If your lawn mower unexpectedly breaks down in the middle of the summer, you probably aren’t going to worry too much about when is the best time to buy a lawn mower. You will need to find a new lawn mower quickly so that your grass does not become unruly in the coming weeks. However, many people have the luxury of waiting for the best time of year to upgrade their mower when prices are low. Let’s take a look at when to buy a new lawn mower to save you money.
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End of Season Sales
The end of the lawn mowing season is commonly the best time to buy a lawn mower. Generally, this is in September as fall starts moving in. Lawn mowers, whether boxed or assembled, take up a lot of room. Retailers realize that not a lot of mowers will sell through the winter. To make room for other merchandise, they tend to start to put lawn mowers on sale around Labor Day. September and October are widely considered the best months to buy a lawn mower.
Holiday Shopping
Another good time to buy a lawn mower is during the Memorial Day sales. The national home improvement stores typically offer decent lawn mower discounts during this time on a selection of products. Once you start seeing the home improvements stores start advertising “Spring Black Friday” it is a good time to looking for a deal.
After Memorial Day, you can find sales during Father’s Day and the Fourth of July. Retailers commonly have a variety of lawn mowers (riding, battery powered, traditional self-propelled, etc.) for sale during this time so you should be able to find something to meet your yard needs.
Outlets
When I am looking for a new lawn mower, I like to check out searsoutlet.com. The selection here is sometimes limited, but you can save hundreds of dollars by paying outlet prices. For example, currently a particular Husqvarna riding mower is $800 cheaper on searsoutlet.com in comparison to sears.com.
Buying Used
Buying a lawn mower used is another great option to save money. Facebook groups, Craigslist, and other similar websites make it easy to find locally available used lawn mowers for cheap.
You will likely want to find a gently used lawn mower that was used for only a season or two. See if the current owner can supply a proof of purchase before you buy so you can verify the age of the lawn mower.
It will be difficult to verify the maintenance done, but you should observe how it runs before you buy. Ask the owner if you can start it up and make a few passes across his or her yard. Do your best to verify the mower is functioning as advertised. It is best to take along someone who is knowledgeable about lawn mowers if you are not certain of their proper operation. A good deal may turn into a lemon if you are not careful.
Finally, do a search of the current new purchase price (if available) to judge what kind of deal you are getting to buy the lawn mower used. If someone is selling you a four year old lawn mower at a $15 discount from buying it new, you should probably pass on the purchase. Although it may be tough for some people, don’t be afraid to respectfully negotiate a lower price.
