The Best and Worst Things to Buy in March

This post comes from partner site Dealnews.com.

March isn’t known for its big shopping events, so we find that retailers will use any excuse to host a sale during the month and bring in customers. St. Patrick’s Day is a given, but March is National Frozen Food Month, too, and that can yield its own deals worth checking out. And don’t forget about post-Valentine’s Day chocolate deals and seasonal clearance sales!

Additionally, Mardi Gras 2019 falls on March 5, offering a good chance to plan a fun getaway. We also expect luggage to go on sale, making this month a good time to shop travel in general.

Read on to discover all the things you should (and shouldn’t) shop for in March.

6 things to buy in March

March is the time to celebrate spring — and great deals, from chocolate to luggage!

Chocolate

If you skipped the pricey confections and flowers for Valentine’s Day, know that we should see deals on holiday candies in March. While you might stumble across heart-shaped boxes of chocolates at deep discounts, this month is also when Easter candy will start showing up.

As Easter doesn’t fall until April 21 this year, we might see fewer of those deals in March, but we still expect at least a few bargains from the likes of Amazon and Walmart.

Frozen foods

March 1 marks the beginning of National Frozen Food Month. Although these 31 days are suited to the lazy cook, they’re also aimed at busy families.

This is the month to shop for low-cost freezer staples, as popular brands including Dole, Eggo, Green Giant and Totino’s will offer discounts to celebrate. Be prepared to shop multi-buys on select brands to get the most out of the deals.

St. Patrick’s Day sales and freebies

You may think of St. Patrick’s Day as a time to “get your Irish on” instead of to shop, but we do tend to see at least a handful of themed sales around the holiday. This is largely due to March being devoid of big shopping days in general.

Last year, we saw St. Patrick’s Day sales at both TechRabbit and the Dell Refurbished Store, which took an extra 15 percent off and 48 percent off, respectively. Additionally, DiscountMags cut up to 95 percent off magazine subscriptions for the holiday. And in the Irish spirit, the Guinness Webstore knocked 20 percent off its engraved and personalized glassware.

Look for food deals around St. Patrick’s Day, too. Last year Baskin-Robbins offered up free samples of its Mint Chip ‘n Oreo Cookies Milkshake, and we’ve already learned that McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is back. Also, check your local California Tortilla — in 2018, it gave away free chips and queso with a purchase. Restaurants like 99 Restaurant & Pub and Yard House like to provide special menus, as well.

Cruises

We routinely see a fair amount of cruise deals pop up in March. This is likely due to the “wave season” falling from January through March. The season is so named because travel agents generally see a “wave” of bookings during this time. It’s also when cruise lines tend to be more generous with their added incentives.

In 2018, we saw more cruise deals in March than at any other time of the year (aside from February, which had the same number of offers). Look for weeklong cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean that cost as little as $377 per person. And keep an eye out for shorter trips — last year, we saw a four-night Bahamas cruise for two from $448.

Gift cards

Luggage

Whether you have a trip planned for spring break or summer, March is a good time to pick up new luggage and travel gear. Last year, eBay offered notable deals on kids backpacks and Samsonite duffels. Meanwhile, Samsonite itself featured a coupon for up to 50 percent off sale and clearance items at the end of month, which dropped starting prices to $35.99.

Don’t forget about Amazon, either. The online retailer accounted for 26 percent of the travel gear deals we saw in March 2018. Additionally, it took up to 40 percent off a variety of luggage and travel gear in its own sale at the end of the month. Also expect retailers like BuyDig to discount a particular type of luggage — last year, it knocked up to 70 percent off Samsonite’s SoLyte luggage.

3 Things NOT to Buy in March

There are a trio of things that you should not shop for in March. They include:

Android phones

Lingerie

If you were hoping to find racy gifts on sale post-Valentine’s Day, you might be out of luck. Lingerie is one type of apparel that doesn’t see a lot of deals in March.

In fact, you’re better off putting intimate apparel on your shopping list around Black Friday. But while deals won’t be fantastic, if you really want to shop for lingerie in March, look for a sale or two at Frederick’s of Hollywood.

Spring apparel

Top stores for March

Some of our favorite stores this month include:

• 6pm: This discount retailer will boast a couple of sales this month. Look for a clearance event that takes at least 70 percent off, and another sale that cuts up to 87 percent off.
• Uniqlo: The fast-fashion retailer will likely host a sale knocking up to 95 percent off items. Plus, expect to also bag free shipping with your orders.
• Jos. A. Bank: This is another store that should offer a couple of excellent sales in March. Look for clearance suits to drop to $99, as well as a buy one, get one free sale.
• Aeropostale: Stock your closet, thanks to a sale that takes up to 80 percent off clearance items.
• Perry Ellis: This men’s retailer should host its semi-annual suit event in March. Expect up to 60 percent off, along with another 20 percent off and free shipping on select orders.

More from DealNews:

• “Here’s the TRUE Cost of Attending Mardi Gras 2019 in New Orleans“
• “How to Sell Gift Cards Online“
• “The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide“

What do you plan to buy in March? Share your list in comments below or on our Facebook page.

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