April has finally sprung and with it comes warmer weather, blossoming flowers and lots and lots of rain. Of course, April is one of the prime months to shop. With the weather a bit gloomier on rainy days, many people take to online shopping to keep them busy. Of course, days where the weather seems perfect often brings days of shopping at outlet malls and local stores. No matter how you choose to shop, there’s a few things to keep an eye on during this month. With fewer holidays and special events during this time, you may find that April is the perfect month to splurge a little on something you’ve been longing for! Without delay, you may want to stop and check out these ten items before you decide on any extra shopping expenditures though.

1. Tax Day Freebies
Whether you love Tax Day or hate it, there’s always a reason to kick back and celebrate on such a financial driven holiday. Tax day is the perfect time to save even more money by not spending money at all. Since so many people end up winding up paying in to the government, a lot of local businesses have decided to take pity on everyone who just finished their taxes by providing some pretty awesome free stuff. For instance, many office supply stores will offer free paper shredding on Tax Day, which is a great way to clean out your files so you can prep for the upcoming fiscal year. Some locations give out free massages, so check out your local mall to see what’s going on. Better yet, some restaurants will even give out fast food, which will help take your mind off of the money you’ve lost. Keep an eye out for deals in your area, or look online to see if any chains will be offering their services.

2. Houses
Although it is the season of Spring Cleaning, some people love to take their cleaning a bit far. So far even, that they decide to pick up and move. Thus, April is one of the best months out of the year to go shopping for your dream home. Generally, during this time of the year, you can usually get homes at a lower price too, as many people are more in a hurry to sell, so they can move on with their lives. If you’re interested in renting to own, you may be in luck during April too. Of course, you may want to get in touch with a real estate agent in your area if you’re looking to save the most on your home. Also, don’t be afraid to play the market and walk away if the price doesn’t suit your needs. With the market looking up, you’re sure to find something in your price range in no time.

3. Sneakers
Working out outdoors is popular around this season, so make sure you have the proper shoes to take on any challenge you come up with. Luckily, April is filled with amazing sneaker deals that will make you look and feel fashionable. This is largely because summer is one of the most popular times to sell sneakers, so the market is a bit low right now. If you’re looking to save even more money on your sneaker, then try to find some from last season to help cut the price even more. It’s not just adult sneakers that will be on sale either. You may want to start looking for the perfect sneakers to get your children through summer sports or play dates with their friends. If you really want to get ahead of the game, then you may consider shopping a size or two larger than what your child is already wearing. This will help you do some back to school shopping before school even lets out for the summer.

4. Second Hand Items
Spring cleaning is here to save the day again, especially when it comes to your spending sprees. During April, lots of people will be clearing out their old junk to make room for the new stuff. You know, the old saying goes “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure,” so don’t let this prime time for treasure pass you by. With the influx of donations, thrift stores will be keen to host more sales in order to move all of the product they have. You may be able to find some exciting clothes, books, movies, toys and other remarkable items you’ve had your heart set on. One of the best things to look for during these periods is sporting goods, as many people will be prepping for the upcoming seasons with new items. If you want to find even better items, then try to head to garage sales. You may even get lucky enough to find a great deal on a basketball hoop, trampoline or other large ticket item. Of course, be careful when purchasing furniture from second hand stores, as bed bugs will not do your wallet or your sanity any favors.

5. Green Products
April 22 is Earth Day, which makes April the perfect month to celebrate Mother Earth. This means there will be all sorts of green products for sale. For instance, you should be able to buy seeds, bulbs, trees and bushes for a price that will knock your socks off. If you’re not ready for the whole gardening scene yet, then you should still be able to find some great ecofriendly items too. Items like natural cleaners will be especially well priced during this period due to Earth day and spring cleaning. You may also find deals on solar panels or chargers. Apart from that, you can still think a little green by ordering reusable water bottles, which will help the environment out while ensuring your family stays hydrated during the summer months. Other than that, you may find lots of cheap or free ways to celebrate around the community, which will save you a bit of cash on your entertainment budget.

6. Vacation Planning
Summer vacation is right around the corner, even though it barely feels like spring has sprung. However, in the sense of planning for next season, the time is already ticking away. One of the best things you can do to ensure you’re going to get a great deal this summer is to go ahead and start booking. One of the first places you may want to check is your local cruise line. They tend to have a bunch of early bird specials around now that could help you get more out of your summer fun. Even if a cruise isn’t on your radar, you may want to take some time to check out flights, hotels and other amenities you may need while you’re exploring the world this summer. Even getting park tickets will help you move in the right direction when it comes to summer time planning. Hurry though, because May will be a terrible time to book and you may end up coming up empty handed in regards to deals and bookings.

7. Laptops
There’s two times in the year when you should grab a laptop. The first, obviously, is Black Friday/Cyber Monday as many stores slash prices to try to sell off as much of their stock as possible. The second is the month of April. Although April is a big deal when it comes to flowers blooming and the snow melting, there’s not really a whole lot of marketing gimmicks to fall into. This leads a lot of stores high and dry. So, they slash prices to try to move their stock. Plus, a lot of brands will be coming out with new models, which means the old ones will take a pretty good price drop. So, shopping for last year’s models may save you a whole lot more than you’d expect. You may also want to consider upcoming graduation celebrations as this may be the perfect gift for your college student in the making.

8. Use Cars and Accessories
Now that income tax time has come and gone, you may find a whole lot of new used cars on the market, thanks to everyone upgrading their old cars. This can be a great advantage to you, because a lot of dealerships will want to get rid of their stock. Of course, you may find this month offers a lot more car deals than you’d expect anyway, but this is largely because April is National Car Care month. So, call around and see if anyone is offering discounts on tire rotations, oil changes, detailing and anything else you may be interested in. Websites that sell car parts may also provide you with some unbeatable deals. You won’t be limited to parts alone though as often waxing and detailing kits as well accessories like floor mats or decals will be found on sale during this month.

9. Fall Bedding
If you didn’t have warm enough bedding this past year, or you simply want to make a change, then April is the month to buy your favorite autumn bedding. You should be able to find these items on the clearance shelf of your favorite stores, but you may also want to look online to see what you can come up with. Apart from themed items, you may want to look at thicker duvets, duvet covers and thermal sheets as these items tend to be pricier during the winter months. You may also think about upcoming weddings and graduations as bedding is always a good option, even if it does cater to the colder months in the year.

10. Easter Supplies
The Easter Bunny is long gone at this point, but that doesn’t mean his Easter supplies are. In fact, after Easter all of the supplies will go directly to the clearance shelves. So, if you had your eye on some expensive décor then you may want to go ahead and grab it, because the price will be unbeatable. This is also a great time to stock up on all of the fun Easter basket supplies for the kids. You may even be able to find a few leftover pre-made baskets so you’ll be well ahead of the game when next Easter rolls around. Candy is another must have, as you can find lots of snacks to keep everyone’s sweet tooth happy for quite some time.

Celebrating spring time will only get better when you shop in these ten categories. Before you know it, you’ll save a whole lot of money on things that will help your home flourish while making you a bit happier. So, don’t let the rainy days get to you this season, as now you know just what to shop for when you’re feeling bored.