With the R-word on everyones lips, it might seem like a bad time to go shopping.

But prices may be going down, at least over the Easter period. Advertisements in The Sunday Gleaner of March 22 showed numerous sales and discounts. So who's offering what?

With the cost of new homes (especially some town houses going for 'lottery-money' prices), you may want to fix up your own place. That's perfect timing since now might be a good time to get construction equipment like lumber, steel, cement and roofing material from establishments like Rapid True Value and Quality Dealers Roofing.

One auto-parts establishment was cutting tyres (not literally, we hope). Guess you'll need the car to go looking for a new job. And the apparel sector apparently sees it 'fit' to 'dress up' its prices as well, some popular stores like Go-West giving up to 50 per cent off some items. Let's face it, Jamaicans like to look good even if we're depressed!

Fine print

Of course, one thing the potential consumer is always going to have to pay attention to is the fine print. Somewhere in the ads (usually near the bottom or crammed into a corner), there is the notice that not everything in the store will attract the advertised discount. For those that do, it is subject to availability of the product.

And let's not forget the little matter of general consumption tax which is often excluded from the printed price. Of course, some stores don't tell you what the original price was, so you have no idea just how much you're saving.

But even five per cent off is a little less than you would have originally spent. But you'd better get going. Most of the sales only go up to the end of March, a few of them only lasting for one or two days.

daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com