December Is the Best Month To Buy These 15 Things

Shopping is a year-round sport. And while the excitement builds throughout the year, it reaches its zenith shortly after Thanksgiving. It’s the holidays, baby, and welcome to the Super Bowl of opulent thrift.

While choosing the best cash back credit card can drive huge savings in any season, December is when the magic comes together. We consumers are promised unprecedented price drops.

December is the best time to bargain-splurge on many goods and gift items. Here are 15 items that may yield a great price, whether you’re buying for a loved one or yourself.

Black Friday’s much-ballyhooed toy deals are worth the hype. But you can find the best prices on toys as December 25 approaches, when retailers want to clear all the extra Barbies and board games on their shelves. 

It’s a balancing act, though, as you’ll get better selection and shipping options earlier in the month.

December is a fantastic time to buy gift cards, as restaurants and retailers offer deals on them. While some are reluctant to give such an impersonal gift, recipients say they prefer them. 

In fact, the National Retail Federation says it’s the number one most popular gift requested for 2023.

Nevertheless, nothing prevents you from adding a small, personal flourish with the plastic card. Over the years, we’ve found that the holiday season is an excellent time to stock up on gift cards and take advantage of the savings.

Stores start slashing prices on Christmas-themed decor around Christmas Eve. These deep discounts continue through the end of the year as retailers try to entice customers to buy next year’s holiday decorations.

December is a great month to score big on headphones and wireless earbuds, a perennial favorite of gift recipients. Amazon, Target, and Best Buy are just three retailers offering reliable discounts and deals on Apple, Bose, and other coveted brands.

With so many high-tech models and aesthetically beautiful options, robotic cleaners and vacuums have become a hot holiday gift. 

In December, you’ll find lots of promotions. And since vacuums tend to be pricey, this may be the perfect time to upgrade a loved one’s (or your own) old model.

Despite images of crestfallen kids opening sweaters underneath the tree, Christmas is a great time to stock up on clothing.

Not only are there deals on off-season clothing and holiday-themed apparel, but apparel retailers tend to offer steep savings store-wide. This includes staple mall retailers, high-end department stores, and niche brands.

Etsy is an online marketplace featuring makers and curators of vintage goods from around the globe. Its store pages are a rabbit hole of utter enchantment: handcrafted leather goods, custom wood toys, hat boxes, and nostalgia.

Etsy is generally more expensive than conventional stores, but most sellers offer holiday sales. While these aren’t the steep 50% off savings big retailers offer, you can often find the best (and sometimes only) deals in December.

Smart speakers make great holiday gifts. They're available in a wide range of prices and functionality and offer practical day-to-day help and home entertainment. Deals for Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant are plentiful all month long.

A smart speaker may be a thoughtful gift for a far-away family member, as many devices can be used for audio and video calls. And it could be a great time to snag a second or third smart speaker for your own house.

Make sure to check the specs in detail to find the best one for sound quality, overall ease of use, and compatibility with other devices.

Department stores and discount retailers are known for offering sweet savings on coffee makers and other kitchen gadgets for the holidays. A new coffee maker could be the perfect gift.

There's an endless selection, with prices ranging from $ 10 for a drip-brew appliance to $ 6,000 for an espresso machine. All the December savings make it a great time to amp up your morning brew and upgrade to a sleeker machine.

Just as for coffee makers and other kitchen appliances, stores offer incredible deals on kitchen blenders and mixers for the holidays. If you’ve had your sights set on a Kitchen-Aid mixer, Black Friday through the end of the year is a solid time to take the plunge.

The holiday season may be the best season to upgrade your smartphone. Many retailers and carriers offer steep discounts or even free phones for trading in your current model or switching data providers. 

Just make sure to do your homework upfront. Get an unlocked phone, double-check coverage area and plan pricing, and read the fine print.

While dorm-sized microwaves and mini-fridges are cheapest during back-to-school season, you can score big on a full-sized version in December.

The best deals may be offered from Cyber Monday through early December. Do your research now so you can pounce quickly when prices drop.

With consumers increasingly using their smartphones as their photo-taking apparatus, cameras are getting scarce. But that doesn’t mean they’re out of vogue.

Some cameras are quasi-luxury goods, and Gen Zers love the vintage flair of instant cameras like Polaroid, Fujifilm Instax, and Kodak Printomatic. To get their piece of the holiday pie, camera-selling retailers also offer markdowns in December.

Read the specs to understand what your purchase includes, and research any warranty options as well.

As with other gadgets and gizmos, December is an excellent time to buy smartwatches made by Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, Google Pixel, and Garmin. You’ll find trade-in promotions and outright markdowns of up to 40% off.

While the steepest discounts may fall on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there are plenty of good deals on printers in December. These days, they come with a wide range of bells and whistles, including a Wi-Fi connection to your smartphone.

December is a great month to find great deals on apparel, small appliances, and giftable items. 

While November makes headlines for its Black Friday deals, there are plenty of bargains — many even cheaper — in the final countdown to the year.

For goods like television sets or bicycles, December may not have the lowest rock-bottom prices you’ll find all year. You’ll need to use some savvy shopping hacks and research if you want a true steal.