What Things to Buy after Christmas?

[jeffrey]

What are some of the things that are best bought after Christmas rather than before? Are there things that you always buy the day after Christmas?

[Retired To Win]

Shopping Criteria Should Not Change After Xmas

WHAT one should buy after Xmas should not be any different from buying things one actually needs. The opportunity here is to be able to buy things one already needs at good prices. Buying things one does NOT need and will most likely hardly use just because they are well priced is not saving money. It is spending it unnecessarily.

Retired To Win
making the most of my time and my money

[scfr]

Christmas gift wrapping supplies (if you have the space to store them until the following year).

[bjl584]

Best time to buy supplies like wrapping paper and such. Also a great time to get an artificial tree. They usually go half off or more the day after xmas.

[disneysteve]

We don't celebrate Christmas so we don't go looking for "Christmas" items but I always see light, ornaments, and other decorations marked down tremendously, usually starting at 50% off and within a week getting down to 70-90% off. I can't imagine paying full price for most of that stuff.

When I was selling collectibles regularly, I always headed straight to the Hallmark stores to snatch up ornaments for resale. I usually got them for 75% off. I could buy a $15 ornament for $3.75 and then turn around and sell it for $8.

"Holiday" candy and other food items in special holiday packaging. This is also true after Valentine's Day, Easter, etc. The stores now need to clear the Christmas stuff to put out Valentine's Day stuff - even though it is all the same stuff just in different wrappers. So if you want candy, why not get it at 50% off? We do this as DD usually takes a bite size piece of candy in her lunch bag.

Rubbermaid-type storage bins. The stores sell red and green bins for Christmas, just like they sold orange ones for Halloween. Then right after the holiday they mark them down. If you are just packing stuff to put in your garage or attic, do you really care what color the bins are? Buy them when they're cheap.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I wondering whether candles tend to go on sale after Christmas.

Tapers?
Pillars?
Tea lights?
Other?

For my contribution, I noticed that Value Village (thrift store) has a 50% sale December 26.

[breathemusic]

If you already happen to be on the market for some sort of electronics item like a new TV, but you don't wanna deal with crazy events like Black Friday, sometimes going to the store in the days and weeks right after christmas can lead to getting great deals. If you're willing to check out the "open box" area of best buy, you can sometimes find some great stuff that people bought for the holidays but then returned unused.

[moneybags]

I look for Christmas wrapping paper that can be used year round. As long as it doesn't have a Christmas print on it I use it for birthdays, etc.

[disneysteve]

I look for Christmas wrapping paper that can be used year round. As long as it doesn't have a Christmas print on it I use it for birthdays, etc.

We mostly stopped buying wrapping paper years ago. We started using wallpaper instead. We have gotten it at outlet type stores and even flea markets. It is thicker and more durable and incredibly cheaper. Rather than just a roll that wraps around the tube only 3 or 4 times, you get a solid roll with dozens of yards of paper for just a few dollars.

[jeffrey]

Thanks all for your help -- I used some of your suggestions and thought of some others not mentioned here. These are the things I came up with

http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2013/12/23/1019463_save-money-after-christmas-sales.html

Gift Cards
Holiday Wine
Holiday Beer
Baby's First items
Things on eBay
Gift Sets
Toys and small gifts
Candy
Gift Boxes
Paper Goods
Storage Bins
Tape & Scissors
Christmas Stuff

[moneybags]

We mostly stopped buying wrapping paper years ago. We started using wallpaper instead. We have gotten it at outlet type stores and even flea markets. It is thicker and more durable and incredibly cheaper. Rather than just a roll that wraps around the tube only 3 or 4 times, you get a solid roll with dozens of yards of paper for just a few dollars.

Interesting, I'll have to be on the look out for some. For Christmas, we have a bunch of cloth bags that we re-use every year. My sister-in-law made them from holiday material, and we have them in various sizes. If I could sew, I'd make more or use the idea year round.

[disneysteve]

Interesting, I'll have to be on the look out for some. For Christmas, we have a bunch of cloth bags that we re-use every year. My sister-in-law made them from holiday material, and we have them in various sizes. If I could sew, I'd make more or use the idea year round.

One thing we did years ago is we took some good quality gift boxes and wrapped the lids nicely. We use and reuse those boxes for gifts within the family. I think we got that trick from the Tightwad Gazette.

My wife sews and makes all kinds of totes, wine bags, etc. She sells them so if you're interested, let me know.

[snafu]

It's helpful to set up a calendar noting when specific items go on sale every year so you can plan to buy the stuff you need at sale price They are only bargains if you were planning to buy or need to replace existing stuff.

Additional after Christmas sale items not yet mentioned include flowers/plants, perfume, shoes, winter hats, gloves, men's casual and dress clothes.

[dawnwes]

There is nothing worth braving the crowds that I can see!

I get wrapping paper at yard sales. I am almost out now so I will be on the lookout. About 5-6 years ago someone was selling a large Rubbermaid container of wrapping paper and I bought it all for about $4. It has lasted for 5-6 Christmases. Time to find a new one!

[Ged123]

Wrapping paper is a good idea, I like to buy Christmas cards as well, they are usually half price and good quality, the only problem is I often forget I have bought them and buy a new lot the next year!

Ged