The Best Time to Buy Everything for College (Month-by-Month Guide)
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
One of the biggest mistakes I made in college was assuming that if I needed something, I should buy it right then. Turns out, almost everything goes on sale at some point during the year. After four years of accidentally paying full price (and then seeing the exact same item 40% off two weeks later), I finally figured out the shopping cycle. If you can wait a few weeks—or even a few months—you can save hundreds of dollars over the course of college. Here's when I actually buy things.
January: Storage & Organization
Everyone is trying to get organized after the holidays.
Look for:
Storage bins
Desk organizers
Planners
Hangers
Closet organization
February
Usually a slow shopping month.
Only buy things you actually need.
Watch for:
Valentine's candy after February 14
Winter clearance
March
Spring Break means luggage sales.
Also a good time for:
Swimsuits
Sandals
Travel accessories
April
Spring cleaning begins.
Good time for:
Small appliances
Organization
Cleaning supplies
May
One of my favorite months.
Graduation sales.
Memorial Day sales.
Look for:
Mattresses
Tech
Laptops
Headphones
Kitchen appliances
TVs
June
Summer clothes start going on sale.
Don't buy them in May.
Wait.
July
Amazon Prime Day.
Target Circle Week.
Walmart Deals.
This is when I buy:
dorm essentials
bedding
chargers
fans
Amazon basics
school supplies (starting late July)
August
Everyone is back-to-school shopping.
Ironically...
This is often not the cheapest time to buy trendy dorm decor because demand is highest.
Instead focus on:
last-minute necessities
notebooks
pens
calculators
Skip impulse décor.
September
The hidden gem.
Stores begin clearing out dorm inventory.
Target clearance can be incredible.
October
Halloween costumes.
But also...
Outdoor lights and room décor start getting marked down after Halloween.
November
Black Friday.
Cyber Monday.
This is when I buy almost all electronics.
AirPods
Apple Watch
laptops
tablets
monitors
beauty tools
December
Holiday gift sets.
Especially beauty.
This is honestly one of the cheapest times to stock up on:
skincare
makeup
perfume
hair tools
My Biggest Rule
If I don't need it today...
I add it to an Amazon wishlist.
Then I wait.
Nine times out of ten, it goes on sale before I actually need it. Sometimes the biggest money-saving hack isn't finding a coupon. It's just knowing when to buy.
May your cart be full and your total be low.
XOXO,
Broke College Girl
