Frugal? Buying Winter Clothes in February

Despite the 8 inches of snow we got on Friday, spring is in the air and the immediate utility of winter clothes is limited. Combined with the new spring lines, most retailers have winter items available at deep discounts.

Why we should buy? For staple items like coats, gloves, hats, sweaters, you can buy something that will not be out of style soon for a song.

Why we should wait? By purchasing an item now for use next year, you need to consider the impact of finance charges, storage, or lost interest for 8-10 months?

What I just bought? My Columbia snow boots had a great 7-year run. Warm and waterproof, they were easy to slip on/off and great for doing tasks like shoveling snow in a Northeast winter. Earlier this month, I noticed they were about to leak but thought I could make it through the season. Unfortunately, the late winter storm hit and they leaked. Today, I went to Dick’s Sporting Goods and got some replacements for $40 off some nice Merrill snow boots. Had I gone shopping 2 weeks ago, I could have had more choice and got a great buy on a cheaper model.