What I’ve Been Up To

Frugal Friday: August Best Buys

August already, and time for another round of the best things to buy this month. If you’ve still got a few warm-weather items on your list, now’s the time to get the best deal. In particular:

• Summer clothing. Retailers want the shorts, sundresses and boat shoes off their shelves, to make room for sweaters, corduroy and winter boots. No, you won’t be able to wear summery items for too much longer, but you can stock up on something you know you’re going to need for next year — clothing a size or two too big for your kids, for example.
• Swimwear. While some of these deals may carry into September if the inventory is still available, dealnews.com features director Lindsay Sakraida says that swimwear tends to dry up — perhaps retailers are better at controlling that inventory, but there isn’t a ton left come fall. Sure, you’ll find a smaller selection — but items could be marked down by up to 90%.
• Teen and children’s apparel. Wrap this in with back-to-school season, but Sakraida says that jeans and other clothing items for your kids are at their lowest price points — and coupon codes, which you can search for online, are available for many retailers that could knock an extra 50% off many sale items. Expect those to be geared more toward summer apparel, but you may find codes that further discount current season items as well.
• Patio sets and grills. What do these have in common, aside from being outdoor, summer items? They’re large, and that means retailers want to push them out the door. “Toward the end of August and into September as well, you’ll see a small selection on these items but they could be marked down by up to 90%,” says Sakraida. A mid-range gas grill, for instance, could see a savings of $200. (Gas grills tend to have the highest discounts, for the simple reason that they’re more expensive than charcoal varieties.)
• 3D TVs. Not on the train for this latest piece of technology yet? You’re not alone, which may be why 3D TVs are hitting rock bottom prices — they didn’t take off the way manufacturers and retailers thought they would. Sakraida says dealnews.com has seen prices as low as $549 on a 55-inch 3D TV, which is a steal. One thing to keep in mind: We’re getting closer to Black Friday — believe it or not — so prices may drop further. But if you’re in the market here, it’s not a bad time to buy.