What to buy and what to pass on in March

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Time is money, and if you spend your money at the right time, you could save a ton of it. So I spoke with smart shopping expert Trae Bodge to find out what to buy and what to skip for the month of March. Bodge says there are good things to buy every month of the year, and knowing what's deeply discounted each month can help consumers save on their shopping.

March, for example, is a great month to shop for spring clothes. Bodge says that this March she has found mostly children's apparel on sale. Macy's and Kohls are discounting kids' spring clothes 20 percent to 50 percent. She is expecting deals to pop up for adult clothing later this month.

Bodge works with website www.slickdeals.net and says, according to their research, this is also a great month to get discounted gift cards. Because there are no big holidays this month, retailers can get very promotional, Bodge says. To incentivize consumers to shop, they're offering more discounted gift cards than usual so consumers will buy those cards and then head to the stores.

This is also a great time to hit up the department stores for home sales. Bodge says last year Macy's had a $10 kitchen appliance sale in March. They were selling toasters, coffee makers, and all sorts of appliances that would typically cost $30 to $50 for just $10 each. She hasn't seen that particular sale pop up again, but says to keep your eyes peeled for something similarly exciting.

One thing you shouldn't shop for in March? Televisions. Flat-screen TVs were deeply discounted from Black Friday all the way through Super Bowl Sunday, but aren't on sale right now. If you need a new TV, hold off.  If you can wait until April, you may find some great televisions and other electronics on sale, Bodge says.

Bodge says all of the new gadgets that debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January typically hit the stores in April. That means that all of the older models will be discounted starting in April. And if you're willing to pay full price you can also get your hands on some great new technology.

I'll be checking in with Trae each month to find out what's best to buy.

In the meantime you can keep up with her on her website: www.traebodge.com or on Twitter: @truetrae