What to buy and what not to buy in July

Most of us know the month of July is the seventh month of the year. That means the first half of the year is over, and July begins the second half. Although six months have passed, July 1 is not the mid-point of the year. The mid-point comes on July 3.

The month is named after Julius Caesar. Parents sometimes name children born in the seventh month after the Roman Emperor. For example, their sons could be named Julius or Julian. Their daughters are named Julie or Julia.

People tend to like this month because it is the middle of the summer and is usually the warmest month.

A major holiday comes at the beginning of the month with people ready to celebrate Independence Day on July 4. It has been estimated that people will spend over $7 billion on food to celebrate the holiday. This amount does not include fireworks and travel.

Things to purchase

After the Fourth Of July celebrations, people will be able to think about shopping. There are some good bargains in July. Additionally, Amazon used to have only one day to offer its Amazon Prime Day. This year, Amazon is offering more than one day. Amazon Prime Day is July 11, but customers can begin shopping on July 10 and have 30 hours to shop. During this yearly event, prices are reduced on hundreds of items for its Prime membership customers.

Don't worry if you are not an Amazon Prime member because you can still take advantage of bargains from other stores. July is a great time to buy clothes because merchants want to get rid of their summer stock to make room for fall merchandise.

This month is also a good time to purchase outdoor gear, including camping and fishing equipment.

Bikes are usually on sale. It will be too hot to paint the outside of your house now, but that doesn't mean you can't purchase discounted paint and save it until it is cooler. Paint can last up to ten years if the cans are unopened. Hardware stores want to get it off their shelves and onto yours.

Now is a good time to do some or all of your Christmas shopping.

Video games are at bargain prices in July. Some stores have "Christmas in July" sales. Booking travel in July is also an excellent idea.

What not to buy

Shoppers might be anxious to start shopping for back-to-school items considering July is the month for sales. However, don't be too anxious to purchase laptops. The best deals are in August. In fact, prices drop by as much as 25 percent.

July is not a good time to purchase a grill. Stores might offer small discounts just so you can buy one for the Fourth of July celebrations, but wait if you can until August when you will be able to buy one for at least 40 percent off.