The 11 Best Things to Buy in January (Plus 6 Things to Wait On)

January comes on the heels of the busy Black Friday and holiday seasons — and all the retailer sales that go with them. So many people likely don't see the first month of the year as a great time for saving money while shopping. But like any other month, January boasts categories that offer up impressive discounts.

Check out our guide below to learn what goes on sale in January, as well as what items to avoid until February or later.

The 11 Best Things to Buy in January

Our infographic shows five of the best items to buy in January. Below it, you can learn more about the January deals and sales you can expect to see.

1. Holiday Leftovers

By holiday leftovers, we don't mean the weird salad your great-aunt brought over for the holiday dinner. Instead, we're talking about holiday-themed items that retailers haven't been able to sell off during After Christmas sales. For instance, last January we saw Lindt holiday chocolates from $5, a 4-pack of Dash mini holiday-themed waffle makers for $20, beauty Advent calendars for $30, and holiday-themed items for up to 50% off at Ghirardelli.

2. Small Kitchen Appliances

You can score surprisingly good deals on small kitchen appliances at the start of the year. Chances are, the discounts are at least partially due to New Year's resolutions around eating healthier or dining more at home, rather than relying on takeout. Expect to see a variety of small kitchen appliances for $15 each, including food steamers, personal blenders, and rotating waffle makers.

But even lower prices may show up, with select small appliances going for as little as $6. Last year we saw mini waffle makers drop to exactly that price. Those are great for making a quick waffle or two or "waffling" a sandwich for a different take on a lunch staple. Who needs a panini press when you have a waffle maker?

Look for January sales on small appliances to be decently popular, as well. For instance, last January saw Best Buy taking up to 67% off small appliances, while Woot! knocked up to 55% off select Bella appliances and Keurig cut up to 75% off select starter kits.

3. Fitness Equipment

Some of the most common resolutions for the new year relate to getting in shape. That means January is an excellent time of year to shop for fitness gear of all kinds. However you prefer to exercise, the odds are good you'll find a discount on the equipment you need.

Watch for 10-piece resistance band bundles to be as little as $15, body balance ball kits to cost $17, and dumbbell bar pairs to go for $19. Plus, expect all-purpose weight sets of around 40 pounds to cost only $27. Don't forget about recovery either. Last January we saw recovery balls for $20 and recovery roller bars for $27, both at Nike.

4. Gym Memberships

If you don't have room for exercise equipment at home — or just prefer a gym for your workouts — the good news is there should be specials on gym memberships in January. You'll need to keep certain things in mind when trying to save on gym memberships, but the first month of the year often brings lots of different promotions. Look for gyms to offer discounted rates, waived sign-up fees, or even bonus perks such as free access to other areas of the gym.

SEE ALSO: The 7 Best Things to Buy in December (Including After Christmas Deals!)

However, beware of any "perks" that aren't available yet. If a gym promotes a feature they haven't built or implemented and there's no concrete date in place for it, then you may want to cross that gym off your list.

5. Beauty Items

Resolutions around the new year also focus on other types of self-care, which means retailers discount a variety of beauty and personal care items to entice shoppers. On top of that, stores may also try to get rid of lingering gift sets from holiday sales, so January could be a good time to stock up. Look for beauty items like Yardley of London scented soap 2-packs for $2, NYX lipsticks for $4, beard oil for $9, and Burt's Bees hand cream holiday gift sets for as little as $9, as well.

Watch for major sales, too, such as Ulta's Love Your Skin Event. It's happening through January 20 and already knocking 50% off Daily Beauty Steals this year. You could also see a Victoria's Secret sale on beauty items that takes as much as 60% off, and Amazon could cut up to 75% off select beauty products once again, as well.

6. TVs

Black Friday still reigns supreme when it comes to shopping for new TVs, thanks to the huge volume of deals and wide range of prices available to suit any budget. But if you missed the Black Friday boat, know you may be able to find good deals in January. The CES tech event is happening January 9-12, and the Super Bowl will be on February 11 in 2024. Both of these events will likely lead to retailers dropping prices on select TV sets.

Don't expect as much variety as November had, though. Last January, we listed about 60 TV deals, and only about 15% of those were good enough to earn our Staff Pick badge, which we reserve for "best of the best" deals. But there were still options worth shopping. We saw prices as low as $95 on Insignia 32" non-smart TVs, while a Samsung 7 Series 50" 4K HDR LED UHD smart TV went for $219.

Check out the sales on TVs, too. Watch for Best Buy to knock up to $3,500 off a selection of smart sets again, while Target could take up to 35% off TV and home theater items. Interested in high-end TVs? Samsung could discount its The Frame QLED models like it did last year, with prices starting at $430.

7. Soft Home Goods

January is when white sales pop up at many retailers, including department stores like Macy's and Kohl's. While these events may be mostly known for discounted bed and bath linens, you can find savings on a ton of soft home goods. Look for deals like the following:

• Bath towels from $3
• Microfiber sheet sets from $11
• Fleece throws from $14
• 6-piece comforter sets from $25
• 4-piece wedge pillow sets for $70

8. Valentine's Day Flowers

If you want to buy traditional Valentine's Day gifts like flowers, January is the time to start looking for deals! In 2023, we saw early floral offers pop up within the first 10 days of the month, when 1-800-Flowers offered the following:

• Assorted tulip bouquets from $40
• Two dozen red roses from $43
• Red rose and calla lily bouquets from $45
• Kaleidoscope roses from $55

SEE ALSO: The Best Things to Buy in February

In general, expect sites like 1-800-Flowers to offer modest to decent savings on traditional romantic arrangements. They took up to 40% off select flowers and gifts and even sold select items for less than $25 throughout January 2023. But shoppers who waited until the end of the month to buy could score up to 50% off Valentine's gifts.

9. Winter Clothing

Winter is in full swing by January, and plenty of discounts on cold-weather apparel show up during this time. We saw more than 140 coat deals in January 2023, though only about 13% of them qualified as Staff Picks. Quilted puffer vests were priced as low as $15, while we saw sherpa fleece-lined sweater jackets for $23. Interested in shopping retailer sales? Watch for Moosejaw to take up to 62% off jackets. Men's outerwear, meanwhile, could go for as little as $13 at Belk and from $42 at Eddie Bauer, respectively.

You'll be able to save on more than coats, too. Sweaters should also be on sale, and you can count on prices being seriously low. Last January, we saw women's and men's sweaters start at just $10. Eddie Bauer should have kids' outerwear for up to 60% off, and we expect The Children's Place to once again take 75% off via its winter clearance event.

10. Laptops

Black Friday and Back to School season are typically the best times to shop for new laptops. January may also provide some great deals, however. In January 2023, we saw refurbished Chromebooks for as little as $50 at Woot! and $79 at eBay.

Expect to see a handful of sales to take advantage of, too. Watch for Best Buy to knock up to $600 off Windows laptops, while Lenovo could cut up to 66% off gaming PCs. Staples, meanwhile, could knock up to $500 off select laptops, and Woot! could take up to 54% off select brands. Last year, the e-commerce website discounted Microsoft Surface laptops and tablets by that amount.

11. Seasonal Produce

In the middle of winter, you might not think fresh produce is a good buy. But January features plenty of fruits and veggies to build meals around. Look for citrus to be in season, especially lemons, oranges, and grapefruits. January is also good for root vegetables, including beets, turnips, and celery root. Aside from these items, look for excellent prices on in-season cabbage, kale, collards, broccoli, and cauliflower, as well as winter squash varieties.

Prefer to shop local? Check out this seasonal food guide to see what's available in your area.

And 1 Thing to Consider Buying in January

Holiday Decor

We saw After Christmas sales kick off on December 26 in 2023, and those tend to bring massive price drops on holiday decorations. But lingering items could get even deeper discounts in January. We could see deals on more "boring" products, such as Christmas tree storage bags for $11, ornament storage boxes for $12, and up to 59% off other holiday decoration storage options at stores like Amazon.

SEE ALSO: Here's Every Major Store's Holiday Return Policy for 2023

But you'll have other options, too. For instance, last January we also saw a Nintendo Super NES tree ornament for $14 and 400-count LED strings of Christmas lights for $25. Also count on lingering After Christmas sales that encompass decor. Last year, JCPenney knocked up to 85% off via a holiday decor clearance, and Belk cut up to 80% off Christmas decor and trim items.

6 Things NOT to Buy in January

Ready to shop the best deals of January? Check out the most excellent offers available right now, and follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on the latest savings.