6 Items That Are Cheaper This Holiday Season

Shopping for holiday gifts on a budget? Consider buying these discounted products

Beth Braverman,

AARP

Comments

Published November 20, 2024

a collage of items that are cheaper this holiday season

AARP (Getty Images, 6)

Inflation has finally cooled, but shoppers are still feeling the pinch of higher prices for many purchases. However, when it comes to holiday sales this year there are a handful of categories where you may be able to nab lower prices thanks to factors like aggressive discounting, declining demand and external market forces.

A number of major retailers are leading the charge. Target announced in October plans to slash prices on about 2,000 items this holiday season, on top of about 8,000 price cuts earlier in the year. In August, Walmart announced it had cut prices on more than 7,000 items, and Michael’s slashed prices on more than 5,000 products in April.

Narrowing your holiday shopping list to certain gifts could help you get even more bang for your buck. The key is knowing what to buy, says Kimberly Palmer, a consumer expert at Nerdwallet.

Here are six products that shopping experts and market forecasts predict will be cheaper this holiday season.

1. Televisions

Television prices have been falling for years, with increased competition and technology upgrades now making it possible to buy a high-quality smart TV for as little as a few hundred bucks. Plus, some retailers are dealing with declining demand, says Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com. “Everyone went out and bought a big, new TV during Covid,” he says, ”so they don’t need another new one yet.”

The best day of the year to buy televisions, historically, has been Black Friday, when retailers offer doorbuster deals to attract attention and drive other sales. This year is no exception, with Adobe projecting TV discounts will average 24 percent on Black Friday (Nov. 29), a record-high reduction.

“Retailers like Best Buy are expected to offer big savings on electronics like 40- to 65-inch 4k OLED TVs, especially budget brands and models with built-in streaming, like Roku and Google TVs,” says Vipin Porwal, CEO and consumer expert at the cash-back portal Smarty. Savings can range from $100 to $1,000, depending on your preference for screen size, panel technology and picture quality.”

2. Tableware

If you’re looking to upgrade your tablescape before hosting family for the holidays, you’re in luck. Prices for dishes and flatware are already down 7 percent compared to last year, according to a September Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report, and experts say more price cuts are on the horizon.

“Kitchen and dinnerware products will be price reduced for Thanksgiving shoppers, and many of these items see some of the best discounting during early Black Friday sales, especially those of higher quality and cost,” Porwal says.

3. Smartphones

While you likely won’t see huge discounts on the new iPhone 16 or new Galaxy Z Fold6, you may be able to score a deal on older models. In September, prices for smartphones had fallen by more than 9 percent compared to a year ago, according to the BLS. Some cellphone providers make the cost even more manageable by allowing you to stretch payments over 12 to 24 months without interest or financing fees.

4. Sporting goods and athleticwear

Purchasing sporting goods may not be top of mind while you’re digesting your Thanksgiving turkey, but these items could see big discounts. Adobe projects that sporting goods shoppers will see, on average, discounts of 20 percent on Thanksgiving. You’ll find many of these deals online.

The holiday savings could extend to athletic wear, as some retailers and manufacturers seek to drum up interest amid increased competition in a down year, says David Swartz, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar focused on consumer products.

5. Tools

Whether you’re looking to upgrade the equipment in your toolshed, tackle a home improvement project you’ve been putting off or gift some new tools to your favorite DIY-er, you may pay less this year.

Prices for tools, hardware and supplies were already down 4.5 percent year-over-year in September, the BLS reported. Look for deals at stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot and Amazon in the lead-up to Black Friday, says Palmer.

6. Winter coats

The price of men’s outerwear fell nearly 5 percent between September 2023 and September 2024, while women’s outerwear dropped more than 6 percent over that period. The price declines might reflect unseasonably warm temperatures that left retailers with a glut of inventory last winter. And with much of the country expected to see above-average temperatures again this winter, coats could see large markdowns in December.

“Retailers are afraid of getting stuck with a bunch of winter jackets in April,” Swartz says. “If a week before Christmas there has still been little snow and unseasonably warm weather, we could see some big price reductions.”

%{postComment}%

Beth Braverman is a contributing writer who has covered shopping and personal finance for more than a decade. Her work has appeared in Consumer Reports, CNNMoney.com, CNBC.com, and dozens of other outlets.