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School is back in session and temps are starting to cool off, but don’t slip up on summer clearance sales just yet.
Before you get all cozied up for fall, take a beat to scoop some of the best end-of-season deals with all these top summer clearance hacks. It’s the perfect opportunity to stock up on low-priced items for the school year. Or, buy everything you need for summer 2024 now at unbeatable prices.
KCL keeps an eye on the best clearance deals year-round, and these are the summer sales we’re most excited about. Don’t forget to download The Krazy Coupon Lady app and set up deal alerts for “Clearance” to stay on top of all the best offers. Whether you’re looking for clothing, patio furniture, or the best back-to-school deals, we’ll keep you in the know so you never miss out.
There’s a strategy to spotting all the best summer clearance sales, and I’m about to spill ALL the secrets.
1. Score cheap back-to-school gear during Kohl’s big summer clearance sale in August.
Kohl’s lowest prices of the season are happening now through Aug. 22, 2023. This is their biggest summer clearance sale all year. The clearance event started in early August, but the lowest prices of the season dropped on Aug. 16.
Currently, you can take an extra 50% off clearance in stores and online at Kohl’s and save up to 85% overall. You can even earn Kohl’s Cash while you’re at it, too.
Here are some of the top summer clearance deals happening now at Kohl’s:
- Boys Sonoma Goods For Life Everyday Graphic Tee — $2.80 (reg. $14)
- Cuddl Duds Lounge Pants 2-Pack — $5.95 (reg. $34)
- Disney’s Lili & Stitch Girls Graphic Tee — $3 (reg. $15)
- Girls’ Tek Gear Ultrasoft Fleece Pullover — $4.39 (reg. $21.99)
- Carter’s Baby Girl Espadrille Sandals — $4.50 (reg. $20)
- Jumping Beans Harmonica Toddler Boys’ Shoes — $6.74 (reg. $29.99)
Also, a variety of Kids’ Character Backpacks have hit their lowest prices at Kohl’s this season — they’re on sale for $19.99 (reg. $39.99).
2. Stock up on office supplies during Target’s back-to-school clearance sale in mid-August.
Target school supplies first go on sale in June, but the clearance deals really ramp up in mid-August. And from then through mid-September, school supplies continue to get marked down until they sell out.
Even if you don’t have a young one heading back to school when summer ends, Target’s back-to-school clearance has prices so low, you’ll want to stock up on the supplies anyway. Discounts range between 50% and 70% off.
I’m talking about notebooks, folders, erasers, and pencil sets for $0.20 or less!
3. Pro tip: Use your Amazon app to get the best Target summer clearance deals.
As you’re shopping Target summer clearance sales, use the Amazon mobile app to scan barcodes and compare prices. Sometimes, you’ll find items that are actually cheaper on Amazon than they are at Target. And thanks to the Target Price Match Policy, you can actually get the lowest of the two prices!
Here’s how it works. If Amazon has a lower price for an identical item at Target, show the Amazon listing to a Target cashier or guest services and ask for a price match. You can do this before you make your purchase or up to 14 days after.
Related: Check out these other retailers who price match Amazon.
4. Shop Walmart summer clearance during the first five days of each month: June, July, and August.
Whether you’re shopping in June, July, or August, the best time to hit up Walmart’s clearance deals is the first five days of the month. That’s when clearance items receive their next markdown in price. Heck, even early September will bring in end-of-summer clearance sales at Walmart.
Remember that at Walmart in particular, you’ll find clearance items hidden in the regular aisles. You don’t necessarily have to shop in a dedicated “Clearance” section to find the best deals.
TIP: Walmart clearance items are often cheaper than marked. I always use the barcode scanner in the Walmart app to help me uncover hidden clearance items!
5. Shop Lowe’s summer patio clearance right now for up to 75% off.
We usually see Lowe’s patio clearance run from about mid-August to mid-September. In 2023, some of the best summer clearance deals dropped on Aug. 16.
We spotted patio cushions, accent tables, loveseats, and more for up to 75% off at Lowe’s. These deals are mostly in stores, but you’ll find a few gems in Lowe’s online sale section, too.
Here are some patio clearance deals we’re seeing at Lowe’s right now:
- Allen + Roth Lumbar Pillow, Rust — $11.97 (reg. $23.98)
- Origins 21 Accent Table — $12.24 (reg. $48.98)
- Style Selections Wicker Loveseat — $88.77 (reg. $148)
- Allen + Roth Swivel Gliding Chair — $249 (reg. $498)
Related: Wondering who has cheaper prices? We ran the numbers and found who wins the Lowe’s vs. Home Depot pricing battle.
6. Stock up on clearance shorts and jeans from American Eagle at the end of summer.
Clearance clothes are a total win — you can wear them all year long or keep them fresh for the next season.
One of the best times to shop for American Eagle clearance is in late August. That’s when you’ll find up to 70% off clearance items and sometimes, almost everything in stock online. In 2022, American Eagle dropped a one-day-only sale on Aug. 25 with $19.99 clearance jeans. And on the last day of August, American Eagle dropped sitewide discounts for 25% – 70% off.
Stock up on American Eagle jeans when they drop to $19.99 – $24.99 (reg. $59.95), and buy shorts when they’re about $14.99 (reg. $49.95).
American Eagle almost always has some great clearance steals online, so if you can’t wait for the clearance event in August, feel free to poke around. You’ll still be able to score select items for up to 60% off.
Related: This is how to get free jeans at American Eagle.
7. Keep an eye out for the T.J. Maxx Yellow Tag Clearance Event.
When you see a yellow tag sale at T.J.Maxx, don’t walk — run to your local store!
The last event was in April, and we expect to see the next one toward the end of the summer season.
During this sale, you can find yellow tag savings on brands like Toms, Nine West, and Hanes. Look for the yellow tags for prices starting at $1. These prices vary depending on the department and item. But who’s complaining about $14 Toms when they’re 60% off? Not me!
Keep in mind that T.J. Maxx’s inventory varies heavily by location. But no matter where you are, use these T.J. Maxx shopping tips to score the best finds.
8. Look for up to 40% – 55% off camping gear — like tents — at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Select 8-person dome tents are on clearance at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $89.99 (regularly $199.99) right now. If you need something bigger, there’s a 12-person tent for $224.99 (regularly $399.99).
Related: This is every possible way to save at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
9. Learn to time Gap’s summer clearance sales.
There’s no shortage of summer sales at Gap! So there’s really not a bad time to shop. You just have to learn the Gap sale schedule and match it with your shopping list. Here are the sales we consistently see every summer:
June
- The Great Gap Sale: get anywhere from 10% – 30% off regularly-priced items and an additional 50% – 60% off sale items.
July
- 4th of July Sale: Take an additional 60% off sale items.
- The Gap Days Sale: 60% off summer styles, plus an extra 50% off items that are already marked down.
- Cyber-Sized Deals: Up to 40% off regularly priced items and an additional 60% off sale items.
August
- Back to School Sale: 50% off new styles, plus an extra 50% off items that are already marked down.
- Family & Friends Event: 40% off everything – plus an additional 10% off if you look for the sale’s Gap promo code.
TIP: Join the Good Rewards loyalty program to get 1% cash back every time you shop at Gap. You can bump that up to 5% if you shop with the Gap Inc. Credit Card.
10. Shop at The Children’s Place right now for up to 75% off, plus a promo code for an extra 20% off.
The Children’s Place is having a massive summer clearance sale right now. The entire site is up to 75% off (including girls, boys, toddlers, and baby sizes). Plus, all clearance is 70% off and you’ll score an extra 20% off everything online with the code GIMME20.
And with back-to-school deals like up to 50% off backpacks and shoes, it’s the perfect time to scoop up back-to-school essentials. You’ll also find low prices on school clothing like these:
- Graphic Tees — $2.99 and up
- Uniform Polos — $4.99 and up
- Leggings — $6 and up
- Jeans — $7.99 and up
Related: See all the current back-to-school deals happening right now.
11. Get cheap makeup during Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty Sale, predicted to start in late August/early September.
Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty Sale typically arrives in three waves that correspond with the three weeks of the sale. Every day is a new deal. In the past, we’ve seen big deals across so many great brands, like MAC Cosmetics, Tarte, Urban Decay, and Clinique.
Plus, during the 21 Days of Beauty Sale (spring 2023), they gave us an extra, 22nd day to score some bonus deals! Will the extra sale day come back for the summer iteration? We’ll have to watch and see to find out.
12. Check out Sephora’s Oh Snap Sale at the same time as Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty.
Not to be outdone by Ulta, but Sephora will run a sale they call “Oh Snap” during the same three weeks of Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty Sale. Watch for 50% off Nars, Clarins, Urban Decay, and more.
13. Shop Walmart Labor Day deals, back-to-school sales, and summer clearance prices at Walmart all at once — starting Aug. 27.
The end-of-season deals at Walmart will hit like a perfect storm of savings, starting in the last days of August. Along with the Walmart Labor Day Sale, this is when you’ll start to see some of the best summer clearance prices at Walmart.
From the end of August into early September, look for Labor Day deals on summer clothing, patio furniture, and outdoor recreation at Walmart. We’ve seen up to 75% off kids’ clothes for school and up to 70% off fire pits, patio heaters, outdoor dining sets, and more.
And don’t forget to check out these other Labor Day sales in 2023:
- Home Depot Labor Day Sale
- JCPenney Labor Day Sale
- Kohl’s Labor Day Sale
- Lowe’s Labor Day Sale
- Macy’s Labor Day Sale
- Target Labor Day Sale
14. Pretend it’s already fall and shop Hobby Lobby’s Christmas Clearance.
Yes, you’re probably still wearing shorts and sipping iced tea on your patio or by the pool. But if you want the best selection of Christmas items at Hobby Lobby, you gotta get your early autumn on.
Shop at the end of August and into the beginning of September when everything Christmas is marked down by 40% or more.
Sure, you can get a better deal the longer you wait, since Hobby Lobby will continue to mark down Christmas items until December 25 — if you’re not picky, that’s a good approach.
But if you want specific items, go ahead and buy at 40% off because once they stock their shelves with Christmas decor, they don’t reorder. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
Related: Learn even more Hobby Lobby shopping tricks to save big.
Summer Clearance Sales That Already Came and Went in 2023:
15. The first Kohl’s summer clearance sale ran through June 4 with up to 55% off footwear.
June 1 – 4, 2023 is one of the best times to shop Kohl’s summer clearance because there are multiple sales and promotions happening at once. It’s one of the few times a year you get an extra 50% off clearance items.
In June 2023, Kohl’s dropped 50% – 55% off summer footwear from top brands, like:
- LC Lauren Conrad Aquamarine Women’s T-Strap Sandals – $9.99 sale price (reg. $19.99)
- Levi’s Anakin Men’s Shoes – $24.99 (reg. $50)
- Madden Girl Women’s Wave Women’s Shoes – $39.99 (reg. $79.99)
During that time, you could also get an extra 15% off online by texting SAVE02 to 56457 (KOHLS). And if you had any Kohl’s Cash on hand, you could use that to save more, too.
16. Macy’s summer clearance sale in July brought in discounts of 70% or more.
Macy’s has a summer clearance sale every year with most deals dropping toward the end of July. In 2023, Macy’s offered 25% – 70% off clearance, plus an extra 20% off your purchase with the promo code SHOP. The July deals included:
- Women’s Styles: 30% – 70% off
- Men’s Styles: 25% – 70% off
- Kids’ Styles: Starting at $5
- Home: 50% – 70% off
- Handbags: 40% – 70% off
- Shoes: 20% – 70% off
Another big summer clearance sale is Macy’s Black Friday in July event, which ran from July 6 – 13, 2023. Some of the best deals were on jewelry and apparel, including:
- Bras as low as 10.99
- Pearl Stud Earrings for $9.75
- Men’s Reebok Shorts at $9.99
TIP: Look for more end-of-season clearance deals at Macy’s in late September to early October.
17. Competitor deals during Amazon Prime Week in July were hard to beat.
The summer Amazon Prime Day happened from July 11 – 12, 2023, with huge savings comparable to Amazon Black Friday.
Some of the best items to buy were Amazon-branded items (like Alexa devices and Ring Video Doorbells), plus add-on subscriptions through Amazon Subscribe & Save.
But Amazon wasn’t the only one with deep discounts during this hugely popular summer sale. Hundreds of stores dropped Prime Day competition sales, like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and more. Some had even better deals than Amazon for Prime Week.
Related: These are the best Walmart Prime Day and Target Prime Day deals to expect during Amazon’s twice-a-year sale.
18. The annual Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ran from July 17 – Aug. 6, with some of their best discounts all year.
The queen of all Nordstrom sales, the Anniversary Sale happens every year in mid-to-late July. This year, the sale started on July 17 with thousands of markdowns for up to 60% off. The sale officially wrapped up on Aug. 6, 2023.
During the Anniversary Sale, prices are comparable to the Nordstrom Black Friday sale. You’ll find major discounts on upscale brands like:
Just to name a few. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a brand without some sort of discount during this event, both in stores and online.
19. Score up to 70% off toys during the summer Target Toy Clearance Sale (mid-June through late July).
Target runs summer clearance through the hottest months, but one sale to watch out for in particular is Target’s semi-annual toy sale. It starts in mid-June and lasts through July. During this sale, you can get you anywhere from 30% – 70% off clearance toys in stores. Prepare to stock up for birthday parties — or even build up your stash way ahead of Christmas.
Related: Use our best Target toy sale tips to save more during the big event.
20. Remember to sign up for free loyalty programs before you go summer clearance shopping.
Signing up for the best free rewards programs is a great way to save money and score freebies.
Dick’s Sporting Goods offer a free loyalty program called ScoreCard where you can earn about 3.33% of what you spend back in the form of store rewards, similar to store cash.
If you know you’re making a big purchase or two — maybe buying camping or sports gear for next season — try to do it all at their store to reap the loyalty points.
