Happy Healthy Families

Getting the best deals out there and saving money while doing so can depend on timing. From ending an auction on e-Bay to scheduling a doctor's appointment, timing things just right can help you save a little (or a lot) of cash and time! Here are six secret timing tips from the experts when it comes to getting good deals:

1. End your eBay auctions on Sunday nights between 6p.m. and 10p.m.

Why? These are the hours that eBay receives the most traffic, according to Dan Blacharski, author of eBay's Secrets Revealed. And because most people wait until the last hour or so to bid, this timing will be your best chance at getting the most action on your auction--and make the most money!

2. Buy you next new car on a Monday--at 6p.m.--if you can!

Why? Because Mondays happen to be the slowest days for car sales, according to Scott Gamm, founder of HelpSaveMyDollars.com. Car salesmen will be much more desperate agreeable to make deals by closing time. If you try showing up at this time when you want to buy your next car, you just may be happily surprised at the incentives tossed your way by the sales people.

3. Make your next doctor's appointment between Tues. and Friday, at 1p.m.

Why? Because appointments at this time tend to be faster as most doctors come back from lunch at one p.m., explains Mark Di Vincenzo, author of Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon. So chances are good that instead of wasting time sitting in the waiting room, you will have the first appointment for the afternoon and be called in promptly (or as promptly as feasible at a doctor's office, anyway.) Avoid Mondays for routine appointments altogether as offices tend to be full then with patients who got sick over the weekend.

4. Go Shopping For Clothes on Thursday Evenings.

Why?  Because most stores will have sales on weekends, but they start marking down their merchandise on Thursdays. Chances are you can get the discount early-- a day ahead of the sale-- or you can have the store hold the item for you until the next day when it goes on sale. So shopping on Thursday will give you first pick of the items going on sale, and the discount as well.

5. Make air travel plans for Saturdays at noon when possible.

Why?  Author Di Vincenzo explains that according to statistical analysis of millions of airfares, Saturdays are the cheapest day to fly. Plus, with fewer flights scheduled, you will have less wait time in lines and fewer delays. Di Vincenzo advises noon for flights because West Coaster travelers will avoid fog delays while East Coast travelers will avoid afternoon thunderstorm delays.

6. Call Customer Service Wednesdays at 2p.m. when possible.

Why?  This seems to be the slowest time during the week for customer service agents, according to Scott Gamm. The busiest times to call customer service would be Mondays and mornings, as well as afternoons around 5p.m. when many people get off work.

So while these six money and time-saving tips may not be fool-proof or guaranteed, they certainly sound worth trying at any rate!