Modern Appliances make everyday life so much easier, and with the ongoing advances in energy efficiency, the latest models typically cost less to operate than ever before. But there’s one expense you just can’t avoid forever: replacement. On a long enough timeline, all household appliances must head for the recycling center to make room for shiny new versions.

Because replacement is unavoidable, all homeowners have a stake in knowing the best time to buy new appliances. But the key to saving money isn’t just anticipating the big sales — it also involves predicting the demise of the appliances that are still chugging away in your kitchen and laundry room.

The Absolute Best Time to Buy New Appliances

If your refrigerator suddenly konks out or your washing machine gives up the ghost, you may find yourself at the mercy of the current prices on major home appliances. But if you make a point of anticipating the need for replacement, you can often save hundreds of dollars by buying appliances during the biggest sales of the year.

As you may have guessed, the best time to buy new appliances is often one of the biggest bargain-hunting times of the year: Black Friday weekend. In the Internet era, the Black Friday tradition has expanded to include online and in-store deals starting early during Thanksgiving week and continuing into the following week, through the e-commerce sales event known as “Cyber Monday”. This Black Friday-Cyber Monday blitz not only coincides with the holiday shopping season, it also provides a good opportunity for retailers to cheaply offload last year’s appliances before the newest models come in.

But November sales aren’t your only chance to score a great deal by waiting — and you’ll find that some major appliances follow their own special rules when it comes to bargains.

Save Up for Three-Day Weekends

If you have an aging appliance that you don’t think will hang in there until late November, you still have several deep discount opportunities sprinkled throughout the year. Memorial Day, Columbus Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day weekends all provide excellent chances to find major price breaks on new appliances. When you’re looking for the best time to buy washer and dryer equipment, ovens, water heaters and more, the savvy bargain hunter never has to wait more than a few months to save big.

These shopping holidays are spread far enough apart that it may make sense to wait for them if you have a sudden appliance failure. While it may be impossible to endure a few weeks without critical appliances like a refrigerator or hot water heater, it’s easier to imagine a few trips to the laundromat while your washing machine is out of commission, or getting by with a toaster oven and microwave while you wait for ovens and ranges to go on sale.

Springtime: Best Time to Buy a Fridge

Is your refrigerator having a hard time keeping its cool? If so, you’re in luck — the best time to buy a fridge is in April and May. Unlike most other kitchen and laundry appliances, new refrigerator models become available during the summer, which means retailers are looking to unload their older models at slashed prices during the late spring.

New Year, New Appliances

Weekend-long price cuts on appliances dot the calendar during the warmer months, and then they kick into high gear in November and December. By January, retailers are truly desperate to offload last year’s appliance models. January can be the best time to buy dishwasher, oven and laundry equipment, but expect to see only the picked-over remnants of the previous year’s stock. If you’re picky about styles and features, you might want to try to hang in there until Memorial Day deals arrive in May.

Anticipate Your Needs

Want to take advantage of the best appliance prices of the year? Be proactive by replacing your appliances before an emergency occurs.

According to Consumer Reports, dryers and refrigerators last an average of 13 years, washing machines last ten years and dishwashers last only nine. You might think that it’s best to hang onto old appliances until they completely peter out, but aging appliances can also become inefficient with time, wasting both money and energy.

To get the most out of your home improvement budget, make a financial plan for these replacements and pounce on the holiday sales when they swing in your favor. By shopping smart, you can not only save upfront on the appliance purchase, you can keep the savings going through reduced energy consumption.