April showers bring May flowers along with a good excuse to hit the mall.

April is a non-gift-giving month, which means it is a really good time to buy gifts, specifically for Mother’s Day and graduation, says consumer expert Mark Di Vincenzo.

Look for deals on cookware for the college graduate moving into his or her own place. April is also a good time to buy jewelry. “Smart shoppers are buying jewelry in April for Mother’s Day gifts,” Di Vincenzo says. For the best deals, look for discounts on fine jewelry at jewelry stores instead of mass retailers, he says.

The casual runner or anyone taking part in seasonal races may want to visit sporting goods stores for discounts on running shoes in April, one of the best months to get these types of deals, Di Vincenzo says.

And with tax refunds hitting consumers’ accounts in March, April is also a good time to look for deals on office furniture. “A lot of people who are going to start a business are going to do it when they have the money,” Di Vincenzo says. Deals on office chairs, desks and filing cabinets of up to 25 percent off are common in April to meet that demand.

While many retailers are advertising spring sales on outdoor furniture and equipment, Di Vincenzo says you should only entertain these promotions if you really need the items now. “Very often … they mark it up and then mark it down. The sales (at big-box stores) tend to be unspectacular this time of year for outdoor furniture,” he says.

You may find some deals on items such as rakes or gardening tools at nurseries and garden centers, but mostly it is a way to get you to buy the full-priced flowers, Di Vincenzo says.

Spring cleaning brings good deals on vacuum cleaners since most retailers are looking to clear out older models to make room for the new models that will hit stores around Memorial Day and into June.

While spring cleaning usually makes April a good month to hit thrift stores, this year may be a bit different. Di Vincenzo says the long winter has left some resale stores across the country with less inventory than usual, as people are holding off on their spring cleaning until they can be sure spring has finally sprung.

But die-hard garage sale goers will still be in shopping mode in April, and you can make a few extra bucks by getting your spring cleaning done and shifting your unwanted items to the curb for a sale.

Finally, April is a great month to look for sales on electronics. “The fiscal year for most Japanese manufacturers ends on March 31, and they start introducing new models in April,” Di Vincenzo says. You can get up to 40 percent off electronics such as stereos, televisions and more when you shop for older models now.