BOOKS

Save $100
Redeem anytime
The average American book-buying household purchases about 19 books a year, according to the Chicago-based industry research company Ipsos BookTrends, spending $176 in the process. To trim your family’s bill, wait for the paperback (which typically comes out six to nine months after the hardcover, at about half the price), or check sites like Powell’s Books (www.powells.com), Strand Book Store (www.strandbooks.com), www.amazon.com, and www.overstock.com for used and overstock books. If you buy a lot, consider an annual membership card from a chain like Barnes & Noble ($25) or Books-A-Million ($10), which will give you 10 percent off most in-store purchases. Remember, though, that you have to spend plenty of money on books annually (at least $250 at Barnes & Noble and $100 at Books-A-Million) to break even. Of course, the library offers the best deal: It’s free, as long as you remember to return the book before those 20-cents-a-day fines start piling up.

HEALTH CLUB

Save $149
Redeem at the end of the month
There are only so many “Two weeks free!” coupons out there, and eventually you’ll have to pay for the gym. The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), an industry group located in Boston, estimates that on average it costs $150 to enroll and $50 a month for a single adult membership. If you go rarely, it may be cheaper to buy a few day passes. See if you can join through your company, which can shave an average of $65 off the enrollment fee and $7 off the monthly charge. Even better, learn when your local gym runs sales. Susan Gerson, a spokeswoman for Town Sports, which operates clubs in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., says the company runs an anniversary sale every November and (like some other clubs) cuts about 50 percent off its $199 enrollment fee at the end of some months, when it’s trying to make its monthly quota. Similarly, Curves International, with 8,500 locations, offers free enrollment (it’s normally $149) during a food-drive week in March and a breast-cancer–awareness week in October.

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Save $750 on a laptop computer
Redeem when a discount is offered
There is no set yearly schedule for sales on computers and consumer electronics, says Glenn Cunningham, director of the electronics store at Amazon.com. Instead, these items go on sale when manufacturers introduce a new version or need to sell a lot quickly to impress investors, says Tim Storm, president of FatWallet, a website that tracks consumer-goods prices. Last October, for example, computer maker Dell offered a one-day promotion that cut the prices of some laptops by 50 percent ($750) a few weeks before it was due to make a financial report to Wall Street. To take advantage of these sudden, deep discounts, decide exactly what you want to buy, then go to a site like www.SlickDeals.net, www.fatwallet.com, or TechBargains (www.techbargains.com), where you can check for the day’s latest discounts. The latter two sites let you set up free e-mail alerts that tell you when a specific item — or something in a general category, such as “Dell laptop” — has gone on sale.