The 31 days in March are filled with celebrations and savings. Mardi Gras season culminates with Fat Tuesday on the fourth, then clocks spring forward for daylight-saving time on the ninth. We celebrate the Irish on the 17th, and the first day of spring on the 20th. And the deals you'll find in March are also worthy of celebration.  March is the tail end of what the cruise industry calls "wave season." The first quarter of the year is a time when many people want to get their vacations on the calendar.  Cruise lines discount fares and offer perks to get travelers to book with them. Look for free room upgrades and onboard credits. Last-minute cruises are still likely to result in the lowest per-night fares.  For additional savings, book on an older ship that's been recently refurbished instead of a brand-new one. Look for repositioning cruises. These typically happen in spring (and fall) as the seasons change and ships need to relocate. For example, on the West Coast, ships are heading north for the Alaska circuit that starts in spring.  When planning for a cruise, be sure you read the fine print: Great deals can come with restrictive cancellation policies.  The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association has declared this March the 31st annual National Frozen Food Month. To celebrate, they'll be distributing 36 million coupon inserts with participating brands—including Dole, Eggo, Green Giant, Jimmy Dean and Tyson Foods—on March 2. Stores will be encouraged to offer their own in-store promotions, so look for additional deals at your supermarket.  A stocked freezer requires less energy to keep cold than an empty one, which gives you an additional money-saving incentive to stock up on these deals.  March is also National Craft Month. Look for in-store events, sales and sweepstakes to celebrate. Learn how to paint, scrapbook or make jewelry with classes at Michaels craft stores for around $25.  This is a wonderful opportunity for parents to connect with kids. Make crafting a family project. It's fun and can be inexpensive.  Typically, outerwear starts hitting the clearance section in February. But with extreme weather in much of the country this year, we may see the best sales pushed back to March.  Buy jackets for your kids a size or two up, so they have something to grow into next winter. Meanwhile, you can cuff the sleeves to get you through the remaining cold days of this year. If you need to make room in your closet for new coats, donate your old ones. Search for a coat drive near you at onewarmcoat.org.  Not everyone can start gardening in March (some states are still buried in snow), but it's the month when gardening centers host planting-season kickoff sales.  Gardening can actually be a somewhat expensive, labor-intensive hobby, so not all crops are an investment that will save you on food bills. If you don't have room for a vegetable garden, consider sticking to herbs, which take little space or time and are almost sure to save you money. A small pack of herbs at the grocery store can cost around $2. Often a recipe calls for just a pinch and the rest is wasted. An herb plant keeps giving; you can clip as you go so nothing gets wasted.  Consider taking advantage of home-improvement stores' free customer-loyalty programs for additional savings. Also, some larger home stores like Orchard Supply Hardware allow you to exchange any plants that die as long as you have the container and receipt.  Don't wait 'til the last minute. March is the month to start shopping for your dress. While your high-school student may be years away from walking down the aisle, wedding-outlet stores are still great for special-occasion dresses and prom accessories.  Make an appointment at a cosmetology school to get discount hair styling, makeup and manicures.  March is also when organizations help those who might not be able to afford a dress. The Princess Project (princessproject.org) hosts giveaway events in California. Check your local area for similar programs offering prom dresses at no charge for those in need.  Jeanette Pavini is a columnist for MarketWatch. Read more at marketwatch.com
Jeanette Pavini says the month offers sales on garden supplies and winter clothes. And don't forget—Frozen Food Month.