When is the best time to buy a used car? When is the best time to take a vacation? Three tips from an experienced worker

Many experienced and less experienced drivers wonder when is the best time to buy a car. At first glance, it makes no difference what time of year you buy a vehicle. However, if you look at this issue from a different angle, you can identify some trends. Next, we will analyze the main ones.

How time can affect the value of a car

Buying a car is a serious process and must be approached with special care. In order to truly make the right choice, you should take into account various factors, such as technical characteristics, year of manufacture of the vehicle, etc.

However, there are also temporary aspects that will also have an impact:

The time of year in which the car is purchased. In this area there are concepts of seasonality. In particular, according to statistics, cars are purchased less often in summer than in winter. This is due to the fact that many people go on vacation in the summer. It follows from this that in a given period of time there is more supply than demand. In such conditions, you are more likely to reduce the price (of course, if we are talking about buying second-hand).
Calendar schedule. Many car dealerships are well aware of the times of decline and growth in demand for cars. Therefore, during periods of calm, they organize promotions that are beneficial for buyers (discounts, bonus offers, etc.). If you monitor market offers, you can find a good time and buy a car at a good discount. This advice is only relevant for new cars. As a rule, car dealerships give discounts on cars of mainly older models, or those that are not in great demand. Therefore, if price is the main factor when choosing, be prepared to buy a car that is not the most popular.
The weather in which the car is purchased. This factor is important only if we are talking about a used car that is sitting on the street. In order to see all the flaws in the polishing and condition of the body, you need good weather. This way you can notice broken or repainted areas. In rainy weather this will be extremely difficult to do. Therefore, carefully select the place and time to inspect the car before purchasing.

How to get the maximum discount when buying a car at a car dealership

If you analyze the pricing policy at any car dealership, you will notice a general trend - the price for the same models can change regularly. What does this depend on? From a number of economic factors.

In order to purchase your long-awaited car at maximum profit, use a few simple tips:

The latest models always have the highest price. It does not matter what year of manufacture we are talking about. Some automakers do not update their lineup for several years. When another new model goes on sale, all previous ones are immediately given a substantial discount. Hence the first piece of advice: study the update market (manufacturers’ websites post information about the release date of the next new product). You shouldn’t chase what’s new; it’s best to purchase the selected model immediately after its new version goes on sale.
The popularity of the model range affects its cost. Another factor: the lower the popularity of a particular model, the more willing the manufacturer is to give a discount on it. You can use official sales statistics. Many car dealerships offer discounts on unpopular brands. They need to sell a batch of vehicles as quickly as possible until sales of other models begin. In order to avoid excess goods, stores set up sales. This rule is relevant for all areas, including the automotive sector.
Color matters. As practice shows, cars of some colors are bought more often than others. So today the most popular 3 options are white, black and metallic. Cars in different colors can be purchased much cheaper.

Car market calendar

Statistics are a stubborn thing and always provide reliable information. The car sales market is subject to certain trends associated with hundreds of factors. By putting them together, you can classify the calendar year regarding the feasibility of purchasing a vehicle:

January. This month can be called one of the best periods for purchasing a car, especially for used models. During this period, there is a decline in demand (New Year holidays, the population has less money and the desire to incur significant expenses). In this regard, sellers are more interested in selling their goods faster. The trend is also relevant for car dealerships, which need to quickly get rid of last year’s models. To do this, they give discounts to their customers.
February. It can be called a period of a kind of emergence from hibernation. The market begins to revive this month, and profitable promotions are gradually running out. However, prices remain low on average. During this period, you can profitably purchase some kind of leftovers.
March. This month, the primary and secondary markets are fully activated, new models begin to arrive at car dealerships. Prices also come to life at this time. However, you can still snatch a lucrative offer, for example, timed to coincide with March 8th.
April May. It was during this period that the demand for cars in Russia is greatest. This applies to both the primary and secondary markets. If the demand is good, then the prices are maximum. Hence the conclusion - it is not worth purchasing a vehicle at this time, since you will have to pay the full price.
June - mid-August. This period is characterized by the beginning of a decline in demand. However, car dealerships are not yet in a hurry to please customers with lucrative offers. Very often there is a bonus program when, when purchasing a certain brand, a tourist voucher is given as a gift. You should not expect any more significant proposals at this time.
Mid-August - early November. During this period, demand increases sharply. This is due to the Russian mentality - many citizens want to buy a car before the New Year's rush. Hence the conclusion that you should not expect profitable offers from car dealerships at this time. Used car sellers are also not too accommodating, as they know that selling your iron horse is not difficult at this time.
Mid-November - end of the year. During the pre-New Year bustle, it’s time for marketers. At this time, almost all stores are coming up with tempting and not so tempting programs. It is most profitable at this moment to purchase cars second-hand. People are interested in making a sale before the new year in order to replenish their personal budget before the holiday.

Video about buying a car

The information provided in our article shows that if you are patient, you can make a truly profitable purchase. Don't rush to respond to the first offer you come across. If you wait a little, you can get a good discount or find better conditions.

Neither pre-booking nor last-minute tours will bring tangible savings if you travel at the “wrong” time. If you know which months are cheaper to vacation, you can halve the cost of a vacation abroad.

Depending on the activity of vacationers, the tourist season is divided into high, low and low. The latter term appeared relatively recently and means a period of time when the number of tourists reaches a minimum. During such periods, airlines and hotels reduce prices as much as possible to avoid losses and fill empty seats.

Obviously, for different destinations the “dead” season occurs at different times. The number of tourists depends on the weather, time of year, local holidays and other factors.

In countries such as Egypt, July and August are unbearably hot, which reduces the flow of people wishing to spend their vacation without leaving the hotel or under an umbrella by the pool. In Thailand, the rainy season begins in June and lasts until October. Accordingly, if bad weather is not a hindrance, these will be the cheapest months for a holiday in these countries.

Read also:

Local holidays and festivals

For example, a ticket to Los Angeles in the first week of December will cost a third less than in the last week of November. And all because of Thanksgiving. at Christmas or New Year it will cost twice as much as in mid-January. Venice hosts a carnival in February, which significantly increases the cost of travel and accommodation. Therefore, when planning a trip, you should find out in advance about the presence of holidays and other events, and try to avoid these days.

"Internal" factors

If you do not take into account local characteristics, traditionally, the flow of vacationers increases in the summer months (especially July and August), during school holidays, and on the New Year and May holidays. If you want to save money, try not to plan a trip during this time.

Cheap months for vacation can be divided into 3 blocks:

Second half of January and February (except Valentine's Day). At this time, people are still calculating how much they spent during the holidays and most are not in the mood for travel.
September is considered one of the cheapest months for vacation due to the start of the school year.
The second half of November and the first half of December will be cheaper due to the fact that the most prudent are already starting to save money on.

Maximum savings can be achieved if the combination of all three factors is taken into account when choosing a time for vacation. This will be the “low season”, during which it is cheapest to go on vacation.

(Peter Greenberg). Based on personal experience, he formulated several tips regarding the day and time of purchasing air tickets, which may help you save a couple of tens of dollars.

When?

Air tickets usually go on sale 330 days before departure. According to many travelers, it is best to book tickets 8 weeks to 2 months before your trip.

Greenberg believes that the optimal time to buy an air ticket is 45 days. Six weeks. And that's why:

The number one mistake many tourists make is booking too early. If your trip does not fall on high passenger days, such as Christmas, then you have a much better chance of saving if you buy tickets 45 days (for domestic flights) and 60 days (for international flights) before departure.

Outside the 45-day window, airline computer programs cannot calculate the current cost, but form it based on last year's passenger traffic. If a year ago the flight was full, then this year the price will be high. But this year there may be a price collapse (there is unrest in Bangkok - people are not going to Thailand), so by booking tickets more than 45 days in advance, you risk overpaying for last year's forecasts.

In addition, Greenberg notes how important it is to “play around” with departure dates. If you are not strictly bound to a certain number, then you can save a significant amount of money. Peter advises flying in the middle of the week, when most flights, except for business destinations, are practically empty, which means their tickets are cheap.

At what time?

As for the ideal time and day of the week to buy an air ticket, Greenberg calls - Wednesday, 1 am.

If you want to buy cheap air tickets, then there is an hour for this. This is Wednesday, 1:00 (one in the morning). But it is important to monitor the time zone of the place where the airline is located - exactly an hour must pass from the moment the day changes according to their time.

Why exactly the night from Tuesday to Wednesday? Greenberg explains: Most airlines offer discounts on tickets between Sunday evening and Monday evening. This means that passengers have a day to redeem them. On Tuesday, at midnight, tickets booked but not redeemed are again entered into the airlines' computer systems.

However, Peter Greenberg warns that to use this trick, you should call the carrier and book a ticket over the phone, not over the Internet.

You will learn even more about the tricks of airlines, as well as hotel booking services, in the article by Lifehacker editor Slava Baransky -.

Even experienced travelers regularly ask the same questions. Should I buy a vacation package now or wait until it becomes last minute? What if the tour I want is sold out for my dates? What if they don’t sell out, and closer to the departure date you can buy it at half the price? What if they sell out? (at this point the circle closes). How to answer these questions for yourself is in our life hack.

Prices for tours at the start of the trip may either increase or decrease. It all depends on the availability of seats on the charter flight and the demand for a particular resort. “If the operator sees that the plane is filling up quickly and there are few seats left, the price may rise,” says Ellin Tolstov. “At the same time, if the flight is due in a few days, and the plane is still not full, then so-called “last minute tours” appear "They are often sold below cost only so that the tour operator does not lose the money spent on buying back seats on the plane and hotel."

Risk factor

The decision at what point to buy a tour is influenced by many factors: the composition of vacationers, the country, and the time of year in which tourists plan to go on vacation. It is obvious that those traveling with children or a large group with the intention of staying in a room for several people should not delay in choosing a tour. Such tours rarely become cheaper closer to the travel date. On the contrary, there is a risk of not finding a worthy offer at all. It makes sense to purchase tours in advance for those people who cannot reschedule their vacation days at the last moment.
“Employees of large companies, as a rule, have very strict vacation dates, and it may be impossible to change them,” says Ellin Tolstov. “In such cases, it is better not to take risks and book a trip in advance - and the sooner the better. In this case, the tour operator will have There is enough time to confirm seats and tickets, and tourists will not have any unwanted surprises."
But couples who are ready to postpone their vacation date by a few days at the very last moment have the opportunity to save significantly. Double rooms tend to fall in price the most. And there is a chance to redeem very cheap offers with departure literally in a day.

Comfort discount

Expensive hotels, oddly enough, do not lack guests. They can be busy even in the off season. And this is understandable - otherwise they would have to reduce prices, but tourists are ready to pay for comfort and attentive service at any time of the year. Therefore, you should not hope that an expensive hotel will lower its prices at the last moment and you will be able to relax in a five-star hotel for the price of three rubles. However, you can get a discount on a superior room in a mid-price hotel. Luxury offers in such hotels may wait for guests until the last moment, and then their price may drop, if not to the level of a double standard, then at least close to its cost.

Seasonal variations

During the high season, there are practically no last-minute offers. Therefore, it is better to buy tours for the summer months in advance. Prices may increase by the date of travel. “The cost of “package” offers changes in real time,” says Ellin Tolstov. “Someone bought a tour - and the price increased. Tours to European cities are least susceptible to changes. There is no seasonality, the cost of hotels is strictly regulated, and it is almost changes throughout the year. But on beach destinations, price fluctuations can be significant. Hotels on the coasts, as a rule, operate on clear dates and they have a price schedule - for low, high and super high seasons. Therefore, the cost of tours on the same beach ones. resorts will always vary depending on the dates."

At the same time, on such routes prices always decrease after long holidays or children's holidays. A classic example in this sense is Egypt. The resorts of this country welcome tourists all year round. Charters fly there all the time, and thanks to this you can track that the cost of tours there in the low season is guaranteed to drop.

Force Majeure

It is a misconception that you can buy a tour at a bargain price to a resort where a natural disaster or tragic event has just occurred - such as the flood in Sochi or the terrorist attack in Tunisia. The cost of the tour, if it decreases, will be very small. At the same time, in competitive directions, demand will increase – and, accordingly, prices. For example, tourist interest in Montenegro, Bulgaria, Turkey and Egypt has now increased, but Sochi and Tunisia are showing a decline. The cost of the trip is also affected by the exchange rate. For example, as soon as the ruble stabilized against the euro, tours to Europe began to be sold more actively. And their prices went up.

Rest longer - more economical

A significant part of the cost of any tour is the flight. For a tour operator, the cost of a place on a charter stays the same – the trip takes three days or two weeks. Therefore, the longer a tourist spends at the resort, the cheaper each day of stay costs him. Thus, a three-day vacation at a resort based on the cost of one day will always be more expensive than a week-long vacation. Sometimes the total price of three and seven days turns out to be comparable. At the same time, on some days the plane may be slightly full, and it is on these dates that tour operators create last-minute offers to justify the cost of the flight. They usually appear at the very last moment.

When it comes to vacation, our compatriots very rarely look ahead: for some, the reason lies in the fact that he puts off purchasing plane tickets until the last minute, since there is no extra money; for others, the dates of his vacation cannot be determined in advance due to manuals. As a result, even those who book air tickets 1.5-2 months before departure save only 6% of the cost. But it is possible to save up to 30%.

Airlines have long figured out that on New Year's Eve, May holidays and in the summer, there are a lot of people who want to relax. As a result, ticket prices are always inflated these days. Carriers organize sales and promotions only when they cannot plan the loading of the aircraft in advance. This means that the actions of air carriers can be predicted and outplayed. So:

1. Choose dates for your vacation so as not to fall into the “peak season”.

2. Book your tickets before their prices go up.

When flights from Russia become cheaper

There are 2 periods when it is profitable to go on vacation from Russia. The first period begins from January 15 to the end of February. The best time is mid-February, at which time air ticket prices drop by as much as 35% compared to the summer season.

The second period begins on November 15 and lasts until December 15. The most profitable time for a holiday in the autumn-winter period is from November 20 to December 12. Tickets for these dates will cost 33% cheaper than for the New Year holidays, and 37% cheaper than in the summer.

The most expensive tickets fall on the summer and New Year periods; overpayments can range from 15-21%.

When is it cheaper to fly to Europe?

Price increases in December, May and summer are an obvious pattern in airline pricing policies, but they can be easily circumvented. For example, you want to have an inexpensive holiday in Hungary. The cheapest time to buy tickets is in February, but the weather at this time is not entirely pleasant. But this is not a reason to plan a vacation for the May holidays or summer - these are the most expensive periods for a holiday in Hungary. Go on a trip between September and October - you can save up to 5% than the yearly average, and up to 15% than in May.

When is it cheaper to fly by sea?

It often happens that vacation is tied to the “peak season” - for example, to the summer period. In this case, you won’t be able to outwit the airlines, but you can still save money. To do this, you need to avoid destinations that are in high demand: for example, in August, air tickets to Montenegro soar by 10%, and to Croatia and Bulgaria by 2%. In June, tickets to Israel fall by 6%. If you can shift your vacation to the first week of September, then you can go to the UAE or Cyprus with a 5% savings.

When to buy air tickets for the May holidays

The deadline to buy tickets for the May holiday is the beginning of March. If you're in time, you'll save 15% on tickets. And you can save as much as 30% by booking tickets for travel as early as December.

The most ideal time to buy tickets for the May holidays to France, the Czech Republic, Greece, Germany, Spain, Hungary and Italy is November and December, you can save up to 16%. At the end of February, it is still possible to purchase air tickets for the May holidays to Europe at 8% below the average price, but then they will quickly rise in price.

Also, at the end of February you can still save on tickets for the May holidays to Canada, the USA, Cambodia, the Maldives, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

5 proven ways to save on airfare

1. You can save on tickets for flights from Russia by purchasing tickets in February and November. Manage your dates so as not to fall into the season of rising prices.

2. Choose dates for your holiday according to the seasonal decline for the country you are going to visit. It is more profitable to fly to the Maldives in June, to Thailand in the fall, and to Canada in February.

3. To save up to 33%, book your tickets 7.5 months before departure.

4. Do not purchase air tickets 1 month before departure. Basically, starting 5 weeks before departure, they begin to rise sharply in price.

5. If you already know exactly when and where you want to fly on vacation, then follow and compare ticket prices to catch a good deal.