Want a Christmas tree on the cheap? Wait.
Christmas Eve is the cheapest time to buy a tree with an average price of just $ 47, according to a study from payments company Square and the National Christmas Tree Association.
The most expensive time to buy a tree was Cyber Monday when prices increase to an average of $ 81. Black Friday wasn’t far behind at $ 77 on average.
It may not suit everyone to wait until the last minute to buy a tree, but Yuletide revelers can save roughly 22 percent by waiting until the week before Christmas to purchase their trees.
The study’s results were based on Square sales data collected from Christmas tree farmers and sellers across the United States.
Christmas tree prices have risen 17 percent in recent years, from an average price of $ 64 in 2015 to $ 73 last year. The National Christmas Tree Association expects 2018 prices to hold steady with last year, thanks in large part to a high supply of trees available.
Of course, some people have found even better deals on trees. Last year, a woman reportedly managed to take advantage of Costco’s notoriously lax return policy when she successfully got a refund on a tree weeks after the holiday claiming it was dead.
Those looking to avoid the hassle of driving somewhere and lugging a large tree home are also in luck. Amazon is selling real, 7-foot tall Christmas trees this year.
The trees, which will include Douglas firs and Norfolk Island pines, will be sent out to buyers within 10 days of being cut down to maintain their freshness. The online retailer previously has sold smaller trees under 3-feet tall.