4 Things You Should Never Buy in November

Signs of the looming holiday season are everywhere: rising 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

There’s no doubt you’ll find great deals for fitness equipment during the early summer shopping season. However, some specific fitness equipment tends to go on sale during January to capitalise 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.

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 jewellery

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

Luggage

As people tend to travel for the holidays in the summer, those are 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 autumn travel “dead zone.”