Voucher MagpieBoxing Day and the January sales: how to shop them well
Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year. Here's what tends to be cheapest after Christmas, and how to avoid buying things you don't need.
Boxing Day is on Saturday 26 December in 2026. Many stores start their sales online on Christmas Day or even earlier, and the January sales run for several weeks after.
What's usually cheapest
- Clothing and shoes, especially winter coats and party wear.
- Homeware and Christmas decorations, often at their lowest prices of the year.
- Beds, mattresses and sofas, with many brands running their biggest sales in January.
- Gift sets that didn't sell before Christmas.
Three rules for the sales
Only buy what you'd buy anyway. A big discount on something you don't need isn't a saving.
Check the returns policy. Some stores give shorter returns windows, or offer exchange only, on sale items.
Compare with Black Friday. If you tracked prices in November, you'll know whether a January price is really lower.
Keep reading
The big UK sale dates for the rest of 2026
Singles' Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day and the January sales: when they fall this year, and what each one is good for.
Mike Dodd
Diesel tops £2 a litre for the first time ever
The average UK litre of diesel has passed 200p for the first time, the RAC says, with a family car fill-up now costing about £110.
Elliott
Black Friday 2026: how to tell a real deal from a rerun
Black Friday lands on 27 November this year. Most of the big discounts start a week or more before. Here's how to check whether a price is really a deal.
Elliott