Expert guide: cheapest time of year to buy clothes for the family

With rising costs of living in the UK and inflation reaching record high levels, knowing when to shop will make all the difference, especially if you have a big family. In an extensive 12-month analysis, PriceRunner reveals when during the year certain clothes and shoes are best to buy if you want more clothes for less.

In a comprehensive 12 month buying guide and analysis of more than 56,000 products listed on their site, PriceRunner reveals the best times of the year to buy shoes, clothes, rain gear, beanies and gloves for the whole family.

PriceRunner's consumer expert Christine Gouldthorp also shares her best shopping tips on how to get your money to stretch further by shopping smarter. The analysis found that January is the month where most categories reached their highest prices. The months with largest number of lowest prices were July, August and December. 

12-month buying guide for families

January – the most expensive month of the year

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

January turned out to be the most expensive month of the year in this analysis as it had the largest number of expensive product categories. The best thing to buy in January is a beanie or a hat for men, as they reached their lowest price this month. Perfect with the colder weather!”

February – A month when nothing was at its cheapest

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

February is not a great moth to make a deal as no product category reached its cheapest average price then. If you are looking for new rain gear for your kids, don’t buy it in February as it is the most expensive month of all.”

March – It’s raining (for) men

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

March is generally a month with lower prices. The best buy in March is definitely for men to invest in new rain clothes. Looking at more than 200 different rain clothes, this is the cheapest month of the year to buy them. ”

April – Don’t (in)vest in a new vest this month

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

April really stands out as the month when you should absolutely not buy a new vest. It was the most expensive month for both men and women. If you need new boots for your child though, April is the best month to bag a bargain!”

May – The boots just keep on walking

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

May is a great month to buy a new pair of quality shoes for a great price, as both winter shoes for children and wellingtons for adults were the cheapest then. If you on the other hand need a new rain jacket stay away, women’s rain clothes were the most expensive this month.”

June – The start of the summer sales

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

June is a great month overall to buy clothes as the summer sales begin. Boots for adults and jackets for men are priced especially well this month. In the analysis, none of the product categories were the most expensive in June, largely thanks to the sales that start and retailers wanting to get rid of old clothes.”

July – Getting your children’s autumn gear early

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

Another good month to buy clothes is July, as no catories reached their most expensive price this month. In particular, july is a great month to get what you need for your children, as both wellingtons and fleece garments such as overalls and jackets on average reached their lowest prices this month.”

August – The sales that keep on giving

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

None of the product categories in our analysis reached their highest price in August, a great month to grab a good bargain, largely thanks to summer sale prices still staying at low levels. Some of the best buys can be found in categories such as rain gear for kids, jackets for women and gloves for men ”

September – One of the most expensive months of the year

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

September is not a great month if you need new shoes or clothes for the family, as none of the product categories in our analysis reached their lowest price this month. Some of the things to steer clear of in September are hats and beanies for women as well as rain clothes for men.”

October – Not a great month to buy a coat

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

Another expensive month is October, as prices usually start increasing ahead of Black Friday next month. No product categories were at their cheapest this month. October is generally not a good month to buy jackets as they reached their highest price this month for both men and women.”

November – The month of Black Friday

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

November is generally the cheapest month of the year to grab a great bargain, when it comes to outdoor shoes and clothes a lot of categories reached their lowest prices in November. None of the categories in our analysis reached it’s most expensive price this month and both rain clothes for women and shell outerwear for children were at their absolute cheapest in November.”

December – The best month to buy clothing accessories

Christine Gouldthorp, consumer expert at PriceRunner, said:

December is a mixed month with a lot of categories reaching both their cheapest and most expensive prices this month. If you want to grab a new hat, some gloves or a new vest, this is the best month to go for it!”

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