Check the Day of the Week Fourth of July Falls On

First, determine what day of the week Fourth of July falls on. Retailers are always itching for a holiday weekend, so they may extend their Fourth of July sales into the weekend if they can. In 2023, July 4 falls on a Tuesday, which means you’ll almost certainly see Fourth of July sales for a full five days. They’ll likely start Friday, June 30, and continue until Tuesday.

Even if the holiday falls on a weekend, you may still be able to find extended sales. Many companies start their sales on Friday even if the date doesn’t provide a good reason to do so. If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, however, you may need to be more strategic to get the deep discounts you’re looking for.

Know the Best Products to Buy During Fourth of July

Some products are better to buy than others during Fourth of July, since retailers traditionally offer steeper discounts on them now than at other times of the year. Expect to find solid deals on a wide variety of categories, including:

• Major appliances
• Mattresses
• TVs
• Laptops and other tech products
• Grills and patio furniture

You may not find the lowest prices of the year on some of these products, but they will be the lowest prices of the summer. You can expect to find brands on sale at a variety of stores, and Fourth of July sales tend to feature great savings on big-ticket items.

Research When Brands Offer Their Lowest Prices

Major retailers have their biggest sales at specific times throughout the year. Many stores, for example, have major sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but they may also have a friends and family sale at another point during the year. Do your research to see when the brands you’re most interested in offer their biggest discounts. Fourth of July may not be many brands’ biggest sale of the year, but you may still be able to score good deals without waiting.

Determine What You Need Now and What Can Wait

Figure out what products are must-haves right now and what you can wait to purchase. Fourth of July sales don’t necessarily offer the absolute lowest prices of the year, but if you’re shopping for a grill, patio furniture or something else to use during the summer, it’s probably the best time to score a deal.

With this strategy, you can decide which items will be most useful now and which will be more useful later in the year, and then space out your purchases. It’s especially helpful for expensive big-ticket items, so you don’t blow your budget during Fourth of July on products you might get a better price on later.

Plan Your Fourth of July Purchases in Advance

Most companies post their Fourth of July advertisements much earlier than July 4. The advertisements may start circulating the last week of June — or even earlier. Peruse these advertisements to determine which brands are offering solid deals and which aren’t worth checking out.

If you’re especially interested in a specific product or brand, you may want to download the store’s smartphone app. An app will make browsing brands and selecting items you want to purchase even easier. You may even be able to get promo codes that will add extra savings to the offers available during the store’s Fourth of July sale.

Prepare a Few In-Store Shopping Trips in Advance

Many companies with brick-and-mortar retail locations offer steep discounts when you shop in store during Fourth of July. Shopping in store, however, is more time-consuming than shopping online, so you’ll probably have time to check out only a handful of stores. When you have limited time, it’s important to prioritize the products you want to buy — and to shop early to take advantage of the doorbusters that are most likely to sell out quickly.

Most shoppers don’t think of Fourth of July as an especially strong shopping holiday, the way they may think of Memorial Day or Black Friday. If a local store offers a truly great deal, however, you’ll want to put it at the top of your list to check out in person.

Know Which Stores Are Best for In-Store Shopping

If a retailer offers the same deals online and in store, you’ll probably want to shop online. If it offers doorbusters you want to take advantage of, however, you’ll need to shop in store. Prioritize in-store shopping at retailers that carry a variety of products. 

If you’re looking for a new mattress, for example, you may want to look at Sears instead of Mattress Firm or Bear Mattress, since you may be able to find both a mattress on sale and great deals on a huge variety of other products.

Take Advantage of Other July Sales Too

There are many ways to get major discounts in July, in addition to Fourth of July sales. You can find cheap deals on various products during the Amazon Prime Day sale, which is usually in the beginning or middle of July and sometimes features better deals than Fourth of July sales. Some restaurants offer deals for National Ice Cream Day, and you also may find some early back-to-school sales.

You can always wait if you’re unsure whether a specific product is worth it during a Fourth of July sale. Many products are at their lowest prices of the summer, but you may find even better deals during Amazon Prime Day, Memorial Day or Black Friday. Only spring for these products if you think they’re actually at their best price, or if you need them specifically for summer.

Get the Best Discounts on Fourth of July Purchases

Fourth of July is a great time to find deals on some of the best products for summer. To ensure you’re getting the best deals, however, be prepared for whatever comes your way during Fourth of July sales. That’s where Rakuten can help. Whether you’re looking for a great deal at Walmart or trying to find coupons at Nike, Rakuten is a great tool to save money on your purchases during Fourth of July and beyond.