Deals to Take Advantage of in 2012

In a time of rising fuel prices, food and other purchases, customers will find some happiness knowing other items may actually be cheaper in the New Year. Stores are forced to compete with deals on the Internet so many are offering more sales. Here are some of the deals to look forward to in 2012:

Consumer electronics: Prices tend to drop during January and February as manufacturers introduce the latest in electronic devices. Specifically, TV prices continue to drop as stores look to better compete with websites.

Text-message plans: With the introduction of free text messaging apps, there’s little reason to pay $10 to $50 a month for text-message bundles. In addition, data usage for smartphone users is up 89% from last year, which may entice carriers to introduce new data plans.

Travel to Europe: Travelers can experience savings on hotels and daily expenses in Europe as the U.S. dollar now buys 0.76 euro.

Wine: People are less likely to spend over $30 for a bottle of wine, so wineries are lowering prices. Many flash-sale sites also offer high-end wines at discounted prices.

Interest rates: Consumers can expect interest rates to stay low and maybe even go a little lower as 2012 gets under way.

For more information on these deals to look forward to, visit Smart Money.