Furniture: Always ask about upcoming sales which typically occur around Presidents’ Day and July 4, when stores need to make room for merchandise, or at the end of the month when store owners are balancing their books. Consumers should try to avoid purchasing furniture in the late fall, because stores are swamped with shoppers upgrading their homes for the holidays.

Clothing: Make friends with salespeople so they will give you advance notice of sales. Shop at the end of the season, when stores need space for new inventory.

Hotel Rooms: Travelers can usually score a better rate if the reservation is booked far in advance to lock in the business.

Salons & Spas: Consumers should call or visit a salon or spa during a slow period and negotiate a discount on services.

Cars: The best times for shoppers to negotiate prices on cars are November and December – when sales are slow, late summer – when new models come out, or the end of any month – when salespeople are trying to meet sales quota.

TVs, Computers & Other Electronics: Shop for certain electronics during specific months in order to get a better deal – July or December for computers, January or March for TVs, and February or April for digital cameras.

Happy shopping.