January feels like a reset button — new year, new goals, and a fresh wave of sales everywhere you look. But not all discounts are worth your hard-earned money, especially when it comes to what not to buy in January. Some items are actually cheaper if you wait until later in the year, and others are overpriced right now because of seasonal demand or retail timing.
Here’s what you shouldn’t buy in January, plus when you should actually spend your money on each item.
Winter Coats
Cold-weather clothing often remains expensive in early January, especially in regions where winter is far from over. While retailers may promote “winter sales,” the best discounts on items like coats, jackets, and other cold-weather gear usually don’t arrive until later in the season when stores start clearing space for spring merchandise — often after post-holiday markdowns and extended clearance events that can stretch into February and March. This means waiting a few weeks can score you deeper cuts on truly seasonal items instead of paying full price when demand is still high.
Mattresses
Although mattress brands advertise frequent sales, January rarely brings the deepest discounts. The best times to buy a new mattress tend to align with major holiday shopping events and seasonal sales throughout the year. Retailers often offer bigger markdowns around holidays like President’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday as they clear out older models or compete for customers, and some brands even discount mattresses when they release new lines in spring and early summer. This means waiting for one of those key sales windows can often secure you a significantly better price than simply shopping in early January.
Furniture
Furniture stores tend to hold off on major discounts in early January as they prepare to roll out new collections and clear out the last of the holiday stock, so prices aren’t always as low as they seem. While you can find some post-holiday clearance deals in January and February, deeper markdowns often occur later in late winter and early spring as retailers make room for fresh arrivals — and even bigger sales pop up during key shopping events and seasons throughout the year.
Jewelry
With Valentine’s Day driving demand, jewelry prices tend to stay high throughout January, leaving little room for meaningful discounts. Better values usually appear after the holiday, when retailers begin marking down remaining inventory and seasonal demand eases.
Fitness Apparel
Fitness apparel tends to be priced higher in January because demand spikes with New Year’s resolutions, giving retailers little incentive to offer deep discounts. Retail pricing analyses and shopping guides consistently show that athletic clothing sees its biggest markdowns during end-of-season clearances and major sale events like late winter, spring transitions, and holiday sales, rather than immediately after the New Year.
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Home Decor
January isn’t usually the best time to buy home decor, especially trend-driven items like wall art, rugs, lighting, and decorative accents. Retailers are often introducing new styles at full price rather than clearing inventory, which keeps discounts limited.
Deeper markdowns tend to show up later in the year during spring and summer clearance events or major sale periods like Black Friday.
Luggage
Travel planning ramps up in January, which can keep luggage prices higher than expected. Better deals often appear during slower travel months or during major retail sale events later in the year.
Smart Shopping Tip: January can still be a great time to buy holiday leftovers, basic home essentials, and clearance items. But for seasonal, trend-driven, or big-ticket purchases, waiting a little longer usually pays off.
Electronics (Outside of Clearance TVs)
While January can bring a few headline TV deals, most electronics — including laptops, tablets, and smartphones — aren’t at their lowest prices. Retailers often reserve their best tech discounts for later shopping events like spring sales, back-to-school season, or major product launches, making January a less-than-ideal time to buy.
