Spring Shopping Deals Sweet in April

You may not associate April with deals, but they’re out there.  You just need to know where to look.

Some suggestions:

Spring Apparel

“Retailers stock items in February and after two months, they start discounting to make room for summer inventory,” said Sara Skirboll, Shopping and Trends Expert at RetailMeNot.com. “We’re seeing discounts of up to 40% off.”

Jewelry

Falling between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, April is a slow month for jewelry sales.

“Shop jewelry now because prices will start rising again in May as we approach Mother’s Day,” said Kerry Sherin, savings expert with www.Offers.com. Current savings: 30%.

Auto Maintenance

Did you know that April is National Car Care Month?

Not only is this the perfect time to get your car ready for spring driving and summer road trips (“Properly maintaining a car is paramount to keeping operating costs like gasoline consumption down,” says Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy), but there are also various car care events, specials, promotions and giveaways nationwide.

“Many auto parts shops provide free inspections and care maintenance clinics, alongside solid deals on tires and accessories. Look to auto retailers like Discount Tire and Pep Boys for steals on wheels,” said Sherin.

Spa Services

“Spring cleaning is not just for closets anymore—it’s also for your skin, and most importantly, your mind, body and spirit,” said Lynne McNees, president, The International Spa Association (ISPA).

Not only are spas offering discounted services (especially during Spa Week, which starts on April 17th), but also special treatments.

How does a "Goddess of the Sea" treatment—an experience that includes exfoliation, a detoxifying wrap, and a 25-minute massage—at Hotel del Coronado sound?

Looking for something sweeter? Sundara’s Sweet Spring treatments feature honey and cream!

Travel

Can you leave now? Or right after Easter? Travel expert John DiScala says go for it.

“Things pick up and get busy again—and more expensive—for Memorial Day travel, so the window of opportunity is now,” he explained.

Where to? DiScala suggests Europe, and while WOW Air and Norwegian Air are getting lots of attention for their low fares, DiScala recommends flying business class on French airline La Compagnie (At press time, a RT ticket from New York City to Paris, April 22-29, was under $1,000).

Don’t want to go that far? Canada is another great option, says DiScala.

“Montreal feels like Europe, and no long flight!”

It’s also the prime time of year for a repositioning cruise, which is a cruise that departs from one port and ends in a different one.

Cruise lines sell these one-way routes at a significant discount because they’d rather sail with passengers than without.  As an additional benefit to you: no lines!

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Vera Gibbons is a financial journalist and Senior Consumer Analyst with GasBuddy.com and founding editor of nonpoliticalnews.com, a daily newsletter.

A former analyst with MSNBC who appeared regularly on the “Today Show,” Gibbons was previously a Financial Contributor with CBS News.