Fireworks: Some of the Hottest Holiday Deals of the Year

Jeanette Pavini ticks off the best shopping bargains for the July 4th holiday period, from refrigerators to museum memberships.
By Jeanette Pavini ,

There are a few holidays that really come through with big sales and the 4th of July is one of them. Luckily for consumers, many of those deals last the entire month. Whether you're in the market for a new wardrobe are just looking for some fun things to do, July is the time to steal those deals.

Refrigerators

July is one of the best months to buy a refrigerator with deals hitting over the 4th of July holiday weekend, this year running through July 7 or 8. You can save even more money by asking the store if they have any open-box items. Open-box items are usually returns, cosmetically marked items or floor samples. So, they might not have all of the original packaging but the discounts can be significant. Confirm that the store offers the same warranty as if you were to purchase a new item. And look for Energy Star-rated models. This will help you save money on all of your future energy bills. Lastly, see if your gas and electric company or state offers any type of energy rebate for replacing your old refrigerator.

Reciprocal Museum Programs

I love this resource and it is one of my "Biggest Bang for Your Buck" deals. Buy an annual individual or family membership to a local museum, zoo, or learning center and you may be able to receive free or low-cost admission to hundreds of others. Talk about having something to do every weekend! Most museums and learning centers are members of the North American Museum Reciprocal Association. Many annual family memberships are as low as $100 for 2 adults and 2 children. Additionally, you will receive other membership benefits such as gift shop discounts, restaurant deals and admission to special events. July is a great time to take advantage of these programs since summer is when some of the best events take place.

Swimwear

Summer clothing starts to go on sale around the 4th of July, especially swimwear. Believe it or not, stores are already starting to get ready for back-to-school and fall clothing and supplies. Of course, waiting until the end of August or the beginning of September may offer greater savings, but the selection will be far smaller. This makes July a good month to not only find deals on summer clothes but equally find a better selection.

 Gym Memberships

Many of us tend to head outdoors for our workouts during the summer months. So, plenty of gyms will try to get us back indoors by offering some great deals. It's smart to ask if they offer a "try before you buy" policy. This way you can try the gym out for a couple of weeks before you commit to a year or even two. Check warehouse stores such as Costco for deals as well. And make sure you test out the gym during the hours you plan on working out. This way you have a good idea of just how busy they will be during your regular workout times. If the price isn't as low as you would like it to be, ask for complimentary training sessions or an additional month at no charge.

More Summertime Deals

Be sure to take advantage of all the wonderful and free outdoor concerts in your local area. I am amazed at the free entertainment offered in various communities. You can check with your local chamber of commerce or city or county administration to find full schedules.

Also, if you are an Amazon

(AMZN) - Get Report

Prime member, don't forget Amazon's scheduled its annual

Prime Days

for July 15 and 16. Is an Amazon Prime membership worth the cost just for these two sale days? Probably not. But that also depends on what you're shopping for. CNET.com has a

good rundown of the best Prime Day deals

to help you decide. 

About the author: Jeanette Pavini is a two-time Emmy Award winning consumer reporter who has published more than 10,000 money-saving stories. She is a columnist for The Street's Retirement Daily, and a contributor to various news outlets and a guest contributor for The Today Show. Her work has appeared in MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal Weekend and USA Today. She was the chief consumer reporter for CBS 5 News in San Francisco where her money-saving segments became the backbone to her 30-minute consumer show.

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