Memorial Day sales: What to buy, what to skip

If you are planning to shop the Memorial Day sales this weekend, you may want to consider these tips before you hit the stores.

The deal-hunting website FatWallet.com has put together a list of recommendations on what to buy, and what to skip this Memorial Day.

The website says you can expect to save big on summer travel,  clothing and mattresses. But the site’s deal hunters suggest waiting to purchase other big-ticket items like laptops and power tools.

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Here is FatWallet.com's complete list of recommendations:

Summer Travel – BUY

Online travel sites like Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz and hotels.com compete to feature their best offers on airfare and hotel deals, cruise deals and car rental coupons for Memorial Day shoppers, according to FatWallet.

Summer Clothing – BUY

Memorial Day marks the kick-off of the summer clothing retail season. Roughly 34 percent of Memorial Day shoppers buy clothes and another 21 percent buy shoes, prompting deep discounts from top retailers, FatWallet said.

Mattresses – BUY 

There is no better time to buy a mattress, or mattress sets, than during Memorial Day sales, according to FatWallet.  Specialty sleep, furniture and department store retailers typically offer their biggest savings and brand selection of the year during the Memorial Day holiday.

Appliances – BUY and WAIT –

Home improvement stores like Home Depot, Sears and Lowe’s will feature Memorial Day deals with up to 50 percent off refrigerators, ranges, washers and dryers, etc. that rival their Black Friday prices, FatWallet said.

Laptops – WAIT

Like TVs, there are always one-off sales for laptops, especially older models. While roughly 12 percent of shoppers will look for deals on electronics during Memorial Day sales, the best time to buy a new laptop is during Back to School sales in July, or on Black Friday when selection and prices on MacBooks, touchscreen laptops and 2-in-1 hybrid tablet/laptops can drop as much as 50 percent, according to FatWallet.

Patio Furniture and Grills – BUY and WAIT

Spring discounting on patio furniture and grills hit its peak during Memorial Day weekend. Prices go back up in June until summer clearance in the fall when these items are cheapest, but are also ready for storage, FatWallet said.

Lawn & Garden Supplies – BUY 

May brings sweeping spring sales on lawn and gardening supplies that ramp up as Memorial Day nears. Holiday deals offer some of the best seasonal discounts on mulch, soil, plant food, fertilizers, pesticides and grass seed, FatWallet said.

Power Tools – WAIT 

A recent survey reports Father’s Day is the best time to buy tools, and 1 in 10 buy them as gifts for dads. Although some tool deals in May offer good savings, especially for outdoor power equipment, waiting until June offers a better over-all selection of savings options that can rival Black Friday tool deals, according to FatWallet.

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