Shopping post-Christmas sales may elicit better deals

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Shoppers may be spending a lot of time in the malls these days buying gifts for others, but occasionally temptations may arrise to purchase something for yourself.

A familiar sight in the days leading up to Christmas, stores packed with shoppers combing the aisles for the best deals. Sales designed to lure you into the stores are a plenty, but waiting can help shoppers save a lot of money.

"Too hard to resist and I do try to wait if I can, but if something would be nice to have then and there, it's just hard to resist the temptation," Livermore resident Summer Palma said.

Experts say resist those sales if possible. The shopping site deal news identified several categories where savings are significantly greater after Christmas.

"The number one thing you should avoid buying before Christmas is clothing," Mark LoCastro of Deal News said. "Forty-five percent of all deals we saw after Christmas sales were for clothing."

Last year, after Christmas the best deals included 50 percent off already marked down prices. That is expected to happen again this year.

Another category to wait before buying is fitness gear and equipment.

"There's a big surge in deals for fitness gear and equipment in the beginning of January," LoCastro said. "But they really start ramping up in mid-January."

Missed the Black Friday sales on consumer electronics? The second best time of year to buy is after Christmas. That's when new models are introduced at the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. If you're happy with last year's models, January and February are good times to get

discounted prices.

The same goes for home furnishings. "That's when older home furniture goes on clearance, so you can expect sales from major retailers," LoCastro said.

Those that wait until after Christmas to buy for themselves in any of these categories reap savings of 50 percent or more.

"I don't do Black Friday," San Lorenzo resident Hartford Hough said. "I definitely always go after Christmas. So that's me."

The last category is a popular one, one many are already taking advantage of, Christmas decorations and wrapping paper are slashed dramatically after Christmas, so stock up.