July might seem like it has a single good shopping day — July 4th — but you can actually find great deals all month long! Whether you need outdoor gear to celebrate the second half of summer, want to scoop up Prime Day deals, or you're ready to dive into early Back to School sales, July has it all!
The 4th of July is a huge shopping holiday and marks the midpoint of summer for many, as the next few weeks usually usher in the Back to School season. Sales around the big celebration usually focus on electronics, clothing and shoes, patio furniture (to some degree), outdoor gear, large appliances, and mattresses at stores like Costco, Target, and Best Buy. Many may still be going on. Of course, 4th of July sales are pretty diverse, so if something you're shopping for isn't included in one of these categories, don't fret! There's a good chance a ton of items will be on sale, so be sure to check out your favorite shops.
The well-known convenience chain 7-Eleven often hosts a Free Slurpee Day for their rewards program members on July 11 to celebrate the holiday 7-Eleven Day. Sign up for their rewards program and get a free Slupee at 7-Eleven, Speedway or Stripes stores.
National Ice Cream Day falls on July 17 this year, and we expect plenty of parlors to get in the spirit with different freebie promotions. In 2021 we saw Carvel provide cards with surprise offers to customers who purchased items from their special churro menu. Dairy Queen, meanwhile, gave out $1 off coupons in their app, and Yogurtland boosted Real Rewards earnings for a single day to celebrate.
Ordinarily, we advise against purchasing seasonal clothing within the time frame it's meant for, but July is a rare exception, largely due in part to July 4th sales. But even without those events, plenty of summery clothing items with great discounts are worth shopping. For instance, last year we saw sales on men's swimwear at Nordstrom Rack and Lands’End at the end of the month. It's not just swimwear, either. In July 2021, J.Crew Factory knocked up to 71% off dresses that were perfect for hotter temperatures, while Nautica dropped prices on summer essentials to under $25 and took an additional 10% off via a coupon code. Look for bulk purchases to be eligible for savings, too; in 2021, Hanes offered 20% off the purchase of three or more tees, tanks, or polos. At these prices, you can stock up on apparel perfect for sweltering summer days and still have plenty of time left in the season to wear it.
If you love spending time in the great outdoors when summer arrives, know that you can find truly great deals on gear for all kinds of activities during July. Backcountry will likely have brand-specific sales, like up to 68% off The North Face, and definitely keep an eye on REI. Last July the retailer offered up to 30% off fitness deals, while its outlet division knocked up to 71% off adventure gear, up to 56% off camping and hiking deals, and other deals that were up to 90% off. Be sure to watch Moosejaw, as well — last year it took up to 40% off in its summer clearance event. Individual July deals will be fairly notable, too. Watch for watertight survival kits to be around $5, tackle kits to cost around $15, and nylon double hammocks to go for around $19. Need items for camping? Watch for tent deals to be as affordable as $34, while a Coleman 4-in-1 gas camping stove could be as low as $97.
Different parts of the country head back to school at different times, but that just means the Back to School sales start early and last for weeks. The result is tons of deals worth your time! Last year, we saw Back to School sales for the month underway as early as July 7. More sales will pop up later in the month, and there's a good chance we'll see early promotions from stores like Adorama and Microsoft. Watch for clothing Back to School sales in July, as well. Under Armour Outlet could offer up to an extra 25% off, while Finish Line could cut up to 40% off select items. Aeropostale may have early deals on school uniforms, including an extra 15% off when you purchase multiple items, and Shoebacca could cut up to 75% off during its event, allowing you to stock up on new shoes for far less.
Amazon spent two years mixing it up for Prime Day — in 2020 it held the sale in October, while last year it moved the event to June. Now Amazon is finally returning to its roots. The online retailer is slated to host the big event in July once again this year, and it'll fall on July 12-13. Prime Day should be an excellent time to find savings on Amazon devices, home and garden items, electronics, and other products. There's almost assuredly going to be a deal on select Instant Pots, and we'll likely see deals on a number of fitness trackers, too.
July is basically the peak of summer, so it's no surprise that it'll be the perfect time to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies. Look for the ripest fruits to include apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, kiwi, mangoes, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries, and watermelon. Then there's the best fresh veggies, which will include corn, cucumbers, green beans, kohlrabi, lettuce, okra, peppers, summer squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes, and zucchini.
Hold off on electronics, patio furniture, grills, lawn mowers and sunglasses. While there may be some good deals during Prime Day or Back-To-School Sales, the better discounts for these item usually happen in August through November.
(Partially reprinted from dealnews.com)
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