Best days to buy what’s on your wish list this holiday season

Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, it’s still possible to get great deals if you just let the calendar be your guide.

Retailers typically do 40% or more of all their annual sales during the Christmas shopping selling season. But the deals they offer are concentrated heavily at two times — early in the season and then much later on.

So don’t fall for the ploy where you see stores promoting sales that are actually non-sales! In general, the deals won’t pick back up again until mid-December.

Clothing won’t go on sale again until between Dec. 10 and 15. December 17 is a key date, particularly for seasonal goods. That includes women’s robes, men’s belts, wallets — basically anything you buy where you’re clueless about what to buy that person!

With electronics, the great deals are pretty much already in the bag, though you may see additional steals with a big push around Dec. 14 and 17 that may come with free shipping in time for Christmas delivery.

And then what about the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day? It used to be a deal, but now it’s frightfully expensive because of the popularity of gift cards.

People want to do their returns and spend their gift cards while they’re out shopping that week. Plus, you have people off from school and work who are hitting the stores. So that is a lousy week for deals.

When the calendar flips, you have another opportunity for real markdown bargains that starts Jan. 7. Anything left at that point will be deeply discounted until they can clear it off the shelf.

Meanwhile, Savings.com has compiled a helpful infographic if you want to drill down to type of deal for the exact day during the holiday season.