What to buy (and skip) in March

The 31 days between February and April don’t hold any major shopping holidays, but that doesn’t mean they lack their own steals and deals.

Navigate through this month’s shopping with the help of our guide to what to buy (and skip) in March.

Buy: Golf clubs

Now’s your chance to stock up on a new set of clubs for less. Buy during spring to avoid the inevitable increase in golf club prices when demand rises during summer. But as Livestrong.com points out, you can expect the best deals on last season’s models, as opposed to this year’s options.

Even if golf isn’t your game, remember that this rule generally applies to other summer sports and summer sporting accessories. Buy off-season for better deals.

Skip: Furniture and appliances

March isn’t known for blowout sales on home appliances or furniture, so we recommend holding off on these major purchases for a little longer.

Our best advice? Wait for Memorial Day sales to roll around in May. That’s when big-box chains and department stores will do all they can to entice customers on these items. Last year, Maytag offered up to $750 back by mail-in rebate on select appliances, Sears slashed vacuum prices and GhostBed discounted mattresses.

If you’re willing to wait even longer, Labor Day deals in September will be hard to beat.

Buy: St. Patrick’s Day essentials

March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, and more than a few consumers will load shopping carts with all things green or covered in four-leaf clovers.

As with any holiday, remember that the longer you wait to shop, the better. Selection might be reduced, but so will prices. And expect even bigger clearance deals after the holiday is over.

Skip: Spring clothing

March 20 is the first day of spring, but you should wait before outfitting yourself with spring apparel. New inventory, including clothing, generally costs the most at the beginning of any given season.

Instead, shop smart by stocking your closet with plenty of cold-weather staples for fall and winter. Winter clearance sales are continuing at many stores, including REI, Cabela’s and Burlington.

Buy: Tax software

As Tax Day looms, use March as your chance to get a deal on tax software. We’ve already seen sales on tax preparation products beginning at retailers like Dell and Staples. At Best Buy, you can get a free gift card when you purchase an eligible sale-priced H&R Block tax software. Tax Day is April 18 this year.

Bonus: Food

Good buys in March won’t be found only at department or electronics stores. They’ll be in the supermarket too.

In 2017, the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Assn. will celebrate Frozen Food Month in March. Throughout the month, shoppers should look for printable coupons for their local grocery stores.

Jespersen is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website.