Here's How I Plan to Save $100 or More on a New TV in 2024

There are certain things that my husband and I tend to disagree about. I feel that there's no such thing as having too much chocolate in the pantry, while he'd rather we shrink our grocery bills and cut back on buying sweets. He, on the other hand, feels that when the option to upgrade to a larger TV exists, we should take it -- even if our current TV is perfectly functional and fairly large in its own right.

Seeing as how we've been married for more than 17 years, we've both learned to compromise and cater to each other's habits. And so when my husband approached me about buying a new TV on Black Friday, I told him he could feel free to go for it if he found a great deal.

Surprisingly, though, he didn't. It's not that there weren't discounted TVs available over Thanksgiving weekend. Rather, it's that he wasn't so impressed with the sales.

At this point, we've decided to wait until 2024 to purchase a TV. We're spending a lot of money this month on holiday gifts, and we don't necessarily want to add to our credit card tab. But once we are ready to resume our search in the new year, here are a couple of steps we plan to take that will hopefully help us eke out $100 or more in savings.

1. We intend to comparison-shop

My husband and I have a Costco membership that we mostly use for purchases like groceries and paper towels. But once we start looking at TVs, we plan to start with Costco.

Not only might we find some good deals, but I like the fact that Costco offers a second-year warranty on electronics. When you're making a more expensive purchase, you want that added protection for your personal finances.

However, even if Costco has some great deals, we're still going to look elsewhere. It may be that the model we want is even less expensive at Best Buy or on Amazon.

Now because my husband and I are busy people, there's a limit as to how much time we can spend researching options. So we're also hoping to outsource some of that work by signing up for Capital One Shopping, a tool that compares prices for you. There are other apps you can try, like ShopSavvy, that do the same thing. But I definitely suggest doing research when you're talking about a more expensive purchase.

2. We intend to look early in the year

The New York Times shopping service Wirecutter says that retailers tend to heavily discount TVs from mid-January to early February. And the reason is that this time frame leads up to a certain major football event.

I have my own theory as to why the January-February time frame is a good one to buy a TV. At that point, retailers are looking at the post-holiday rush. And those with excess inventory may be more inclined to mark it down so they can make room for new products. So I happen to think early in the year is a good time to be shopping in general. This means that whether you're looking for electronics, clothing, or kitchen tools, January may be a good time to scoop up some deals.

3. We plan to start tracking prices now

Sometimes, when retailers put a given item on sale, what they do is mark up its original price to make it look like you're getting more of a bargain than you really are. During the month of December, I've tasked my husband with narrowing down his top three or four TV models and noting the going price across a range of major retailers. That way, we'll have a good benchmark to go by once we seriously start looking.

If you're making a major purchase, a good bet is really to track prices for a month or longer if you can. That gives you a better sense of the deal you're getting.

It's all about realistic expectations

I'd love to be able to save well more than $100 on a TV in 2024. And maybe I'll be able to save a few hundred dollars.

But I have to be realistic. Retailers don't just give away quality products, and I'm looking at this TV as an investment of sorts. It's not an investment in the sense that it will gain value, but it is something we hope to use for many years. So to an extent, I'd prefer to spend a little more on a higher-quality product, rather than save a little extra but get a product that isn't as great.

All told, our new TV is not going to be inexpensive, no matter what deal we find. My husband has his heart set on a 85-inch TV, or something in that vicinity, and a quick Costco search shows that the going price is $1,400 or higher.

But my husband and I also have not upgraded any electronics in several years. And while I personally don't feel such a need to have such a large TV in my living room, sometimes, we make compromises for the people we love.