The “J” Rule Is My Secret for Finding the Best Deals at Marshalls and T.J. Maxx

Not going to lie — I definitely visit one or both of my local T.J. Maxx and Marshalls once a week to check out their affordable home decor (and I’ve been known to hit my nearby towns’ locations, too). The thing is, though, when you shop at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls is sometimes just as important as how often, especially when it comes to scoring the lowest possible prices. And there’s just one thing to remember for that: Always visit as much as you can during these two months that start with the letter “J”: January and July. 

I spent some time with the T.J. Maxx and Marshalls teams last year picking their brains on shopping tips, and they told me the brands do their biggest markdowns in these “J months” because of where they fall in the cycle of the year. January marks the beginning of spring merch drops, so stores like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls tend to deeply discount winter gear and holiday decor at this time to make space for new arrivals. Similarly, July marks the middle of summer and when fall inventory is on the horizon. Retailers tend to sharply reduce the prices of seasonal items not selling further at this time, too. 

And a quick note on those clearance price tags: The first markdowns at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls always bear a red clearance tag. If you see yellow, that’s something that’s really going to have its price slashed, since it’ll typically be a final markdown. Look for the yellow tags for the best clearance deals — this has been a game-changer for me in deciding when to snag something, especially if there are large quantities of an item left, and the tag is still red.

Head to a local store to take advantage of the “J” rule right now, because it won’t be relevant again until July. And if you want to shop around the clock, you can always take a peek at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls online clearance sections. You can shop both by price, which is a huge time-saver.