If you have the patience to wait, Consumer Reports has compiled a calendar of when different items come on sale.

Some other tips that don’t fit neatly into the calendar:
  • Airline tickets tend to be least expensive on Wednesday mornings because that’s when airlines try to fill unsold seats on flights for the following week to 10 days.
  • CDs and DVDs generally come out on Tuesdays and might be on sale for the first one to three weeks.
  • Jewelry sales are common, except around Valentine’s Day and the Dec­ember holidays. So plan to buy early or hope that your beloved will agree to settle for an IOU.