The SCI Grocery Year
What goes on sale in July
The Fourth, then the school stock starts arriving.
The first week of July is the cheapest week of the summer for anything you would take to a cookout.
By the end of the month the school supplies are on the shelves. They are not at their best price yet, so this is a month for noticing rather than buying.
It is also the month with the widest spread between the best and worst price on the same item, which makes it a very good time to start writing prices down.
Worth watching
If you actually use these things, July is a good time to take a look.
Hot dogs, burgers and buns
One of the steeper holiday promotions of the year.
Soda and bottled water
Best pricing of the summer in that first week.
Ice cream
National Ice Cream Month, and stores lean into it.
Paper plates and napkins
Bought once now, used all year.
Don’t get carried away
School-supply promotions often build through the summer, so the July display is rarely the best price you will see. Check local ads and your school’s start date before deciding to wait, and buy anything specific on the required list when you find it.
One thing to watch
Holiday cookout pricing usually snaps back the day after. If you are stocking up on shelf-stable items, the window is genuinely narrow.
July is a good month for produce too
Depending on where you live, these are often abundant and especially good this time of year.
- Tomatoes
- Sweet corn
- Peaches
- Watermelon
- Cucumbers
- Raspberries
Worth doing this month
Start writing prices down
Summer shows you the widest range of prices on the same items, which makes it the best month to start a price book. You learn the floor and the ceiling in one season.
Open the free price trackerKeep your own prices
Seasonal patterns can tell you when to pay attention. But the best price for your family depends on what you buy, where you shop and what things normally cost in your area.
That is why keeping your own prices is so useful.
Start your free price bookBefore August gets here
Take five minutes on one thing
Check the pantry, the freezer or the household supplies for one thing you are running low on. That is it. You do not need to stock a bunker. Just notice what you will actually need next.
Next month is the back-to-school overlap, when the school aisle and the summer clearance run at the same time.
See what is coming in August