Buy a sofa in January, but a laptop in late May

ONE of the best ways to be clever with your cash throughout the year is to know the optimum time to buy certain things, so here is my month- bymonth guide…

SAVE ON A SOFA IN WINTER

JANUARY is the best time to buy discounted Christmas cards, wrapping paper, gift sets and decorations. But did you know it’s also a good time to buy a new sofa and dining set? retailers push both of these products in the run-up to Christmas and then have to discount what hasn’t sold in January.

BEST TIME TO BUY A SECOND-HAND CAR

FEBRUARY is a good month to pick up a second- hand car bargain, according to Lucy Sherliker from car finance marketplace Zuto.

She says: ‘This is because new number plates are traditionally released in spring. also, some people may have been struggling with an older, unreliable model through the winter, but were unable to replace it over the expensive Christmas period.’

GET A WILL DRAWN UP FOR NOTHING

MARCH is free wills month (free willsmonth.org.uk), when you can get a will drawn up for nothing. Moneyhelper states that a simple will might cost between £144 and £240, so it’s a decent saving.

LOOK OUT FOR DIY BARGAINS

EASTER Monday is on april 10 this year, and the Easter bank holiday weekend is traditionally the time when DIY stores such as B&Q, homebase and Wickes often discount DIY products to attract those doing up their house. Check online to see what bargains you can pick up.

SNAP UP A LAPTOP FOR LESS

IF you need a new laptop, May 31 is the best time to buy, according to comparison site idealo.co. uk. after that, prices increase by 40 per cent, and are at their highest by November 6.

There’s an extra bank holiday on May 8 for the Coronation. Why not declutter and bulk- sell whatever you find on sites such as textstuff.co.uk and vintage-cashcow.

FIX YOUR BOILER IN THE SUMMER

SUMMER is the cheapest time to get your boiler fixed or replaced. Companies such as British Gas and Npower often have big discounts on boiler installation at this time, so get them to quote you their best price then compare that with what plumbers in your area are offering.

SUMMER HOLIDAYS FOR A LOT LESS

IF you think you can’t afford to go away, look into houses-wapping, as you only have to pay for your travel and food. Check out lovehomeswap.com ( free two- week trial) and homeexchange.com (annual fee for unlimited swaps).

If you are jetting off, get cheaper airport parking at yourparkingspace.co.uk, where locals offer their private car-parking spaces.

FORAGED FEAST

AUGUST is a great time for finding free food in the hedgerows, such as blackberries, raspberries, nettles and elderflowers. Try richard Mabey’s book Food for Free, which is available on amazon for just £5.75.

CASH IN ON THE iPHONE PRICE DROP

THE end of September onwards is a good time to buy a new iPhone, as apple tends to bring out new models around the middle of September. When that happens you can expect the value of any older apple models to decrease by 23 per cent on average in the three months afterwards, according to Music Magpie.

VISIT THE RELATIVES WITH A DISCOUNT

Book train and coach tickets for the Christmas holidays in october, when you can usually get cheap offers direct from rail companies such as Eurostar or your local train operator.

For coach travel, book with megabus.com, as advance tickets can cost less than £5.

REMEMBER ‘TRAVEL DEAL TUESDAY’

THE last Tuesday of November (the one after Black Friday) is known as ‘Travel Deal Tuesday’ because it is the best time to book one-off holidays, according to the travel app hopper.

It advises that the cheapest month to travel to popular destinations such as Paris, New york and amsterdam is March.

NAB YOURSELF A BROADBAND DEAL

STRAIGHT after Christmas is a good time to switch your broadband deal, as providers including the likes of Sky, BT and Virgin vie with each other to grab customers, so they tend to offer attractive deals. Sites such as expertreviews.co.uk track the offers so you can compare.