Consumer Alert: Prices are skyrocketing! Here’s when to buy household appliances

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Tuesday’s Consumer Alert is all about you and how you’re feeling about the price you pay for everything from gas to groceries. And the consumer sentiment survey indicated we are on edge, uneasy, and downright uptight.

We’re so concerned we’re holding off on buying that new washer. We’ve decided to drive Betsy the Buick just a bit longer. And as for that noisy dishwasher, we’re going to tolerate that racket for the foreseeable future.

Why? Inflation. Prices are up. And we don’t like it.

You may remember last month I told you that we were really worried about paying more for everything from gas to groceries, and those concerns sent consumer sentiment plunging in August to a 40 year low. So I’ve been waiting for the September number. And it’s out. Consumer sentiment edged up by a paltry .7%.

We can take the glass-half-full approach. At least consumers aren’t feeling worse than we did in August. But our views about money matters remain mired in the murky air of malaise, specifically concerning whether to buy household durables like a new washer, stove, or fridge. The Michigan consumer survey has seen numbers this low only once before. That was in 1980.

But as your consumer investigator, here’s my concern. We all might just wait too long to replace those big-ticket items. I get it. I’m still driving my 11-year-old SUV waiting for car prices to come back down to earth. But there’s nothing worse than hitting the car lot after Betsy the Buick has gone to that scrapyard in the sky. So, I did some research for you on the best time to get the best price for your household big-ticket items.

According to Consumer Affairs, the best time to buy a new oven is January. That’s when stores are offloading new models. Click here for a guide to buying your new oven.

Need a fridge? May is your month. That’s when new models land on retail floors. Click here for the Consumer Affairs refrigerator guide.

Is that dishwasher so loud that you can’t run it while the news is on? November is the best time to buy. Sales are usually advertised before Black Friday. Here’s a great guide to buying that new dishwasher.

And September and October are the best months to get that new washer and dryer. Click here for the guide for those.

And remember, the best days to hit the new car lot are Dec. 26 through New Year’s Eve.