5 things to buy in July: technology, fashion and sporting goods

July is full of sales. This kicks off with an Independence Day sale on July 4th and will only be active on Prime Day (July 11th and 12th this year). Tax-free shopping season begins in some states later this month. And that's all good news for inflation-stricken shoppers with plenty to buy for summer and back-to-school.

To help you take advantage of the best midsummer savings, we've used the following. Internal discount data Calculate the average discount shoppers can expect in popular categories in July. Top 5 Categories to Shop This Month

Highest shopping sales in July

July is a busy month for shoppers, with the following sales coming up:

• July 4th Sale: It starts as early as a week before the 4th of July, so check it out early. Focus your efforts on these shopping categories to save the most money.
• Prime Day: Amazon Prime Day (the biggest sale of the year) takes place in mid-July. Prime Day is known for its tech deals, but it's also a great time to buy everyday items, fashion, and home goods.
• Black Friday in July: This means a sales cluster starting in mid-July. Many retailers launch summer clearance sales around this time because they know summer is halfway over and they have limited time to sell grills, patio furniture, summer yard games and summer clothing.
• Back to School Sales: No, July is not too early to do back-to-school shopping. In fact, Apple's back-to-school 2024 offering is already underway. Prime Day is the best place to get deals on back-to-school items and clothing. And retailers such as Staples, Office Depot, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and Walmart will begin back-to-school sales in mid- to late July. am.
• Ulta Big Summer Sale: The Ulta Big Summer sale starts June 23rd and runs through July 13th, so there's plenty of time to score up to 45% off big hair care products and more.
• Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale: The Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale begins in June and runs until July 16. Save up to 60% on bras, sleepwear, lingerie, beauty products and more.

The 5 smartest things to buy in July

1. Health & Beauty (Average discount rate: 22% discount)

Prime Day may be technically renowned, but it's become quite extravagant in recent years. Health and beauty products are now officially eligible for Prime Day purchases. Numerous beauty and personal care brands (both drugstore and luxury) sell on Amazon and will participate in Prime Day. Last year, we had 30% off Grande Cosmetics and Sunday Riley, 50% off FOREO LUNA 3 facial cleansing brush, and more.

And don't forget your styling tools. Last year I saw the Dyson Airwrap was $100 off.

In addition to Prime Day:

• Ulta is having a big summer sale (running until July 13th).
• Target typically offers a sale in mid-July that includes beauty deals.
• The Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale includes discounts on perfume and other beauty products and runs through July 16.

2. Clothing (average discount rate: 19% discount)

Good news for back-to-school shoppers: There are plenty of clothing sales in July. The end of July is when we first start seeing summer fashions (including swimsuits!), so some of them are seasonal. Pay special attention to t-shirts, tank tops, summer dresses, sandals, and shorts. These items are still available during the first (still hot) months of the school year. Then you can shop fall items through the Labor Day Sale in early September.

In addition to seasonal discounts, Prime Day also offers many discounts on clothing. The biggest discounts are expected to be on Amazon's own clothing lines, such as Amazon Essentials and Goodthreads. However, many brands selling on Amazon also offer discounts of their own. We also expect many other retailers to offer deals during Prime Day to compete with Amazon.

Before Prime Day, be sure to check out how this year's Fourth of July apparel sales are performing. Major retailers like Macy's, Kohl's, Carter's, and more have huge deals.

3. Office supplies (average discount rate: 18% discount)

We love the less anticipated discounts. Office supply stores don't often get the spotlight, but they're worth checking out in July. You can expect Office Depot and Staples to begin their back-to-school deals at the end of the month (in fact, they're some of the earliest stores to jump on the back-to-school train each year). And these deals aren't limited to pencils and binders. If you're decorating a college student's dorm or home office, expect deals on office chairs and office furniture, too.

Amazon will likely offer discounts on dormitory and school supplies on Prime Day as well. In fact, the survey found that 36% of shoppers said they would start doing their school shopping in July. Prime Day therefore marks the gateway to the back-to-school shopping season.

4. Computers and electronics (average discount rate: 17% discount)

Prime Day, which takes place in July 2024, is a key time for tech deals on laptops, tablets, and smart home devices. Prime Day is Amazon's sale, so expect the biggest discounts on Amazon's own products (Fire Tablets and Echo smart home devices have been discounted by more than 50% in past years). But you can also enjoy discounts on Apple products, including iPad and Apple Watch. Shopping Tips: Prime Day doesn't officially start until mid-July, but Amazon has been known to launch some tech deals early.

In addition to Prime Day, back-to-school sales provide another opportunity to save on technology and computers. Apple always offers discounts and benefits to students during late summer. Likewise, Best Buy also offers back-to-school deals specifically for students. Be sure to check out retailers like HP, Dell, and Lenovo as well. They often offer doorbusters like Black Friday and special student prices starting in late July.

5. Home & Garden (Average discount rate: 17% discount)

The Fourth of July weekend is a great time to shop for household items. From then on, retailers will start offering lower prices to ensure they sell all their summer items before the weather cools off. It may feel too early. The 4th of July is still peak summer. But it's the last major summer party event before the kids go back to school.

If you need a break between outdoor adventures (or your “outdoor adventures” tend to take place in your backyard), you'll be seeing deals on grills and patio furniture over the Fourth of July weekend. Yes, you'll get bigger discounts the closer you get to Labor Day, but the selection won't be as great.

And July home sales continue to rise. Around mid-month, you'll see home goods retailers discounting outdoor gear during their 'Black Friday in July' sales. Prime Day is also a great time to score discounts on furniture, vacuums, and other household items.

Check out these retailers:

• Amazon
• home depot
• lowes
• wayfair
• overstock
• ACE (for grills and outdoor power appliances)

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