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10 Things You Should Never Buy in November
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Signs of the looming holiday season are everywhere: falling temperatures, red cups at Starbucks, and the appearance of early Black Friday “deals.” But while instinct tells us that the holiday shopping season is high time to score a discount, it’s not necessarily the best time of year to buy everything. In fact, November is decidedly not the time to pick up certain categories of goods, from seasonal clothing to appliances.

These are thing things you should hold off on purchasing if you are worried about getting the most bang for your buck, and when you should actually buy them. (At the very least, you can put them on your wishlist and hope someone else buys them for you.)

Fitness equipment

Fitness equipment
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There’s no doubt you’ll find great deals for fitness equipment during the early winter shopping season. However, some specific fitness equipment tends to go on sale during January to capitalize on helping people accomplish their New Year’s resolutions goals (which retailers likely know they will give up in February). That’s why Consumer Reports suggests January is the best month to shop for retail items like fitness trackers, scales, and home workout equipment. If you don’t mind buying used, start shopping in February for a nice second-hand discount.

Space heaters

Space heaters
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During the holiday season, space heaters are hot commodity. But as the coldest part of winter comes to an end around February, retailers usually begin to drop prices on their remaining inventory of heaters that they will otherwise have to hold on to until the end of the next fall season. If you wait until February, you will likely enjoy a hefty discounts on a space heater.

Winter apparel

Winter apparel
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Just like space heaters, winter wear is usually in highest demand during the holiday shopping season. And like most clothes, if you wait for the end-of-season clearance deals, your wallet will be better off. Keep an eye on brands and stores that specialize in winter clothing to find the best deals toward the end of winter weather, as they’ll be the ones trying to offload the most inventory to make room for the next season’s apparel.

Digital cameras

Digital cameras

You can find great digital camera deals during the holiday shopping season, but the best time to buy digital cameras is in January, and for two reasons: After Christmas, electronics that were not sold usually have great discounts as high holiday demand has passed and retailers will begin to compete for your dollar. Moreover, new camera models are usually released in the wake of the January Consumer Electronics Show, and that usually brings the price down on older models.

Fine jewelry

Fine jewelry
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The holiday seasons are the worst time to buy fine jewelry, as jewelers are well stocked and tend to sell the most between November and February (capitalizing on prime Christmas-Valentine’s Day proposal season). That’s why the best time to buy jewelry is in March, April, and May. During this time, most jewelers will be regrouping after their busy season and working harder to get you in the door before engagement ring season starts up again.

Luggage

Luggage
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As people tend to travel for the holidays and in the summer, those are both generally not the time to try to buy new luggage. You’ll find better deals if you wait for the end of summer, when you will catch retailers at their most desperate moment: the fall travel “dead zone.”

Air purifiers

Air purifiers
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As spring approaches in April, people start getting excited for the sun (and leaves) to come back and the flowers to blossom. But that also means the return of allergy season. Retailers know April is bad for those allergic to pollen, so March is when you will find many retailers dropping prices on air purifiers.

Mattresses

Mattresses
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While you might be tempted to buy a mattress now so your holiday guests don’t have to sleep on the couch again, you’re likely better off making them tough it out for another season. The best time to buy a mattress is actually in May, during Memorial Day—the best time to buy any kind of mattress. Memorial Day sales are great for many items, and mattresses are one of the big ticket items with the biggest discounts at that time.

Refrigerators

Refrigerators

Another big ticket household item that you’re better off buying during the summer: a new fridge. Refrigerators tend to see their biggest discounts around the Fourth of July, as retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s slash prices hoping you’ll pick up a second fridge to stash all the beers and barbecue that didn’t fit in your first one. Name-brand refrigerators can be found for up to 40% during Fourth of July sales, so hold off on that purchase until summer rolls around.

Washer and dryers

Washer and dryers
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I’m not saying there are no discounts on washers and dryers during the holiday season, but if you mean business, then you’re going to want to wait for Labor Day sales in September to purchase these appliances. According to Reader’s Digest, retailers have the best prices on these items around Labor Day.