Food, Home and Style

Buy Now or Pay More Later

The economy may be looking up as of late, but that’s not necessarily good news for everyone. Or for shoppers, at least. That’s because many of the “recession discounts” and super sales that have been going on at stores across the country will most likely become a thing of the past once stocks go up and consumers return to their usual ways.

So what goods and services should you start buying now before the bargains dry up? Forbes has a rundown:

Real Estate: The combination of falling interest rates, discounted foreclosure properties, government incentives, and bottoming home prices is making this a great time to buy. Not that this news is especially shocking to you, we’re assuming.

Cars: Without as many potential buyers, auto dealers have massively discounted prices as of late. Although to be fair, tooling around the neighborhood in a new Mercedes while your neighbor’s house is being foreclosed on may not be the most empathetic move.

Vacations: With hotel prices in Las Vegas dropping 34 percent and Caribbean cruise prices falling eight percent—now is the time to take that trip you’ve been dreaming about. And if you’ve already lost your job, you won’t even have to use up any precious vacation days to take it!

Diamonds: Thinking about proposing? Now’s the time to do it. The recession has all but extinguished the demand of diamonds and other jewelry, bringing prices down an average of 14 percent since last summer.

Toys: Start stocking up on holiday gifts now, because toy makers are manufacturing cheaper toys to meet economic demands for a limited time only.

Consumer Electronics: Laptop computers and flat-panel TVs have dramatically dropped in price, thanks in large part to a decrease in consumer demand and an increase in the number of manufacturers getting into the flat-panel business.

Clothes: Fashionistas, now’s your time. As you’ve no doubt noticed in store windows across the country, shops are deeply discounting designer clothes in an effort to keep pace with “value” retailers. So buy that Gucci blouse now, or regret it later.

Furniture: It makes sense that if nobody’s buying homes, then nobody’s buying furniture, either. Use this knowledge to your advantage and bargain with salespeople, who are likely to offer steep discounts or cheap financing in an effort to clear out their showrooms.

Tags: budgets, consumers, discounts, shopping, spending, style