18 summer holiday items you should always buy on sale

An item that I am certain to look out for during one of my summer vacation trips is a good propane fire pit to be used in the evenings. My tactic is to wait until mid to late August when stores will cut prices by 40% to 60%, and hence I end up saving $70-$120 compared to the prices charged in June or July. It still remains warm enough to roast marshmallows and stargaze into September/October in Wyoming, and so it is better if I spend the money saved on extra propane and firewood instead.

I always wait until an outdoor furniture sale before I purchase anything. I do this every year and I buy it right after Labor Day Weekend, and every time I have not been disappointed. Most retailers will drop patio and garden furniture prices by 35% to 60% as summer slowly wraps up. I work at State of the Wall and continually monitor seasonal pricing patterns for home goods, so I have the receipts to back that up. Last year, I found a teak conversation set in late June that was selling for around $1,800 and purchased the same set for around $700 at the beginning of September.

You can’t dispute the math. Waiting 10 weeks saved me over $1,100 on one purchase. Yes, I limited the amount of time that I could use it, but I have it stored away and it looks like brand new when I set it out the following spring. So, if you live on a strict budget and are fully furnishing a space, using patience is actually your best strategy.

It’s video games for me, mostly ones I can play on long trips or on lazy summer nights. I play on a Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo games don’t drop in price very often. But third-party games aren’t the same. When summer sales start, a game that costs $60 when it first comes out is often only $30 or $40. So I wait and make a wish list all year.

You can save 30 to 50 percent on each game, which adds up if you buy a few of them. Some games also get filtered out when you wait. By July, half of the games I wanted in March don’t look as fun. The sale saves me money on the games I want to buy and keeps me from buying the ones I didn’t really want.

The one summer item I always wait to buy on sale is a window AC unit or portable cooling unit. Every year I watch homeowners panic-buy in mid-July when the Houston heat hits triple digits, and they pay full freight because they’re desperate. If you can hold out until late-season clearance or early-fall markdowns, you’ll typically save 30 to 40 percent off peak pricing. The same logic applies to ceiling fans and attic ventilation gear, retailers slash those right as demand cools.

Here’s the angle I push from the property-services side: the cheapest cooling upgrade isn’t the unit at all, it’s the air you’re already paying to cool not leaking out of your house. We run IECC third-party energy inspections and REScheck and COMcheck reports across the Greater Houston area, and the number-one thing we see is folks spending big on cooling equipment while their envelope leaks like a sieve. Sealing and insulating before the sale season means the smaller, on-sale unit you buy actually does the job.

So my real advice mirrors how we coach customers on tradeoffs: wait for the seasonal price drop, but spend the savings on the stuff that compounds. A weekend of weatherstripping and a properly sealed attic will out-save any discount sticker over a summer.

If you’re in Conroe, The Woodlands, Spring, Kingwood, or anywhere around Houston, time your purchase to the calendar and let the energy assessment guide the size. That’s how you stretch a sale into a year-round win instead of a one-time receipt.

Bottom line: don’t buy cooling gear in a panic at full price in July. That’s the move that keeps paying you back every August.

For me, it’s always luggage — specifically a good carry-on.

Years ago, fresh out of school and constantly bouncing between cities in Asia, I bought a “premium” suitcase at full price right before a big trip. I was in a rush, didn’t shop around, and paid for the privilege. Two months later, I watched the exact same bag drop by nearly 40% in an end-of-summer clearance. That stung. It also taught me something I’ve carried ever since.

Now I never buy travel gear at peak season. The best deals on luggage, packing organizers, and travel accessories show up in late August and early September, once the summer rush fades and retailers clear inventory for fall. I’ve saved anywhere from 30% to 50% by simply waiting a few weeks. On a quality carry-on, that’s often $80 to $150 back in my pocket — money I’d rather spend on the actual trip.

Timing isn’t about being cheap. It’s about respecting value enough to let it come to you.

Sunglasses are the one summer item I always wait to buy on sale. I’ve never bought a pair at full price during peak season, and the savings make that discipline easy to maintain.

Good eyewear doesn’t expire. Quality frames look the same in September as they did in June, and styles that carry well tend to last for years. So waiting six to eight weeks after the summer rush costs nothing. In Switzerland, where I’m based, decent eyewear starts around 300 CHF and goes well past 700 for anything serious. Waiting until late August typically means 30 to 50 percent off. I’ve saved between 200 and 400 CHF on a single pair just by not buying the moment I first wanted them.

Speaking of timing, late August is consistently the best window. And here’s something most people miss: physical stores in Switzerland drop to sale pricing a week or two before their websites update. If you’re patient enough to wait for the discount, check in person first.

One thing I never purchase full price before summer is camping gear. I wait every year and it always pays off.

Out of all the places I’ve tested this with, REI is the most consistent. They always lower prices immediately after Labor Day and I’ve learned to wait for that time. Everything in that window is 30 to 50 percent less: tents, sleeping bags, camp chairs, cooking equipment, you name it. Last September, I bought a sleeping bag that was on sale for $189 all summer for $97. I had been watching it since June and I just didn’t bite.

The thing is, retailers have to make room for fall and winter merchandise, and camping equipment is the first to go. REI in particular is predictable about this. They have the same categories on sale every Labor Day and if you’ve been paying attention since July 4th weekend, you know what is on sale and how much.

Book Flights Early, Activities Later

One summer travel technique that has received little attention is waiting to make tour purchases, local activities & attractions until after a clearer picture of the consumer’s buying behaviour develops. Many travel companies tell consumers to “book” all aspects of their vacation as soon as they possibly can; however, most travel companies will lower prices as the departure date nears if there is still excess capacity remaining in their product offerings.

As a result of this delay in adjusting prices, there is a pricing disparity between what an individual spends to acquire their airline ticket and what they spend to acquire other components of their trip (i.e. excursion tickets, attraction tickets, etc.), which may also be discounted at a later time.

For example, City Tours, Boat Excursion Packages, and Attraction Bundles are very common examples of items that are offered at discount rates during late bookings. Discounts of 20%-40% are common in these areas of the market during the height of the summer season.

One item I always wait to buy on sale is packing cubes. These can be a mundane, unmemorable item, but there are a lot of seasonal variations. Retailers and brands often give them great discounts, particularly during the Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Prime Day, so you have to expect to get them on sale. These sales can save you about 30-40% by waiting a couple of weeks, as a set that normally retails for $25-$30 can be even reduced to $15-$18.

Packing cubes are not a must-have since they don’t go bad, but they are a stock up item for most travelers as they use multiple sets for clothes, toiletries and shoes. If a sale goes on, I purchase multiple sets of items, have extras in my reserve and do not pay full price before travelling.

When I mention a summer purchase worth waiting for, I’m talking about buying a full-featured sonic toothbrush that includes a travel case and USB charger. Deals on these full-priced packages range from $180 to $250. Summer sales can offer discounts of 30% to 40%, or about $55 to $100 off a single purchase. That’s significant savings on a device you’ll use twice a day for the next few years.

And when you consider summer is the season of travel, portability is added value. Pressure sensor, two-minute timer, small travel case, and USB charging allow you to brush consistently while flying, staying at hotels, and traveling by car. If you wait for the sale, a $220 toothbrush package can become $140 to $165. Regardless, you get the same features for a substantially lower upfront cost.

The one thing I will not purchase in the summer is a portable generator. Every June, the news starts to talk about storm season so people rush to Home Depot and Lowe’s and buy generators at full price. I used to do just that. Then I noticed what happened to those prices once September hit.

They drop. Fast.

Although many people believe storm preparedness is a necessity, the retailers stock their shelves with generators every summer due to a predictable demand, but once that demand drops after Labor Day, they now find themselves with surplus stock that they need to get rid of. My last purchase of a Generac 3500 watt generator was on sale from $749 in July to $479 in September. I remember going to the store and looking at the price of the unit and saying “No,” then eight weeks later purchasing it for $270 less than what it was selling for before.

During the summer, many stores use fear as a marketing tactic to inflate the price of portable generators. As an attorney who practices in Michigan, I deal with property damage post-storm frequently, and I can relate to those who wish to be prepared ahead of time, but preparing does not mean paying more than you need to. Generators do not know what month it is to determine when to go on sale or when it will be sold out, and consistently waiting until late September to purchase a generator saves between $200 to $500 based on unit type, and you can always find one if you need to purchase one.

What I look forward to each year when the summer rolls around is the grill, whether gas or charcoal. Merchants have plenty of stock going into Memorial Day and July 4th, and waiting until the end of July or early August, you can expect discounts anywhere from 30-40% due to the fact that they want to free up room for fall merchandise. So, something costing $400 during prime grilling season will be down to under $240 by mid-August.

The item I always wait to buy on sale is a dehumidifier, especially during Melbourne’s sticky summer stretches. Many people do not think about moisture control until condensation, musty smells or discomfort start showing up, which often leads to rushed full price purchases. I usually save 20 to 30 percent by waiting for a well timed holiday or clearance promotion, often around $80 to $200.

Performance matters more than hype with this category. Tank size, noise, energy use and how well the unit handles continuous operation are the real indicators of value, not simply the depth of the discount.

The summer holiday purchase I consistently wait to buy on sale is resort dining credit. At full price, those packages often look convenient but are rarely structured around actual guest behavior. Once seasonal demand normalizes, properties tend to repackage the same value through booking incentives, loyalty windows, or limited promotional offers. That shift usually creates a better return without changing the on-site experience.

I normally save around 25 percent, sometimes closer to $100 across a weeklong stay. The reason is straightforward, hospitality pricing often rewards timing more than commitment. In my experience, bundled holiday extras become far more rational once operators start filling revenue gaps, which is when the economics move from perceived luxury to measurable value.

The summer holiday item I wait to buy on sale is a beach canopy or premium shade tent. These products are classic examples of seasonal markup because they are tied to immediate plans, family outings, and the feeling that summer is already underway. When demand is emotional and weather-driven, full price tends to reflect convenience, while holiday promotions finally bring the item closer to its actual value.

I typically save 25 to 40 percent by waiting, which usually means about $40 to $110 depending on size and build quality. That buying pattern reflects a broader principle of mine, where patience often protects judgment better than enthusiasm.

One summer holiday item that I always buy on sale is swimwear. And if you buy it at the end of the season or just outside of the summer heat, then you can usually look at saving anywhere from 30% to 70%, and in some cases, you can even get a buy two for the price of one deal.

Retail stores want to get rid of the current year’s fashion and designs, opening up space for the next wave of suits making the rounds. One thing to look out for is not to purchase patterns that trended while it was peak summer; stick to solid natural colors.

This is honestly the best way to purchase top brands at the lowest prices. You have a perfectly good pair of swimming trunks for the next season, and you will be able to upgrade by the time those have worn out, at a lower price.

I never purchase outdoor string lights at full price during the summer. Every year I wait until right around July 4th when several retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Home Depot have their largest sales on outdoor items. Last year, I bought three strands for $14.99 each instead of $24.99 and received a total of $30 back for one small transaction.

The same logic goes for inflatable pool products and patio umbrellas too. I wait for a sales event, move quickly and purchase these products before the holiday weekend so I can qualify for up to 40.02% off each item. Stock is decent each time I buy, so I never feel like I got stuck with the leftovers.

I always shop for summer sales on sunscreen and beach essentials rather than buying at full price. Shops have an abundance of stock, which leads to sales mid-summer or right before holiday weekends. From personal experience, I estimate sales vs. full-price savings at around 30-50%. I don’t think that’s a huge risk because stock levels will be good, these products have long shelf lives, and I can buy for my whole family. The sales are much more varied and frequent for higher-end travel-size products and sunscreen. I have seen this habit become a part of my budget and a worthwhile habit to keep quality over quantity.