ORLANDO, Fla. – As July gets hotter, so will the deals. From merchandise to summer getaways, the sales are kicking in. According to DealNews.com, an online resource for bargains on consumer products, there are several kinds of merchandise to track:
- Grills – DealNews predicts an average savings of $75 on grills (even though demand is high for Fourth of July!) with the biggest savings on gas grills, priced up to $160 off.
- Summer clothes – Based on trends last summer, the site predicts that stores will be taking up to 62 percent off, on average. Keep in mind the prices on summer apparel will only continue to drop as the season progresses.
- Android tablets – DealNews says July is going to be THE month for android tablets. Shoppers should look for sales from stores like Staples, Best Buy, Amazon, and Wal-Mart.
- HDTVs- Diligent bargain hunters can save up to 40 percent off new 2013 TVs, including models from Samsung, Panasonic, and LG, with even better savings on 2012 models.
July is also a good time to book late summer travel especially for low-season destinations. It's the rainy season in Costa Rica, for example, but it's also the cheapest time to go there. Non-stop flights from Orlando make it easy. New airline routes and increased flights serving beautiful St. Lucia, as well, are keeping airfares down. St. Lucia is also offering low-season package deals.
Wherever you go, think the opposite. If it's summer here, it's winter somewhere else (you know, the whole Northern/Southern hemisphere thing). This is the cheapest time of the year to head to South Africa, for example, or Australia. If that's not in budget, think of areas in the path of hurricane season. That might seem counterintuitive or downright dangerous, but destinations in the Western Caribbean and Mexico tend to offer great deals as hurricane season continues. You take a chance, but you may be paying the lowest prices of the year --- and you'll probably see lots of sunshine.
As for domestic travel, you'll find hotels deals in Boston, Washington, D.C., and some other east coast cities. However, airfares have trended higher all summer, making cheap seats hard to find.
If staying close to home is more your thing, check out a new offer from Rosen Hotels and Resorts. The "Girls Getaway Package" costs $69.99 per night and includes a buy one/get one free breakfast and dinner, plus free or discount shuttle service to outlet stores and other area shopping.