These Are The Best And Worst Things To Buy In February

February may be our shortest month of the year, but it's certainly not lacking when it comes to savings.

You might not score as big a discount as you would like on a Valentine's Day gift, but this month you'll find deals on several necessities like winter coats, home goods, and (obviously) big-screen HDTVs.

We've rummaged through the dealnews archives of sales, coupons, and daily deals to find out what the best and worst things are to buy in February.

SEE ALSO: Here Are 10 Essentials For Every Great Super Bowl Party >

V-Day Deals Won't Shine, But Savings Will Be Sweet

Since many Valentine's Day gift categories are at their most in-demand during the first two weeks of February, the discounts on these items are generally pretty modest. However, that doesn't mean you should give up and pay full-price for things.

At the very least, look for coupons at lingerie stores like Victoria's Secret (last year it took $15 off $100 orders) and value-driven jewelry sites like Netaya, ICE.com, Limoges Jewelry, and Ross-Simons. Even department stores are worth sorting through, if you can find a storewide shopping pass that applies to V-Day worthy goods. Expect discounts of 15% to 30% off before Valentine's Day, with sales that take up to 50% off or more after.

And if you don't have a date to shower with gifts, buck up: several restaurants and food chains like Waffle House and Krispy Kreme offered freebies last year to help you forget this fact. (That said, in 2012 Qdoba required that you kiss someone to get a free second entrée, so make sure you're prepared for that possibility this year.)

Don't Buy The iPad Mini Just Yet

Since the iPad mini supposedly won't receive an upgrade until July, some Apple fans may be considering buying the diminutive tablet now, if they don't already have one.

However, if you can wait until at least late April or early May, then you can likely score a high-quality refurbished model at the Apple Store, which will carry a 1-year warranty, the same as new units.

We predict that the 16GB WiFi model will drop to $289 or $299 at this time, and if you wait until the iPad mini 2 debuts in July, then refurbs could fall even lower to $249.

Tax Software Deals Have Been Coming In Hot

We mentioned in the January buying guide that tax software deals will pop up throughout the weeks leading up to April 15, and we noted that Editors' Choice sales specifically picked up steam in February last year.

So far in 2013 though, the deals have offered stronger discounts than they comparatively did in 2012. In fact, we've already posted markdowns of up to 58% off programs from H&R Block and Turbotax.

Thus, it's reasonable to expect that these deeper, early cuts could translate into even better sales in February and March. As a point of reference, look for 2013 software titles to drop to $20 or less.

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