Five Reason Why Now is a Good Time to Buy Stuff

Long-time readers of Savvy Frugality might be surprised by today's headline. After I'll, Savvy Frugality is usually recommending that people hang on to their hard-earned money, put it in emergency savings and invest it for the future. Well, sure...you should be doing all of those things. After all, we really don't NEED to buy all of the stuff we are buying. That's why credit card debt is such a big problem in the U.S.

However, if you already have the money, and you actually do need to make a significant purchase, there is no better time than the present. You might be thinking "What? That's crazy! We're experiencing the worst economy since the Great Depression!" Actually, only certain sectors of the economy are experiencing hard times. There are segments of the population which, so far, have been largely unaffected by the current economic crisis. That doesn't mean times aren't hard in the U.S. right now. They certainly are. They are just more difficult for some people right now than others, depending upon what region of the U.S. you live in and what you do for a living. For example, now is not a great time to work for an auto manufacturer or mortgage lender. While some are speculating the current recession will last another year or two, other economists say that the second half of 2009 could actually see the U.S. beginning to recover from its current economic woes.

But, I digress. Why should you buy stuff now? Five reasons:

1. Homes are on sale! Banks have to do something with all of those foreclosures, and with the housing market in the tank sellers are desperate to unload their homes. If you have a decent credit rating and are in need of a home, this is actually a great time to buy a house.

2. Cars are on sale! They aren't just on sale, car dealerships are frantically trying to get people on the lot to unload their merchandise. Some dealerships are even offering "buy one, get one free" deals. When is the last time you saw that? Probably never. Of course, we've previously mentioned Hyundai's deal: if you lose your job within a year of buying a new Hyundai, just take it back to the dealership, no questions asked.

3. Stocks are on sale! Yeah, my stocks got hammered, along with everybody else's. But, I'm still buying. Why? Stocks are relatively cheap these days. Almost all of the so-called blue chip stocks are selling for much less than they are worth. The stock prices will go up again, someday. Wait too long to get in on the market, and you risk missing out on those gains.

4. Retailers need the business. As a result, they are offering some pretty good deals on the stuff they sell. Some retailers will even haggle over the price on the tag, and that includes big-ticket items like electronics and appliances. If you need it, and you have the cash (for God's sake, don't run up your credit card right now), this is a good time to take advantage of these deals. Retailers who are efficient, can run lean, and offer good deals will weather the current storm. Those who can't (Circuit City, Linens 'n Things), won't.

5. Bottom line: if you're a buyer, times are good. If you're a seller...not so much. The term "buyers' market" is being applied to many areas of the economy right now. That means that sellers aren't getting full value for the stuff they are selling, but buyers are getting great deals. If you need it, if you can afford it, and if you have the cash...there are some great bargains to be had. We listed just a few examples, but there are many others. Deals like this don't come around often. Unfortunately, the deals come at the expense of some hard-hit businesses.