Apparel, cookware, gift cards top the list of things to buy in December

Apparel, shoes and accessories are the items people tend to search for during Cyber Week, he says. “Stores know this, so it is the best time to get category discounts or sometimes even storewide discounts,” Shelton said. “If you are looking for clothing as gifts, it is the best time to buy.”

Shopping for toys in December means getting whatever is left over, and those aren’t always the hot new toys, Shelton says. “There are still thousands of toys that get ignored,” he said. “If you can wait, wait until mid-December when the prices will be the best you are going to get.”

Cookware is another good thing to buy in December, Shelton says. Get the best deals by buying sets, he says, and look for extra incentives such as cash back or in-store cash at certain retailers, as those types of deals tend to increase this time of year. Fatwallet.com, for example, offers holiday cash-back sales with major retailers giving double cash back on some purchases.

Also look for deals on gift cards, such as a dollar discounts, extra value or additional cards when you buy higher value gift cards. “That ramps up the last few weeks of shopping because it is the perfect procrastinator gift, but also a very in-demand gift,” Shelton said.

Of course, right after Christmas, particularly the day after, you can get the pick of decor items, wrapping paper and artificial Christmas trees at up to 75 percent off.

What should you avoid this month? If you missed out on the Black Friday HDTV doorbusters, don’t take the leap in December, Shelton says. Better to wait until Super Bowl sales bring large televisions in high demand.