Frigid February seems far removed from summer vacation and those warm, sandy beaches. But if you can wrap your mind around it, you might find a bargain on swimsuits.
"Believe it or not, it's a fairly good month for swimsuit sales," says Daniel Butler, vice president of retail operations for the National Retail Federation. Suits first appeared in the stores in January, so many retailers will mark them down for the first time this month. Look for discounts ranging from about 15 percent to 25 percent, he says.
Consumers can expect similar discounts on summer clothing staples such as shorts, tanks and T-shirts, Butler says.
And in the lead-up to Valentine's Day, "there are some good buys in the jewelry department," Butler says. On everything from watches to rings, diamond necklaces to tennis bracelets, you can expect to see discounts of 25 percent to 50 percent, he says.