Today Show: Best Things to Buy in January

Stopped by the TODAY Show to talk with Carson about items that will be on deep discount in January, so if you didn’t get everything on your holiday wish-list don’t be sad just yet.

You can watch the full segment below:

1. Flatscreen TVs

“January is an amazing time to buy a flatscreen TV,” Brian Hoyt, vice president of communications at RetailMeNot, told TODAY.com.

This is in part because retailers need to make room for new products that they’ll be seeing at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which takes place on Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas.

“Retailers are furiously trying move those older products off those shelves to prepare for the inventory switch that occurs around February and March,” Hoyt said, adding that consumers can expect to see discounts in the 35 percent range.

It’s good timing, as many shoppers will be eyeing a new TV in time for the Super Bowl on Feb. 7. Brent Shelton, an online shopping expert at Fatwallet, told TODAY.com by email that in 2015, 20 percent of consumers said they planned to buy a new HDTV during pre-Super Bowl sales, second only to 25 percent who said they would do so on Black Friday.

“Consumers can expect savings from $200 and up on name brand models from Vizio and Samsung,” Shelton said.

Best Buy told TODAY.com in an email statement that its current offering of 20 percent off select HDTVs will be running throughout the month of January.

For example, a Samsung, a 32-inch Class (31-1/2-inch diagonal)LED 1080p HDTV runs for $199.99. That’s $70 off the regular price of $269.99.

2. Exercise equipment and gym memberships

January is the season of New Year’s resolutions, and gyms and sporting good stores are eager to help you keep your “new year, new you” promise with big sales in the 30-percent off range, Hoyt said.

Check with your local gym for new membership discounts. Or, if you’re looking to build up a home gym, January is the time to save on fitness purchases large and small.

“Shoppers should turn to sporting goods stores, big-box stores, and specialty fitness retailers for deals on everything from treadmills to dumbbells to yoga pants,” Kendal Perez, a savings expert at Coupon Sherpa, told TODAY.com. “Expect savings between 25 percent and 50 percent off fitness goods.”

You can even save on fitness bands. At Microsoft, from Jan. 4 through Feb. 1, you can trade in your old smartwatch or fitness tracker for $35 toward a Microsoft Band 2, marked down from $249.99 to $199.00, the company said.

3. Linens

Long ago, “white sales” were created to help retailers clear out bed linen inventory. “Back then linens only came in white,” said Shelton, adding that today, January White Sales have expanded to include bed and bath linens.

“Unlike holiday discounts on mid-level quality linen, January White Sales bring some of the biggest discounts of the year on both lower and higher quality sheets, towels and other textile related items for the home,” said Shelton.

Check out West Elm, Kohl’s and Target for some of the best deals.

“Last year, West Elm offered 20 percent off select styles of bedding; Kohl’s advertised a Home Closeout sale of up to 60 percent off; and Target offered up to $25 savings on home items,” said Perez.

Already West Elm is offering up to 30 percent off on bedding this year. The line of Diamond Chenille Jacquard duvet cover and shams, for instance, has been marked down from $34 to $209, for total prices ranging from $24.99 to $149.99. No end date is listed for the sale.

Also go to stores you may not immediately think of, like Costco and Zara.

“Zara’s home store provided savings of up to 60 percent last year on bedding, bath and other home items, while Costco offered $20 off bedding purchases of $100 or more,” said Perez.

Zara Home Collection is currently touting between 20 percent and 30 percent off bedding. For example, Rainforest Percale Bed Linen, regularly priced at $17.99 to $139.00, is on sale for $11.90 to $99.90 through Jan. 7.

4. Kitchen appliances

Home items are a general focus of January sales, and this means discounts on kitchen appliances.

Fong recommends Macy’s as a destination to find big sales on kitchenware, but you should also check out Lowe’s.

In an email to TODAY.com, Lowes said that its “kitchen event” sales, running now through Jan. 5 and again on Jan. 12-25, feature 20 percent off in-stock kitchen cabinets and 20 to 40 percent off in-stock kitchen sinks. Here are a pair of specific deals:

The Franke USA 32-by-18.5-inch Radiant Silk double-basin stainless steel undermount kitchen sink was $329.99, and has been reduced by 40 percent to $199.00.
Some cabinets are reduced as much as 40 percent, too. Like the Kitchen Classics Arcadia 30-by-30-by-12-inch wall cabinet, which is marked down from $100.80 to $60.48.

5. Video games

Retailers will need to start making room for new releases they’ll see at the annual Toy Fair in February. Comic Con will also be coming up, and retailers will be looking to “move the needle,” said Hoyt.

“There’s not an official release date for video games as there is in the consumer electronic space, but there is the cyclical nature of introducing what will be the big thing in 2016,” said Hoyt.

From now through Jan. 7, Microsoft is running its dountdown sale, offering deals on both Xbox One and Xbox 360 digital games, “with up to 40 to 60 percent off, and some deals even more than 60 percent off.”

Specific offers include “Halo 5: Guardians,” marked down from $59.99 to $49.99, and “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” also marked down $10 to $49.99.

For more items on deep discount visit TODAY.com.