What to buy every month of the year in 2018

In 2018, you may resolve to save more, spend less or budget better.

Whatever your money goal, the one common key to your success is shopping smart. That means knowing the best time to buy just about anything.

To help you out, we've created a purchase calendar to help you plan your shopping for the year.

JANUARY

With a fresh page on the calendar comes a fresh start for sales. These products are discounted in January :

          —BEDDING AND LINENS. Department stores hold bedding and linen "white sales" in January with deep discounts 
          on sheets and towels.

        —FITNESS EQUIPMENT. Retailers know you want to get in shape. Expect fitness equipment and apparel sales to 
          abound at sporting goods stores.

       —TVS AND ELECTRONICS. Just before the Super Bowl, retailers normally discount their selections of HDTVs and 
            other home-theater essentials.

FEBRUARY

It's the month of love and gift-giving, but February might be a better time to buy major items for yourself than trinkets for your loved one. Options include:

         —TVS. TV sales spill over from January into February. Aside from Black Friday, this is one of the prime times to 
               buy a new TV.

        —WINTER PRODUCTS. With winter winding down, stores will be looking to unload their inventories of cold-
             weather products. Look for sales on apparel and winter sporting accessories.

       —HOME GOODS. Presidents Day is Feb. 19 this year. Expect retailers to have home and apparel sales on that 
           Monday and the weekend preceding the holiday.

MARCH

There aren't any major shopping holidays in March, but that doesn't mean sales are lacking. Look for sales on these products:

     —GOLF CLUBS. Expect to find discounts on golf clubs in preparation for summer. Whenever consumer demand is 
          down, prices usually are, too.

    —GRILLS. Buy your summer grilling necessities in March to avoid the spike in prices that will come when summer 
         arrives.

    —ST. PATRICK'S DAY ESSENTIALS. St. Patrick's Day is March 17. Around that time, online retailers and department 
         stores usually discount their selection of green-themed clothing, party supplies and jewelry.

APRIL

April has its fair share of spring deals and discounts, including:

    —VACUUMS. Buying a vacuum isn't the most exciting purchase, but it'll be less painful if you take advantage of a 
         spring cleaning sale. Look for these at department stores as well as manufacturers like Dyson.

    —JEWELRY. The general rule is to avoid buying jewelry close to major holidays. Try to get a good deal when jewelers 
         have a slower period and may be more motivated to make sales.

    —FREEBIES. Year after year, retailers and restaurants try to lighten the burden of tax day with discounts and freebies. 
          Keep an eye out for these around mid-April. Tax day this year is April 17.

MAY

April showers bring May flowers — and sales blossom then, too. Here's a look at some products to consider buying this month:

   —SPRING CLEANING NECESSITIES. Before summer arrives, act on spring cleaning discounts on vacuums and mops.

    —SMALL KITCHEN APPLIANCES. Use May discounts as a perfect opportunity to buy small kitchen appliances, such as 
        coffee makers and blenders. These products normally are included in Memorial Day sales.

    —FURNITURE. Three of the biggest blowout shopping days are Black Friday, Labor Day and Memorial Day. This year, 
        Memorial Day is May 28. Look for plenty of furniture and home-decor discounts from big-box stores.

JUNE

June may be one of the shorter months of the year, but its supply of shopping events isn't lacking. Smart purchases include these products:

       —LINGERIE. Stock up on undergarments in June. That's when Victoria's Secret has been known to host its famed 
          Semi-Annual Sale. The sale usually occurs in December also.

      —GYM MEMBERSHIPS. Consider buying a gym membership during the summer, and don't forget to negotiate to get 
          the best possible deal. Gyms may be more eager for sign-ups at this time.

     —GIFTS FOR DAD. You don't have to buy dad's gift at full price. Expect Father's Day deals this month, especially the 
          closer you get to the holiday on June 17.

JULY

The temperature usually rises in July, but the prices of certain products drop. Consider buying these items this month:

       —APPAREL. If you don't want to wait for end-of-summer sales, buy clothes in midsummer. You'll likely find a better 
           price than you would at the start of the season.

       —PATRIOTIC ITEMS. Retailers like a reason to celebrate. In the days leading up to the Fourth of July, there is usually 
            an abundance of sales on red, white and blue products (and products that are all three colors), as well as on 
             sporting goods, jewelry and furniture.

       —PERSONAL ELECTRONICS. Black Friday is a big deal day that falls in November, but many retailers have begun 
            hosting Black Friday in July sales, including Best Buy and Amazon. Expect discounts in nearly every product 
            category.

AUGUST

Close out summer by buying summer products? That's right. Look for end-of-season clearance sales in August:

     —BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLIES. The start of school marks the need to buy small items such as pencils and expensive 
         ones like laptops. Generally, the closer to the start of the school year you buy, the better your chances of getting a 
         good price.

     —LAWN MOWERS. Ride out the end of summer with a big deal on lawn mowers and other seasonal outdoor 
        equipment.

     —SWIMSUITS. There may not be many swimming days left by the time August rolls around, but that's exactly why 
         swimsuit clearance sales will crest. Buy your swimsuits now to stock up for next year.

SEPTEMBER

With deals on items as varied as electronics and back-to-school supplies, September is a surprising month for good buys. Pick up reasonable prices in these departments:

        —MATTRESSES. Year after year, September is the time for mattress sales. Expect these from department stores and 
            mattress centers, usually as a part of Labor Day deals.

         —IPHONES. Apple has been known to announce its new iPhone installments at the company's annual keynote in 
              September. Usually, the unveiling is followed by a drop in prices on the current phones in anticipation of the 
                new models.

        —APPLIANCES. This year, Labor Day falls on Sept. 3. Expect a series of blowout deals in the week leading up to the 
              holiday, including promotions on appliances big and small.

OCTOBER

Don't let the cost of shopping spook you during the Halloween season. There will be plenty of deals on these product categories in October:

             —OUTDOOR FURNITURE. People generally spend less time outdoors when the temperature drops. Expect deals 
                  on patio 

furniture and outdoor living products when summer ends.

           —JEANS. Fall inventory arrives in stores in August and September, but you'll pay top dollar unless you wait a few 
                weeks. October is a great time to buy a new pair of jeans.

            —CANDY. The closer you get to Oct. 31, the better your chance at snagging a discounted bag of candy for your 
                trick-or-treaters.

NOVEMBER

November is the month for Black Friday sales, which means some of the most popular tech products fall to their lowest prices:

            —TABLETS AND LAPTOPS. Electronics take center stage during Black Friday sales. Look for discounts on 
             smartphones and activity trackers, too.

             —GAMING SYSTEMS. Black Friday is the best time to buy a discounted gaming console or gaming system bundle 
             like Xbox or PlayStation.

            —HOME APPLIANCES. Reserve your major home appliance purchase — refrigerator, washer, dryer, dishwasher, 
             etc. — for Black Friday deals. Often, sales on these can be found throughout the month.

DECEMBER

The end of the year is just the beginning for discounts in some product categories. Look for sale prices on these products in December:

              —TOYS. Since toys are a popular Christmas gift, stores generally host big toy sales as the holiday season draws 
                  to a close.

              —CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. Beginning the day after Christmas, shop sales for deep discounts — often upward 
               of 50 percent — on decorations, wrapping paper, ornaments, artificial trees and similar seasonal fixings.

             —CARS. The end of December is an ideal time to buy a car. That's when dealerships are looking to meet end-of-
              year sales quotas.

source : This article originally appeared on the personal finance website NerdWallet . Courtney Jespersen is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: [email protected] . Twitter: @courtneynerd.