The Bible tells us, "To every thing there is a season." And though the ancients probably couldn't have foreseen how complicated our lives would get, there's still truth in that verse: There is a good time to do certain things—and sometimes there's an even better time.
Best Time to Get…
Gas
If you've heard that the best time to buy gas is on the weekend because prices are lower, don't believe it—there is no best day. But gas station managers do tend to change their prices in the late morning. Before you go, check out the state of the oil market, suggests John Casazza, associate director of the New York State Association of Service Stations and Repair Shops, Inc. Get your gas before 10 a.m. if prices are rising, after 12 p.m. if they're falling. Also, don't buy right after they've refilled the station; it dredges up impurities.
Clothes Online
Wednesdays and Thursdays. Instore sales are typically on the weekends, when everyone goes out to shop, so to be competitive, online shopping sites start their sales earlier in the week. A recent study of online store sales by ShopItToMe.com found that Wednesdays and Thursdays are now the best time to find the steepest discounts—on average, you'll save around 42 percent on clothing. And Wednesdays and Thursdays have become the days when retailers put the most new items on sale.
A Dog or Cat
Holidays and the summer. Remember that old saw about not getting a new pet over the holidays? Not true, says Stephen Zawistowski, PhD, executive vice president at the ASPCA. "The old thinking was that pets given as gifts would be dumped by Valentine's Day, but studies have not shown that to be true," he says. Turns out the holidays are actually a good time—you're home, the kids are home, and you have time to get the pet settled and on a schedule. Of course, if you're planning a huge Christmas party, wait until it's over. Summer is also great because the kids are free to get used to taking care of the animal.
Appliances
Yes, there are the usual assorted holiday sales. But wait for the double whammy when Energy Star offers rebates and your state enacts a tax-free week, says Jill Notini of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Go to the Energy Star website (EnergyStar.gov) and click on "Rebate Finder" to check for a list of rebates in your area. Also, as part of the stimulus package, the government enacted an appliance rebate program for purchasing Energy Star–efficient appliances. As of October, every state has been allocated money for rebates. Check with your state energy offices. (Your state also may be paying "bounties" for turning in old, inefficient appliances; ask your local electric company.) Go to the Federation of Tax Administrators' website (TaxAdmin.org) to find out when tax-free shopping weeks are planned for your state.
Best Time to Go To…
Theme Parks
September. Theme parks are practically abandoned when kids return to school, so the parks and hotels just about give things away. Even better, the weather is still nice and there are generally no lines. Another trick, suggests Christopher Elliott, cofounder of ConsumerTraveler.com: Go to the park's website and look at the blackout dates for annual passes. Those are peak days, so you'll know not to go then.
The Mall
Depends on what you want. Least crowded: First thing at opening or right before close. Lightest traffic: Mondays and Tuesdays. Most choices: When inventory first hits for a season (spring merchandise typically arrives in January, summer in March, fall in July and winter in September). Best prices: At the end of a selling season (spring typically ends in March, summer by July 4th, fall by September and winter in January). Secret tips: Some malls offer e-bulletins that provide weekly updates of sales and merchandise at your favorite stores. Others offer discounts for travelers and out-of-town visitors—usually you have to be 50 miles from your home. Ask about both at customer service.
The Supermarket
Most people go when the sales ads come out late in the week, or on the weekend, when they have time. But Wednesday is really the best day to shop, according to the National Supermarket Association. Stores are the least crowded, the selection is most plentiful since shelves are stocked, and sales are still on. The one exception is inner cities, where Sundays and Mondays are the best time to shop.
The Bathroom During a Movie
Have you ever sat in a movie having to pee but holding it in because you just didn't want to miss anything? And then, when you finally go, something really important happens. Well, no more. Check out RunPee.com. It lists current movies with time recommendations for running to the bathroom without missing much. If you forget to check ahead, you can check from your phone during the show—the site recently went mobile!
Las Vegas
If you don't mind the heat, pack your bags to save big. You'll get the best prices and fewest crowds in the off-season, which is late July to early August. Usually the hotter it is there, the more the prices drop. Also, there's a slight dip in activity after the December holidays, says Elliott, so there may be some good buys in January, too.
Best Time to See…
That Always Sold-Out Movie
You're most likely to get into a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday matinee. Plus, you get the bonuses of cheaper tickets and possible concession stand promotions. If you want that crowd experience, go to a Friday or Saturday 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. show. Most theaters let you buy tickets online as soon as the schedule comes out—anywhere between seven and 14 days in advance. If you don't want the plot spoiled by water-cooler conversation, go the afternoon of the first day it opens!
Shooting Stars
Shooting stars are really meteor showers. The Perseid Meteor Shower occurs in August and the Gemenids in December, says Robert Horton, president of Skyscrapers, Inc., the Amateur Astronomical Society of Rhode Island. Find reliable dates for other meteor showers at TheSkyScrapers.org/Meteors. And note: To view stars best, the darker, the better, so try to get as far away from city lights as possible.
Best Time to Take…
A Mammogram
Right after your period ends. "Before and during your period, hormonal changes make breasts tender and swollen, so it's not a great time to have them put in a vise. After your period, breasts are less tender, which makes the experience less painful for you, and less swollen, which makes it easier for the radiologist to interpret the reading," says Lauren Streicher, MD, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, assistant professor of ob/gyn, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. If you don't menstruate, any time of the month is fine. And don't forget: Get a mammogram before you have your morning cup of coffee—the caffeine can make breasts feel tender.
A Nap
Studies show that napping increases alertness, speeds up motor performance, improves accuracy, boosts creativity and reduces stress, among a host of other benefits. The trick is finding the optimum time: the period of day when your REM sleep and slow-wave sleep are perfectly in balance. Sounds complicated, but it isn't: Go to the Nap Wheel at SaraMednick.com/htmls/Book/NapWheel.htm. "It figures out when is the best time to nap based on when you got up," explains Sara C. Mednick, PhD, assistant professor, Laboratory of Sleep and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego and VA San Diego Healthcare System.
Your Pet to Be Spayed or Neutered
Between the ages of 2 and 6 months. The surgery is usually deemed safe after a puppy turns 8 weeks old, says the ASPCA's Zawistowski. To avoid urine marking by male cats and and pregnancy in female cats and dogs, definitely schedule the surgery before your pet is 6 months old.
A Walk After Dinner
It will help you digest your food better, make it easier for you to skip dessert, and is a nice way to relieve stress, which will give you a better night's sleep, says Stephen Cabral, CSCS, CPT, NS, author of Lose5in7.
A Workout Break
If you thought it was in the morning or at lunchtime, think again. The best time to exercise is 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. According to the American Council on Exercise, studies show that workouts are more effective when your body temperature reaches its optimal peak, making muscles warm and flexible, your reaction times quicker, and your blood pressure and heart rate lower. The late afternoon is generally when most people hit this high, but everyone's circadian rhythm is different. To determine your cycle, record your temperature every couple of hours for a week.
