Q. My family is thinking of buying a new TV, but we were wondering what is the best time to buy one? Is it during the holidays or before the Super Bowl? We want to get the best deal possible and we can wait until the time is right. — Tom, Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. 

Tom, that’s a great question, and one that is often incorrectly answered in the media.

Despite what you read, neither the holiday season, nor the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, is the best time to buy a new television.

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During the holiday season, retailers (both retail and online) will offer special discounts on some sets to get you in the door. But most TVs are not discounted at all during this time, even on Black Friday. (And if they are discounted on Black Friday, it’s usually just a few sets that sell out in a few hours.)

Click Amazon: See today’s best-selling TVs!

The lower prices during the holiday rush are reserved for a handful of models that both retailers and TV makers are trying to get rid of because either there is a large inventory and/or they are older sets no longer in demand.

The same goes for the so-called Super Bowl TV sales. Retailers will sell some models for reduced prices, but most sets retain their normal price. The stores are hoping the splashy discounts will attract shoppers who then proceed to buy the regularly-priced TVs because they are usually better sets with more bells and whistles.

So when is the best time to buy a new television?

Believe it or not, the answer is now.

TV makers usually release their new line of TVs every spring. And when they do, they carry bigger price tags because they are loaded with the latest features. The set manufacturers, and their retail partners, consequently lower the price on the older models to get them out of the store fast so they can make room for the new pricey sets that generate more profits.

So if you’re okay with buying a 2017 or 2016 model, you’ll see some great prices today at Amazon.com, Best Buy or any other retail outlet. Many of the slightly older models are discounted by 20 to 20 percent now.

So, happy shopping!

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— Phillip Swann

Photo Credit: Free photo by Bruce Mars via Pexels.com.