It seems like we just put the trees up, hung the stockings and plugged in the Christmas lights but in just a short while it’s over – the wrapping paper is in a pile…the stockings tossed aside and mistletoe taken down. Yet, there are many items that buying on clearance AFTER Christmas will bring the best deals.
1. Decorations for next year. I’m going to be completely honest- my Christmas Tree has seen better years. About ten of them to be exact! Being frugal means we’ve used the same artificial tree for the last ten or so years. All that fluffing and then packing away has taken it’s toll and this is the last year that we are going to be able to use it. Even plastic trees loose their plastic needles after a while! Now it actually looks pathetic. Starting a few days after Christmas most things will be 30%, 50%, 75% and even up to 90% off. As the percentage off grows- the selection goes down so to get the items you really want- you’ll need to head out a few days after Christmas. Besides trees, ornaments, tinsel, Christmas lights and other holiday themed items will go on sale.
2. Candy and Treats. Trust me, I’ve conducted very unscientific experiments to test this but Red and Green M&Ms taste exactly the same as the blue, brown and yellow ones. Just because something comes in a holiday themed package doesn’t mean it can’t be used other times of the year. Thinking ahead the red could be used for Valentine’s Day and the Green for St. Patricks day. Or you could be like me and blindly shove them into your mouth chased now with some Coke Zero. Popcorn Tins with snowmen on them are just as delicious in January as they were on Christmas Eve and Christmas Tree shaped cookies go with a cup of hot cocoa on New Years just as well as Christmas morning (Yes, I eat cookies on Christmas Morning…it’s a tradition…okay no it’s not I just really like cookies)
3. Returns. Many brick and mortar stores accept returns from their online versions yet don’t always carry the same items. So that really cute pair of ear muffs that Aunt Janie got you…you know the ones that make you look like Princess Leah? They might not be your style but if you return them to the brick and mortar store of the website she bought them they may not carry it. Then they will place that item on clearance mark down because they don’t have a place to put it. I’ve snagged great deals on items at stores like Kohls and Old Navy (not Princess Leah ear muffs though…not my style- but certainly someone would like them!) So keep a look out in the clearance area of your store- maybe, just maybe someone returned something that didn’t work for them but is perfect for you! Returns are prolific after the holidays so keep your eyes open!
4. Gift Sets. Perfumes, Cosmetics, Bath Salts, Robes and Slippers– the assortment of gift sets is enormous from Thanksgiving to Christmas. After Christmas suddenly those $14.99 sets are marked down to $7, then $5, then $3. It amazes me because that gift set of 4 items can be sitting right next to the single bottle of one of those products and people will still pay 3 times as much for the single item and pass by the clearance gift set!
5. Housewares. Just like red M&Ms taste the same as the blue ones, a red platter can serve cookies just as well as a white one. In fact, many of the Christmas themed housewares are available in multiple colors that don’t have to be used just for Christmas. White is particularly popular and even with embossed snowflakes, etc- once the food is on top of the decorations no one needs to know it was was sold as a Christmas item. Even if they do know, does it really matter? It holds cookies just as well as one without a red and green label- but it might just cost 90% less than the one labeled differently.
Merry Christmas! Thanks for the great ideas. Here’s one for that snowflake platter – cover it with a pretty paper lace doily (the kind the bakeries put under their baked goods to make them all fancy). Now no one will see what design may or may not be lurking under the doily.