7 Things That Always Go on Sale on the Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is one of the few weekends each year when sales on beds tend to skyrocket. And a lot of big-name retailers will be offering more than just cash savings or a percentage off. Expect to see free giveaways on everything from fancy pillows to box springs and bedding.

Now’s the time to peruse serving dishes (including that red, white and blue entertaining platter you’ve been eyeing) from retailers such as Macy’s and Wayfair for a significant discount—sometimes as much as 40 percent off. But it doesn’t stop there: You’ll also see price cuts on additional home entertaining essentials like wine glasses, knife sets and place settings.

Sadly, this is not the time of year to invest in a grill. (It is peak season, after all.) Instead, replace or upgrade indoor appliances like your refrigerator, stove or that washer/dryer that has seen better days. In fact, a lot of retailers amp up their rebate offers and alluring deals such as “buy one, get one half off” during this time. (Lowe’s is even offering gift cards up to $600 if you buy two or more major appliances at once.)

Think of July as the Holy Grail for any and all summer-centric items (from sundresses to flip-flops). As a result, retailers like J.Crew, Anthropologie and Gap offer massive mark downs—as high as 50 percent off everything in stock. The reason? Fall merchandise is coming, as premature as that feels and sounds. Maximizing the long weekend by offering savings is a great way to make room for all those wool sweaters and leather boots.

Ditto attire for the baby, toddler, preschool, even pre-teen set. Still haven’t bought a bathing suit for your two-year-old? This is the perfect weekend to invest—and save.

Yep, as counterintuitive as it sounds, a lot of stores begin offering nominal discounts on backpacks and sleeping bags to give sales a boost as the camping season kicks off. Of course, if you can hold out until the end of the month, savings should only increase, but starting during the Fourth of July weekend, you’ll be able to snag at least 15 percent off some trail-ready wares.

It’s the long weekend and you forgot to make plans? Oops! Luckily, you can still cash in, thanks to sites like Hotels.com and Hertz that offer patriotic savings, based on availability—sometimes as much as 20 to 40 percent off.