The Best Time Of Year To Buy A New Lawn Mower
If you're looking to save money, you probably know the importance of purchasing an item at a time of the year when it's not in as high of a demand. Purchasing swimwear before going on a winter getaway to Florida is going to save you some money versus buying it in early summer when everyone else is also buying swimwear. The same goes for many home and garden products, including lawnmowers. For mowers, the best time of the year to buy one is in the early spring, just before the growing season takes off, or in autumn, when the growing season is coming to an end.
Of course, there's no guarantee that the time of the year when you need a lawn mower is going to perfectly line up with early spring or autumn. If your machine breaks down in mid-June, you can't exactly let your grass grow unchecked until October. You may end up having to buy one at an inopportune time.
Trying to save money by making a purchase at a certain time of the year also could leave you with a limited selection, meaning you might not be able to find the right unit for your needs. This is a common mistake everyone makes when buying a lawn mower. If you buy a machine that's too small, you might need quite a bit more time to go over the entire lawn, for example. If it's too large, you might not be able to make sharp turns in a small yard.
Benefits of buying a mower in the autumn
If you are seeing signs that it's time for a new mower in the summer, you may want to repair it and keep it running until autumn. There are a few advantages to purchasing a new machine in the autumn while saving some money in the process.
At the end of the growing season, retailers are going to be looking to unload their existing inventory of lawn care products, including lawnmowers. Stores want to clear display space and warehouse space to allow for machines people use in the wintertime, like snow blowers and snowmobiles. Additionally, store owners want to reduce the number of older machines they have on hand so they can freely order new mowers for the upcoming spring growing season without having to worry about carrying inventory into the following year. With the retailer motivated to sell, the price should be low.
You may be tempted to wait until the holidays to try to purchase a new machine, as you may expect to receive the benefit of some significant Black Friday sales. However, there's no guarantee that a retailer will offer sales on the mowers that you actually want at this time of the year. Additionally, you may not have a chance to test the mower when you buy it in the heart of winter. If it has a major flaw by the time you actually use it, you might be outside of a return period.
Why you should buy a mower in early spring
Although you may find a limited number of choices in lawn mowers when you buy one at the end of the growing season, this is not a problem when buying in the early spring, just before the growing season begins. Retailers have loaded their stores and warehouses with the newest models, and they have a large variety on hand. You should be able to purchase your preferred mower size and model without hassle in the early spring.
Receiving a great price in the early spring is more of a hit-or-miss opportunity than in the autumn, though. Some retailers, especially big box hardware stores, may use significant discounts on certain lawnmowers to try to draw you into the store, hoping you'll buy multiple landscaping products. Ultimately, though, most of the models will only be available at full price. However, those larger retailers may be offering store credit card deals in spring, where you can make large purchases at a low interest rate or at no interest when you sign up for a new card. You may be able to select the mower you really want, even if it's a little over your budget, because you can pay it off monthly.
This is also a good time to buy a used mower, as many homeowners will have a used mower to sell after buying a new model.