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SALT LAKE CITY — We're less than a week out from Thanksgiving and some of the biggest shopping days of the year are already past.
There's probably a good chance you haven't bought everything on your child's Christmas list. But don't worry, it's not too late. Some of the best deals are yet to come. It might be in your best interest to wait because some of the best deals of the year on toys come in the middle of December.
Lindasay Sakraida, the features director at dealnews.com said, "If you can wait, the best time to buy toys is the two weeks right before Christmas."
But if your daughter has to have a specific Monster High doll or your son can't live without that Thor action figure, it might be in your best interest to buy now so you don't go without as we get closer to Christmas.
"Those are the must-have gifts that you know you absolutely want to buy," said personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani-Cox. "Maybe it's the doll, that talking doll that your daughter is just pining away for, or those in-demand items that you might run the risk of running out of - the store might not have (more) in time for you to purchase it."
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However, to save money, it's actually better to wait. Experts say retailers look to get rid of their inventory as the calendar moves later in the year. But don't wait too long.
"The few days right before the holiday may not be the best because retailers relax, people are doing the last minute shopping and they might mark up the price," said Sakraida.
What about the big kid in the family? Perhaps your husband or college student is hoping for a new TV. You might want to wait for a birthday for those gifts.
"If you want a high-end TV, we'll usually see better prices than Black Friday in December. That said, they get even better in January and February as well," said Sakraida.
But what if all that shopping and price comparisons aren't for you? Several websites, including dealnews.com, have an email alert system that tracks items and let's you know when they're on sale.
"So if you really want a discount on something you might have to act fast and you don't want to actively search all month. So it's a good way to let people do the work for you,"
Last-minute shoppers who don't shop until Dec. 23 or Christmas Eve will probably be out of luck. Don't hit the stores with specifics in mind because they probably will have sold out already.
