookie Day on December 4. In the past, Starbucks, Shake Shack and McDonald’s have offered some free food items with or without purchase through their apps in December — no holiday required.
December is an ideal month to stock up for next year’s celebration if you time your purchases right. By the day after Christmas, all the stuff you needed leading up to the holiday goes on deep discount. That includes wrapping paper, holiday greeting cards, holiday decor, candles and more. Just be sure to shop as early as possible after Christmas to get the best pick of inventory.
If you want to place your bets on the best possible deals rather than specific items, know that as stock dwindles, prices will continue to drop.
Gift sets will also be on sale this month, and we’re talking everything from lotion and toiletries to pet gift sets. Once we get past Christmas, the prices on these sets will drop precipitously. That means the smartest play is to stock up on these now for events throughout the coming year: Think birthdays, graduations, weddings or baby showers. As for the Christmas-themed sets, just buy them and stash them in the closet for next year.
December is one of two months (the other being June) when Bath & Body Works hosts a semi-annual sale online and in stores. You can score deals up to 75% off. During the last sale, we saw shower gel from $3.37, hand soap from $2.50, and hand cream from $3.12.
Clothing and shoes tend to be marked down for closeout right after Christmas as well. So keep your eyes open at the end of the month for savings.
The start of a new year is just around the corner. In addition to packing away all your holiday stuff, you may want to clean and pare down your living space to greet 2024. Thankfully, you’re likely to find storage and organization favorites on sale at a variety of big-box retailers and home improvement stores this month. (As an aside, plastic tote company Sterlite makes its products proudly in the USA.)
If you’re a last-minute gift giver, you’ve probably purchased or considered buying a gift card before. The reality is that gift cards can be something of a double-edged sword. They come with certain dangers such as smaller restaurants or retailers going out of business before you can use the gift card. But they can be a good thing if you get more value than you pay for. And that happens pretty commonly in December.
In years past, Target RedCard members have gotten 10% off the purchase of Target gift cards purchased both in stores and online, typically during the first week of December.
Warehouse clubs offer discounted gift cards year-round — not just in December. And if you’re running out of time to get gifts but don’t want to buy a gift card, check out our list of the best instant gifts and experiences you can send by email right here.
And don’t forget Clark’s favorite gift: cash!
December is a great month for deals, as long as your timing is right. Just remember to spend sensibly and within a predetermined budget so you’re not dealing with a nasty debt hangover in January.
Also, remember to comparison shop using your smartphone when you see a sale. Because a “sale” is not always a sale and it’s up to you to make sure it’s really a deal, Clark says!
Want to see what’s already on sale today? Check out today’s best deals from ClarkDeals.com.
This post was last modified on December 5, 2023 8:23 am
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