Thanks to Lori at Moms by Heart for this wonderful Guest Post,

From year to year, there are several fairly reliable seasonal sales centered around special events. During these times, stores will mark certain items down to rock bottom prices in order to get you in the doors. These items are known as loss leaders. Here is a schedule of monthly loss leaders, along with monthly clearance items. For those of you who are seasoned frugal shoppers, please leave a comment if there is something I missed.

January
Loss Leaders:
1) New Year’s Resolutions – low fat brands, healthy food and diet products
2) Super Bowl Party – snack food, soda, sandwich items
3) Storage items and organization products
4) Medicine – cold and pain relief, vitamins
5) White sales
6) Chili, soups, stews
Clearance items:
· Dated items: calendars and planners
· Christmas and New Year’s party items
· Winter clothing, jackets, hats, boots
· Christmas baking products (sprinkles, cookie/candy molds, etc)

February
Loss Leaders:
1) National Canned Food Month – special deals on canned goods
2) National Hot Breakfast Month
3) Valentines Day – candy
4) Chinese New Year – Chinese food products
Clearance items:
· Leftover Christmas toys are discounted up to 75%
· Winter clothing
· 2/15 on: Valentines baking products (sprinkles, special packaging, etc)

March
Loss Leaders:
1) Frozen food month
2) Spring cleaning items
3) Easter food items
4) Gardening supplies
5) National Peanut Month
6) March Madness – sports drinks, soda
Clearance Items
· Frozen novelties are repackaged, old packaged products are reduced

April
Loss Leaders:
1) Earth Day – organic and environmentally friendly items, energy savers
2) Easter items
3) Auto Maintenance
Clearance Items:
· Easter baking products (sprinkles, cookie/candy molds, etc)

May
Loss Leaders:
1) Memorial Day – think barbeque and picnic products
2) Cinco De Mayo – Mexican food
3) Mother’s Day items
4) Auto Maintenance

June
Loss Leaders:
1) National Dairy Month
2) July 4th promos begin – outdoor barbeque/picnic items
3) Camping supplies, sunscreen, insect repellant

July
Loss Leaders:
1) July 4th promos continue – best prices on BBQ, picnic items
2) School supplies
Clearance Items:
· 4th of July baking products (sprinkles, cookie/candy molds, etc)
· Summer clothing
· Toys
· Patio furniture & outdoor decor items

August
Loss Leaders:
1) Back to School deals – lunch foods, school supplies, backpacks, lunchboxes, cereal, peanut butter and jelly
Clearance Items:
· BBQ equipment, charcoal,
· Sunscreen
· Insect repellant

September
Loss Leaders:
1) Back to School deals continue
2) Tomato products – look for Ragu and Prego coupons and deals
3) Baby items
4) After Labor Day, deals on BBQ and picnic supplies
5) Soup
Clearance Items:
· Bikes
· Gardening supplies

October
Loss Leaders:
1) Halloween products
2) Baking season begins
3) Apples, pumpkins and related products
Clearance Items:
· Toy clearances make room for Christmas items

November
Loss Leaders:
1) Thanksgiving dinner foods
2) Baking goods
3) Coffee, tea, cocoa

December
Loss Leaders:
1) Holiday party food
2) Baking supplies
Clearance Items:
· Fall décor items 75%+ off
· Fall baking products (sprinkles, cookie/candy molds, etc)