The Best Things to Buy in December

December is clearly a popular holiday for shopping given the holiday season, but what about the other money-smart purchases you could make this month? Step away from your holiday shopping list and think about a few opportunities for deep discounts in December. The list below might even give you some new ideas to help flesh out your gift-giving plans.

Gift cards:

Okay, so this one still falls solidly in the gifting category, or does it? Gift cards can often be found at a discount this month, especially when you buy them in bulk online. Restaurants and service providers will add incentives to get bonus gift cards when you order a certain amount, and retailers will add gift cards to holiday purchases as an added perk. You might want to pick up a few for easy gift ideas, or you can take advantage of the deal and buy gift cards to use yourself all year long and save money in the long run.

Thanksgiving leftovers:

After you've eaten the delicious leftovers after Thanksgiving, keep in mind the leftovers that will on sale, too. Thanksgiving decorations, paper goods and themed items will all drop low in price to clear the shelves and make way for more holiday merchandise. Stock up now and put away for next year and you'll thank yourself later.

Cookware and kitchen goods:

During the month of December, retailers will compete for the lowest prices on cookware and kitchen items, given the busy entertaining season and many shoppers buying new supplies. Stock up now to save money, or take advantage of the prices for gift ideas. If you're going to be hosting dinners and parties this season, then these items could really help you out.

Christmas decorations:

Yes, Christmas decorations, wrapping paper and paper goods will all go on sale in December, but not until the last week after Christmas is over. If you can bear the thought of shopping after the holiday, the discounts will pay off in a big way. Plus, you can just put away your purchases with this year's crop of decorations. If you don't want to hit the stores, log online and check out the sales there instead.

Tools:

Winter's arrival means its home improvement's off-season, and that means that tools will go on sale. Not only will prices drop, you can also try combining store sales with manufacturer coupons for double savings. Keep this in mind for any supplies you need to winterize your home or make indoor repairs over the winter. You can also find good buys for the tool lover on your holiday shopping list.

Toys:

Hopefully you waited until now to buy any toys on your list, because the weeks right before Christmas are notorious for the lowest prices and best toy sales. Of course, there are exceptions to waiting until late in the holiday shopping season – if you want a popular item, you should look for it much earlier to ensure you get it before supplies run out.

Seasonal produce:

Take advantage of in-season fruits and vegetables this month, such as citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, tangerines and clementines as well as hearty greens like kale and chard, which are great in soups. Root vegetables will be in-season all winter long as well. Not only is this produce fresh and delicious, it's less expensive, too. All that nutrition can also help stave off winter illnesses.

Free shipping day:

On December 18, many businesses large and small will waive your shipping cost for Free Shipping Day. This encourages holiday shoppers to get orders in with enough time for shipping by Christmas. Plan your December online shopping around the holiday, especially if you have something heavy or large to buy. Just check the terms and conditions, or if a retailer has a minimum purchases in order to qualify for free shipping. You could save $5, $10 or even more!

With these tips in mind, see if your monthly budget can handle a few more purchases that will save you money for next year. Looks like your New Year's resolution is already off to a great start!

Jon Lal is the founder and CEO of coupons and cash back website BeFrugal.com, which saves shoppers an average of $27 per order thanks to coupons plus an average of 7 percent cash back at more than 4,000 stores.