What To Stock Up On In July
It’s all about what to stock up on in July today. This post is part of my ongoing monthly savings plan. We can save money on those items we need, or want if we are aware of the month they are at the lowest price possible. I realize prices on everything are going sky high right now, but we may still be able to watch for markdowns on these items.
Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
The summer is hot and fruits and vegetables are plentiful this month. Corn, cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries, plums, peaches, and watermelon are all in season right now.
Watch for coupons and really good buys, even at stores like Target. I bet you can almost taste those fresh strawberries, right? Be sure and grab some whipping cream, and plan to make some shortcake! Watermelon slices are the best!
Fireworks
If your community allows fireworks, you already know July is the month to buy the leftover fireworks after the holiday to use for New Year’s celebrations, or to hold over until next year’s July 4th fun. If you live in Utah, you can use any leftovers to help celebrate the July 24th holiday, if fireworks aren’t restricted in your area. You can store fireworks in a safe, secure, and dry place and pull them out to welcome in the New Year or other holidays.
July 4th Decorations
I love, love, love the colors, red, white, and blue. These colors bring out the best in everyone in the USA! I usually use plastic plates on July 4th, but this display at a local store caught my eye, so I took a picture of it. Life is so good!
Condiments for Barbecues
It’s a great month for stocking on up mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Watch for your favorite barbecue sauce to be on sale as well. There may also be some savings on relish and pickles too.
Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns
Most grocery stores stock up for that 4th of July barbecue and they don’t want to run out of the hot dog or hamburger buns. It’s a perfect time to stock your freezer with all kinds of buns for the fall and winter months. Condiments will be drastically reduced too. As mentioned above, it’s a great time to stock up on mayo, mustard, and other goodies to go along with the hot dogs and burgers. This is the month to stock up on paper plates, cups, and napkins for picnics and possible emergencies.
Meat To Barbecue
It’s a great month for having a barbecue! Watch for sales on hamburger meat, hot dogs, and steaks. Meat products as a group are pretty expensive right now. Consider trying other options like ground turkey or beef substitutes. Also, consider pork options, pork seems to be on the cheaper side.
Can’t you just smell the barbecue right now?
Here’s the deal with meat in the summertime, grocery stores stock up big time hoping to sell a lot of meat for those barbecues! You will see some discounting, but don’t expect to see pricing as we’ve had in the past. If you do find some good buys, it could be the time to stock your freezer with hot dogs, hamburger meat, and steaks. As we’ve all seen, meat prices have been going up the past few months, so I’d suggest looking for deals during the holiday period now before you see them go up even more.
July Is National Ice Cream Month
Ice cream in every form will be on sale this month. I have seen some significant discounts in July, and I stock up on all the ones we love the most. Don’t forget to watch for coupons at your local stores, and even the pharmacies. Our local Smith’s store often has great deals on various brands of ice cream, particularly their house brand. What a fun way to help deal with those hot days, and enjoy a treat at the same time!
Swimwear
July is a great month to find that swimsuit you have been looking at that was maybe too pricey. I bet it is on sale, if it’s still available. You will see 40%-60% off swimsuits, beachwear, beach towels, floating devices, goggles, and pool toys.
Designer Clothing
If you like to buy designer clothing, July is a great month because Nordstrom’s and Dillards typically have their half-year clearance sales going on with drastically reduced prices. Just be prepared to possibly stand in line, just giving you the heads up.
The stores are gearing up for the fall clothing lines and back-to-school stuff coming in and they need to unload their summer items. Don’t forget to look for great buys on sandals, summer shoes, and designer flip-flops.
Garden and Patio Items
This is a great month to pick up an outside table and chairs set or those outside rocking chairs you have been wanting. These could be about 40%-50% off the original price. The stores are looking to clear out the summer fun items and getting ready to stock space heaters and fireplace inserts.
Tools
Because Father’s Day was in June, you will now see specials on the tools the stores have stocked up on and didn’t sell as expected. Grab those tools you need to start that project you have been needing to do. Mark and I saw the Craftsman tool display, boy did that bring back some good memories. We helped build out many basements for family and friends with Craftsman and DeWalt tools over the years.
Sunscreen
You probably know how expensive sunscreen can be. I stock my hall closet big time for family and guests. Every once in a while I see it for 30%-50% off the retail price. Because we used to live in Southern Utah (the desert), I had plenty of sunscreen in my pantry since I didn’t want anyone getting sunburned. I’ve always felt it’s critical to have several containers on hand. Check your mailbox for coupons to Target and other local stores. My favorite brand is Aveeno 50 SPF. I go right to the section where it’s marked down every July.
School Supplies
If you have kids going back to school, July is the first month to stock up for school while the best supplies are fully stocked on the store shelves. You will see rock-bottom prices on items you need to fill those backpacks. The prices will go back up the closer it gets to the first day of school because the supplies will be depleted. It’s all about supply and demand.
You will see binders, calculators, pencils, pens, paper, pencil boxes, etc. They will also have glue, glue sticks, and other necessary items on sale!
What to Stock Up On Each Month:
- What to Stock Up On In January
- What to Stock Up On In February
- What to Stock Up On In March
- What to Stock Up On In April
- What to Stock Up On In May
- What to Stock Up On In June
- What to Stock Up On In July
- What to Stock Up On In August
- What to Stock Up On In September
- What to Stock Up On In October
- What to Stock Up On In November
- What to Stock Up On In December
Unique July Holidays
- July 1: International Joke Day
- July 2: World UFO Day
- July 3: Eat Beans Day
- July 4: Independence Day
- July 5: National Apple Turnover Day
- July 6: International Kissing Day
- July 7: Chocolate Day
- July 8: National Blueberry Day
- July 9: National Sugar Cookie Day
- July 10: Teddy Bear Picnic Day
- July 11: National Blueberry Muffin Day
- July 12: Pecan Pie Day
- July 14: Shark Awareness Day
- July 15: Cow Appreciation Day
- July 16: Fresh Spinach Day
- July 17: Peach Ice Cream Day
- July 18: National Caviar Day
- July 19: National Daiquiri Day
- July 20: National Ice Cream Soda Day
- July 21: National Junk Food Day
- July 22: Hammock Day
- July 23: Vanilla Ice Cream Day
- July 24: Tell an Old Joke Day
- July 25: National Chili Dog Day
- July 26: All or Nothing Day
- July 27: Take Your Houseplants for a Walk
- July 28: National Milk Chocolate Day
- July 29: National Chicken Wing Day
- July 30: National Cheesecake Day
- July 31: National Avocado Day
Final Word
I hope today’s post helps you with what to stock up on in July. It’s a great time to buy those items we need at the very lowest price available this time of the year. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Shopping Basket Deposit photos_51821091_xl-2015, Hands with pink piggy bank Deposit photos_32884157_s-2019
Linda,
I really enjoy your “What to stock up on” articles. This week ears of corn were going for five cents an ear (limit 6 ears), 80% ground chuck was on sale for $1.99 per pound, and Ball Park buns were two for five dollars. Needles to say I stocked up, especially on the beef–and will be busy vacuum sealing today. Jane and I will be having Goop (a macaroni, beef, tomato sauce, onion and cheese casserole) this evening. I’ll make a large batch and freeze a bunch for future meals. Been wondering if I could can any of it. What do you think?
Hi Ray, thank you for your kind words, my friend!! What a bargain one the corn!!! And the ground chuck, oh my gosh, this will be a great month for savings!! I would not pressure can the “Goop”, because of the cheese and the flour in the noodles. I love making a big batch and freezing meals for later! I love it!! I personally do not care for pressure canned ground chuck or beef. It’s too chewy! But, it’s a personal preference for sure. Wow, $1.99! I would freeze it, it’s just me. Linda
Linda,
Thanks for the advice on canning the Goop. I’ll give that a pass.
I break the ground meat into one pound and one and a half pound packages, vacuum seal them and freeze them after marking the contents and date on the package. The cheap corn I’ll just eat fresh as I LOVE it.
Hi Ray, smart move. I picked up some corn not as cheap as you purchased! I love corn this time of year! Linda
RAY,I have great results by cooking ground beef and dehydrating it, making it shelf stable.it i browned, drained, washed with warm water, drained and patted dry it does not take long to dehydrate the crumbles w/ regular dehydrator.I set my cooked meats at 145 degrees and usually takes about 2-3 hours depending on how deep i put on trays.i have a nesco and plastic mesh on top of the regular trays and can do 5 lbs on 4 trays. Cheese can be stored in jars..bought prepared in jars- cheese sauce or cheese dip., onion flakes or onion powder would be shelf stable. This makes this a recipe- SHELF STALE w/ oxygen absorber stored beef- you can put together on the fly in the length of time it takes to rehydrate the beef.( the smaller the crumble the faster it rehydrates.)
Denise,
Thanks for the advice about making Goop a dehydrated meal. I’ve considered it, but in the past I haven’t much cared for the taste and texture of rehydrated ground beef. Maybe I should try it again as I’m not sure I did it they way you said to do it.
I can also wax the Mild Cheddar to improve storage time outside the fridge. In fact, I prefer waxing cheese as a storage method over freezing it–which I also do.
Mixed in your recipe should be fine. cover with very warm water for 30-45 min.for 1 cup prepared ground beef . use just over 1/3 cup. fine crumbles.
I pack mine with a tamper in canning jar and add oxygen absorbers. I have used in pasta meals in past and Hubs could not tell the difference in dehydr/vs fresh.he is a food snob.
Linda,
Also July starts the months for Tax free holidays. there are three in Tn this year.If you need to know run a search on your states possible cuts…for dates and times of each one….i do know, One is for storage of protection items, the one last of July: school items( basic+ includes clothing and computers+, and all of August is a tax holiday on food.
HI Denise, great tip on the tax-free holidays! Linda
I am celebrating July 7, “Chocolate Day”. Is there any day that really isn’t Chocolate day?
Hi Janet, now we’re talking! I could have chocolate every single day as well! Love it! Linda
I was in Kohls today and bras are on the clearance racks. With all do respect to the men here……NOTHING is worse than bra shopping…. ok, maybe bathing suits are a close second….lol… so if you are in need of what my Grandmother called “flopper-stoppers”, maybe it’s time to hits the sales. Surprisingly, there are already signs of autumn products in some stores.
Hi Chris, oh you nailed it on the bras and the bathing suits. LOL! Oh my gosh, I have not heard of flopper-stoppers!! LOL! Linda