Shopping 4th of July sales? Don't buy these three things, according to experts
While the Fourth of July is synonymous with watching fireworks, taking trips to the beach and barbecuing with loved ones, it's also a great time to shop Fourth of July sales this week. Deals are already live across retailers like Amazon, Target, Home Depot and REI, giving you the chance to save on items that are top of mind this season. 'July Fourth sales cater heavily to our summer lifestyles, offering huge savings on products that can satisfy our need for outdoor fun and comfort,' says Vipin Porwal, the CEO and a consumer savings expert at Smarty. For example, that air conditioner you're dreaming about or the chic bathing suit that's calling your name? It's likely discounted right now.
Consumers plan to spend an average of $140 during Fourth of July sales this year, according to a recent survey from RetailMeNot. The key to saving is shopping strategically, so I put together this guide with tips about what to buy and skip, plus how July Fourth sales compare to Amazon Prime Day discounts.
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
Should you shop early Fourth of July sales?
Since July Fourth is happening within the next week, many retailers are already offering deals — and yes, you should shop early. 'Late June through July 5 is your prime window,' says Stephanie Carls, a shopping expert at RetailMeNot. There's no need to hold out for the actual holiday to take advantage of deals, especially since popular items sell out quickly. Shopping early gives you the best opportunity to find exactly what you're looking for in the ideal size and style, and it lets you spend time comparing prices across retailers, says Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, a shopping and savings strategist at Rakuten. Additionally, shopping early may mean you get to use the products you purchased during the July Fourth weekend, says Porwal.
What to buy during Fourth of July sales
A little bit of everything is on sale during the Fourth of July, but there's a few product categories you should focus on. I broke them down below and included examples of the types of deals you'll see this week. All products I recommend are at least 20% off and highly rated.
Air conditioners and fans
Many parts of the country are currently experiencing a heat wave with temperatures reaching over 100 degrees in some areas. If the heat and humidity are causing you to consider buying a new air conditioner or fan, now is the best time to do so. 'Inventory and selection decrease later in the summer, while prices go up, so you'll want to purchase sooner than later,' says Porwal. He recommends browsing deals from high quality A/C brands with lots of positive reviews to get the most value since window and portable units tend to be an expensive investment. Windmill, Midea, LG and Frigidare are some of our favorites.
Outdoor furniture and patio decor
July Fourth sales are the first time this year when retailers offer strong discounts on outdoor furniture and patio decor, including dining sets, lounge chairs, couches and umbrellas, says Carls. If you buy now, you have the rest of the summer to enjoy using your purchases. Popular styles tend to sell out quickly, and since July Fourth marks the transition from summer to pre-fall in the retail world, companies won't likely restock when seasonal items are gone, says Carls. That said, don't wait to check out if you fall in love with something.
Grills
Retailers won't offer the absolute best deals on grills until the end of the summer when they host clearance sales. But if you need a new one immediately, you'll find plenty of worthwhile discounts across models during July Fourth sales, says Carls. She recommends looking for grills on sale at big-box home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe's since they tend to have the most inventory and lowest prices.
Hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, lawn games — whatever your favorite outdoor activity is, it likely involves some type of gear, which will be discounted during July Fourth sales, says Porwal. Specialty retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods and REI tend to have the best deals on these types of items, and you can expect to see discounts up to 30% off.
Seasonal apparel and footwear
Clothing and shoe stores like DSW, Gap, Old Navy and Foot Locker usually host sitewide sales around July Fourth, giving you the opportunity to refresh your warm weather wardrobe. Look for adult and kids activewear, bathing suits, beach attire and footwear like flip flops and sneakers between 20% and 40% off, says Porwal. Brands will discount seasonal apparel and footwear even more in the next few weeks, but overall, there's lots of lucrative deals during Fourth of July sales, says Carls.
$19.99
$29.99
Amazon
Now 33% off $19.99
$25.00
Walmart
Now 20% off
What to know
Mattresses and bedding
Strong mattress and bedding deals are a guarantee during Fourth of July sales, and they tend to rival Memorial Day's offerings. Pay attention to promotions from direct-to-consumer brands like Casper, Tempur-Pedic, Leesa and Avocado, as well as browsing deals at retailers like Mattress Firm, says Carls. We've historically seen deals over $800 off, and companies usually throw in a free gift with purchase, like pillows and bedding, or offer free haul-away and white-glove delivery services if you buy during the holiday weekend.
Large home and kitchen appliances
Fourth of July sales are a great time to buy appliances like refrigerators and dryers, especially because retailers want to get rid of last year's models to make room for newer inventory, says Gerstley. You can save even more when you buy multiple pieces together — you may unlock extra discounts or rebates if you're bundling appliances, like a washer and a dryer, or a dishwasher and a refrigerator, says Carls. She also recommends looking for delivery perks when you buy large home and kitchen appliances, like free shipping, installation and haul-away services.
What to skip during July Fourth sales
You won't see strong strong sales on the below product categories until later this year.
Electronics: Hold off on buying tech like laptops, tablets and smart home devices until Amazon Prime Day, says Carls. She also doesn't recommend buying TVs until later this year — we see some of the best deals during Black Friday promotions.
Back-to-school supplies: Deals on these types of items tend to start in early August and run through Labor Day, plus there's Sales Tax Holidays coming up in select states, many of which include back-to-school supplies, says Porwal.
Fall apparel and footwear: Clothing and shoes like jeans, boots and jackets go on sale closer to the back-to-school season, so don't buy anything for your fall wardrobe just yet, says Porwal.
Expert tips: How to save money while shopping Fourth of July sales
Set a budget: Go into Fourth of July sales with a maximum amount of money you're comfortable spending, says Gerstley.
Go in with a plan: Make a list of everything you want to buy ahead of time and get an idea of what they typically cost. 'Knowing what you actually need prevents you from being swayed by flashing markdowns,' says Gerstley. 'If you're on the fence about something, give yourself 48 hours to decide if you really want it or if it's an impulse buy.'
Stack savings: Prioritize shopping from retailers that participate in cash back programs, and consider paying with credit cards that you earn points or cash back from. You can combine those rewards with the retailers' actual deals and promo codes, which lets you save more.
Compare prices: Almost every brand and retailer hosts Fourth of July sales, so compare prices to see who has the lowest ones. 'Prices can vary a lot even within the same product category, especially for tech and appliances,' says Gerstley. If you're ordering online, compare shipping fees, too. Additionally, some retailers have price matching policies.
Sign up for brands' newsletters and SMS lists: Companies keep shoppers updated about new price drops, limited-time deals, exclusive promo codes and early access to sales through newsletters and text programs, as well as their social media platforms.
Use store-wide discounts: If you're shopping at a department or big-box store, you're likely filing your cart with products across categories. Some offer store-wide discounts, which can often help you save on products that might not be on sale individually elsewhere, says Porwal.
Familiarize yourself with return policies: Most retailers don't have special return policies during sales, but double check to make sure. If something is a final sale, a retailer usually explicitly tells you.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Why trust NBC Select?
I'm a reporter at NBC Select who's covered sales and deals for five years, including topics like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. To write this article, I interviewed three experts about what you should buy and skip during Fourth of July sales, and rounded up a handful of tips about how to save money while shopping.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Brazil strikes deal with Musk's Starlink to curb criminal use in the Amazon rainforest
Brazil's Federal Prosecutor's Office announced Friday a deal with Elon Musk's Starlink to curb the use of its services in illegal mining and other criminal activities in the Amazon. Starlink's lightweight, high-speed internet system has rapidly spread across the Amazon, a region that for decades struggled with slow and unreliable connectivity. But the service has also been adopted by criminal organizations, which have used it to coordinate logistics, make payments and receive alerts about police raids. It's the first agreement of its kind aimed at curbing such use following years of pressure from Brazilian authorities. Starlink, a division of Musk's SpaceX, will begin requiring identification and proof of residence from all new users in Brazil's Amazon region starting in January. The company will also provide Brazilian authorities with user registration and geolocation data for internet units located in areas under investigation. If a terminal is confirmed to be used for illegal activity, Starlink has committed to blocking the service. The deal is for two years and can be renewed. Illegal gold mining has contaminated hundreds of miles of Amazon rivers with mercury and disrupted the traditional lives of several Indigenous tribes, including the Yanomami. Starlink, which first arrived in the region in 2022, has enabled criminal groups to manage mining operations in remote areas, where logistics are complex and equipment and fuel must be transported by small plane or boat. 'The use of satellite internet has transformed the logistics of illegal mining. This new reality demands a proportional legal response. With the agreement, connectivity in remote areas also becomes a tool for environmental responsibility and respect for sovereignty,' federal prosecutor André Porreca said in a statement. Illegal gold miners and loggers have always had some form of communication, mainly via radio, to evade law enforcement. Starlink, with its fast and mobile internet, has significantly enhanced that capability, Hugo Loss, operations coordinator for Brazil's environmental agency, told The Associated Press in a phone interview. 'They've been able to transmit in real time the locations of enforcement teams, allowing them to anticipate our arrival, which seriously compromises the safety of our personnel and undermines the effectiveness of operations,' Loss said. 'Cutting the signal in mining areas, especially on Indigenous lands and in protected areas, is essential because internet access in these locations serves only criminal purposes.' Jair Schmitt, head of environmental protection for the agency, said what's also needed is tighter regulation on the sale and use of such equipment. The AP emailed James Gleeson, SpaceX's vice president of communications, with questions about the deal, but didn't immediately receive a response. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Report: Amazon loses one of its top AI bosses
Amazon has lost one of its top AI bosses in a major blow to Jeff Bezos. Vasi Philomi - who until recently helped to oversee generative artificial intelligence development at Amazon Web Services - has left after eight years, Reuters reported. Philomin helped lead generative AI efforts and product strategy, and oversaw foundation models known as Amazon Titan. Rajesh Sheth, a vice president previously overseeing Amazon Elastic Block Store, had assumed some of Philomin's responsibilities, Amazon told Reuters. In his biography, Philomin said he helped create and lead Amazon Bedrock, a hub for using multiple AI models and one of AWS's premier products in its battle for AI supremacy. Amazon is working to bolster its reputation in AI development, after rivals like OpenAI, and Google have taken an early lead, particularly with consumer-focused models. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman complained that Zuckerberg was attempting to poach his top talent with huge salaries as Meta also scrambles to catch up. Amazon has invested $8 billion in AI startup Anthropic and integrated its Claude software into its own products including a new revamped version of voice assistant Alexa that it's rolling out to customers this year. In December, Amazon introduced its Nova AI models which provide for text, video and image generation. Earlier this year, it added to the lineup with a version called Sonic that can more readily produce natural-sounding speech. Companies are employing creative techniques to hire top AI talent, including using sports industry data analysis to help identify undiscovered talent, Reuters reported last month. However, as Amazon races to produce more advanced AI, it said it expects its own success will lead to fewer corporate jobs, according to a memo from CEO Andy Jassy last week. Job growth limits will be driven in particular by so-called Agentic AI, which can perform tasks with minimal or even no additional input from people.
NBC News
4 hours ago
- NBC News
Talking Shop with Peach & Lily founder Alicia Yoon
Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. Glass skin — you've either used the phrase yourself, seen TikToks about it or Googled how to achieve it. Rooted in K-beauty culture, 'glass skin' refers to a smooth, clear, practically poreless complexion, and while it's a concept that's been around forever, it wasn't trendy until a few years ago. Alicia Yoon, founder and CEO of Peach & Lily, is partially responsible for that. When the brand's Glass Skin Refining Serum came out in 2018, it sparked what she calls the glass skin movement. 'It went so viral, to the point where I actually had to write an e-book on it,' says Yoon. Just because you're the mastermind behind glass skin doesn't mean you're automatically blessed with it, however — Yoon struggles with eczema, keratosis pilaris and sensitive skin just like the rest of us. I talked to the esthetician-turned-entrepreneur about what products she keeps in her skin care (and hair care) routine at all times, in addition to her go-to Peach & Lily products. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. 'Joanna Vargas is a fellow esthetician, and she was the one person I actually really trusted before my wedding many moons ago to do my skin care,' says Yoon. 'She's very custom in how she does things, and she approaches things in a way that I knew my eczema-prone skin would be safe with her.' Yoon adds Joanna Vargas' The Daily Serum to her skin care routine occasionally, which she says is calming and hydrating since it's made hyaluronic acid. 'Because I have eczema, my body hydration situation is pretty intensive,' says Yoon. 'If it's super humid in Miami, I'll skip some of it, but most of the time, I need to lean into different things for different parts of my body.' She uses a handful of Peach & Lily's moisturizing products, as well as Nécessaire's The Body Lotion. 'It's fragrance-free and no-frills, so I use it head to toe,' says Yoon. 'These days, I've been using Live Tinted's Hueguard, which is a mineral SPF, daily,' says Yoon. 'It's lightweight, matches my skin tone and wears well throughout the day.' The broad-spectrum sunscreen is orange when you dispense it, which prevents it from leaving a white cast. It acts as a moisturizer and primer as well, and makes skin look glowy after application. 'The Soft Services Comfort Cleanse Body Wash is no-frills in the best way, especially when you have eczema' says Yoon. 'It doesn't smell, it doesn't irritate, it's mild, nothing hurts and I feel clean. The body wash has this little oil slip in it, which also helps with shaving. It acts as a two-in-on in that way.' 'When I talk to my friends about Osea's Undaria Algae Body Oil, they say it's too heavy for them, but my body just soaks it up,' says Yoon, who applies it to dry patches as needed in addition to her other favorite lotion. The body oil is infused with seaweed and helps moisturize and improve the look of skin elasticity, according to the brand. 'On beach days, I use the Ultra Violette Future Sunscreen, which is a mineral formula and makes me look glowy,' says Yoon. 'I've layered it over and over and it's quite nice.' The Australian brand's broad-spectrum, lightweight formula (which is one of our team's all-time favorite face sunscreens) is made with zinc, hydrating squalane and calming vitamin E. 'I was honestly a little bit skeptical about this at first because I haven't had great luck with a lot of the waterless shampoos out there, but this one actually leaves my hair very shiny and soft,' says Yoon. 'There's a learning curve because you only need to use a little product at a time, but it's really great, and it's creamy instead of watery. The packaging is sustainable and looks like a little aluminum paint tube, so it doesn't take up much room in your shower and it's easy to travel with.' 'I have naturally wavy hair that gets tangled very easily, and it's fine and brittle,' says Yoon. 'This conditioner is amazing because it gets all my tangles out before I air dry, and it leaves my hair behaving well no matter what the weather is. There's no fragrance in it — it's more like essential oils — so it's very light, airy and beautiful.' 'I've tried so many hair oils and serums because my hair is on the frizzier side, and ever since we moved to Miami last year, it's been out of control,' says Yoon. 'This is one of the most popular hair serums/oils in Korea, and it helps me control my hair without making it look heavy or greasy. The serum has argan, olive, coconut and apricot oils in it, but it doesn't feel oily. It leaves my hair looking shiny, and a little goes a long way. I also don't love heavily fragranced products, and while this has fragrance, it's very light, subtle and doesn't linger.' 'Living in Miami, we go to the beach a lot, and I love how my hair looks after that, so I try to replicate it,' says Yoon. 'When I want to add a little bit more texture to my hair and get that beachy wave, I'll use The Crown Affair Texturing Air Dry Mousse. It doesn't make my hair feel crunchy at all, so I get the look and feel I want.' 'I don't know if it's just me, but when I'm pregnant, my legs will start cramping — I'll literally wake up in the middle of the night because the cramping gets so bad,' says Yoon, who is currently expecting her third child. 'I massage this cream into my calves, which really minimizes cramping since it's made with magnesium chloride, and there's a peppermint version for your feet, too. It's very hydrating, but it's a little oily, so I use bed sheets I don't care about or apply it right before bed to give it time to absorb into my skin.' Why trust NBC Select? I'm a reporter at NBC Select who writes our Talking Shop series, interviewing people like Dorinda Medley, Jing Gao and Sara and Erin Foster. To write this piece, I interviewed Alicia Yoon, founder of Peach & Lily and Peach Slices, about her favorite skin, hair and body care products.
