Even though summer is still in high gear for most families, the retail world has already turned the spotlight to Back to School shopping. Now is the perfect time to cash in on those clearance racks filled to capacity with bathing suits and Capri pants. Here are my tips for making the most of the clearance sales so you’ll be set for next summer.

1.    Buy for now and later. You may find that your kids are short on shorts or hit a growth spurt and have already grown out of their bathing suit. These items which are normally $10-20 are now reduced by 90 percent and are sometimes as low as $1.99. If you’re good for this year consider stocking up for next year. Most of the time you can guesstimate what size your kiddos will be by the next time summer rolls around. It’s also a great time to make purchases on adult apparel, too.

2.    Beware of bargains that aren’t such a great deal. Not all clearance racks are created equally. Thirty-percent isn’t much of a discount. Dig a little deeper or don’t be afraid to walk away if it’s not in your price range. The whole idea of a clearance rack is that it’s supposed to save you lots of money or it’s just not worth it. Don’t be lured just by the idea of a sale. You have to know what the original price in order to determine if it’s a good enough buy to make the cut. Look for special one day sales and coupons you can use to get an additional 10 to 50 percent off the clearance price. Those tend be the deals that payoff the most.

3.    Stock up on non-clothing essentials too. Plastic plates and cups, bug spray, beach towels, and sand toys are also filling up clearance sections as stores make space for pencils and papers. Again, those same deep discounts can apply to these seasonal items so keep your eyes peeled for items that you’d like to have on hand next Memorial Day and beyond. Some items, like sunscreen, can expire so make sure you know an item’s storage limitations before you purchase them.

4.    Tuck it away for safe keeping. Since it will be another nine months before you’re looking for some of these items you want to store these items somewhere you can find them when you need them again. I store our items in a plastic Rubbermaid tub that I label and put on a shelf in the garage.

Question: What’s your strategy for getting good deals?