Savvy shoppers buy football boots in February, sun lotion in September and barbecues in the winter

Need a laptop? You should have bought it last month. Want a lawnmower? It’ll be cheaper in August. But if you’re after football boots, now’s the time to buy.

Timing your household purchases is the latest tactic touted by consumer experts as a way to save Britons money as they battle the cost-of-living squeeze.

Comparison site PriceSpy has come up with a list of the best and worst times to buy certain products, after looking at the fluctuating prices of more than 700,000 items last year.

For each month, PriceSpy analysed which goods had the best discount compared to the average price that year. The site also noted when the price was at its highest.

While there are no guarantees that the same patterns will apply in 2023, the data may offer helpful guidance for shoppers this year.

It’s always worth keeping an eye out for price drops throughout the year, however, as some retailers may have unexpected sales in order to shift stock. 

A warm winter means there are lots of unsold coats, for example.

Broadly speaking, buying items out of season delivers big savings. For instance, September is the best time to buy sun lotion, with savings of 14 per cent. 

The findings also highlighted the premium that shoppers pay if they buy items when they’re most in demand.

Purchasing items out of season delivers big savings, according to comparison site PriceSpy

Those who are keen to spruce up their garden might want to purchase new products for it now, ahead of spring, but they should hold off if they can.

PriceSpy’s data suggests that August is a good month to get a new lawnmower, while garden furniture is cheapest in October, when shops are clearing stock.

But buying a barbecue in August can cost 14 per cent more than the typical price throughout the year.

‘While people’s reasons for shopping will differ, one thing will surely be the same – no one wants to pay over the odds for a product if they can help it,’ says Liisa Matin­vesi-Bassett, UK country manager at PriceSpy. 

‘Knowledge is power, and knowing the best time to buy certain items means people can make their money go further.’

Laptops tend to be eight per cent cheaper in January. The Microsoft Surface laptop had an average price of £543 throughout last year, but cost £493 in January. 

Sometimes technology prices can drop close to the launch of a new model.

You can often find that football boots are being sold with a 56 per cent discount towards the end of this month, too. 

With the football season more than halfway through, retailers hope to sell them quickly.

Meanwhile, buying skis at the start of the ski season in November can mean paying an extra 26 per cent, PriceSpy found.

Shoppers can check the price ­history of items they want to buy using comparison sites such as PriceSpy and Idealo. 

Liisa says: ‘Setting up price alerts on products that you’re after is a good way of ensuring that you buy at the right time and right price for you.’

Also, don’t assume that something is being sold at a good price just because it is on special offer.

Experts say don’t assume something is being sold at a good price because of a special offer

Separate research by PriceSpy found that shoppers who took advantage of the January sales this year were at risk of paying over the odds. 

It discovered that 46 per cent of products were more expensive at the start of January than they were over the previous six months.

For example, a Krups Nespresso Vertuo Plus coffee machine, on sale for £180 at John Lewis, cost £164.99 in October.