Four times a year, the weather changes with the seasons. Just like the weather, consumers can expect sale prices to change with the seasons. At the end of every summer, retailers are preparing the shelves with holiday items. That means you’ll get those summer items you didn’t pick up at amazingly low prices! When you take advantage of end of season sales, you save a ton of money and can usually get the exact items you’ve been wanting for the cheapest prices of the year. Here are the best things to buy during end of summer sales:
- Labor Day Sales: During Labor Day weekend and through the rest of the week with some stores, retailers will mark popular items down by up to 60%. But smart shoppers know that these sales don’t only last for one weekend. Labor Day prices can last up to two weeks after Labor Day! Some of the best things to buy during these sales are cameras, pool supplies, shoes for the family, lawn mowers, grills, mattresses and more.
- Airfare: Summer and the holidays are the most popular travel seasons. In between that time – towards the end of summer and before November’s holiday kickoff is the perfect time to purchase your airfare and make travel accommodations! Right now is the perfect and cheapest time to purchase those holiday tickets to visit friends and family. Cruises can be booked ahead of time, as well. This time of year is the second cheapest for purchasing cruise tickets. January is the #1 time to score a trip for cheap.
- Home Improvement: Labor Day brings a big change in the season with a jump in home improvement. Retailers are aware of this, and offer huge discounts on everything from paint to ceiling fans, power washers to cordless drills and anything else you could possibly need to revamp your home. This is the perfect time to collect the items for DIY projects and stay within your budget.
- Summer Apparel: As the season transitions into Autumn and cooler weather, you’ll find summer apparel for the entire family. Score tank tops, flip-flops, swim suits, dresses, shoes, sunglasses and much more. If you’re an online shopper, be sure to keep an eye on boutique and department store clearance sections, as they are loaded with summer apparel for the lowest prices in September and October, especially.
- Outdoor Plants: Prices on trees, shrubs, perennials and more are dropped significantly at the end of Summer. And, since Fall offers more rain and cooler air at night, but still maintains warmer soil – it’s the perfect combination to stimulate growth! It’s a great time to grab those landscaping items you’ve been wanting and get to tending to your garden.
- School Supplies: The shelves are stocked right now for back to school. Wait for about 2 weeks after your children return to school, and watch those clearance prices kick off! Grab extra office supplies and arts and craft items with the awesome sales on school supplies – or stock up for next year. Everything from crayons to markers, printer paper to binders, laptop bags to backpacks will all be clearanced off to make room for the new season. Read about How to Save More on School Supplies!
- Outdoor Items: The season for spending more time outside is coming to an end, which means playground equipment, grills, patio furniture and gardening tools are all on sale. The absolute best time for these deals is the two weeks following Labor Day, but you’ll want to catch them quickly, as the next time we’ll see prices this low is in the spring.
- Major Appliances: New models of appliances are released in October. Grab last year’s models just before that turn around at the lowest prices. Retailers need to get rid of the old models to make room for the new, and they sell them for cheap in order to do this. Even small appliances like toasters, microwaves, and coffee makers are on sale right now. If you have a college student going off to live in their dorm or own apartment, it’s a great time to score them some appliances!
- Camping Equipment: Retailers are taking the camping, fishing, and hunting gear off the shelves, now that Summer is nearly over. They need room for holiday decor, and a lot of room for it. If you’re in the market for tackle boxes, camping gear, outdoor chairs or hiking items, you’ll score big time right now! Read about How to Find Free & Cheap Camping!
- Electronics & Computers: Back to School sales influence this category a lot. With college students running off to college, retailers drop prices on laptops, computers, game consoles and accessories. They are also emptying the stock rooms of this year’s models at discounted prices, to make way for the new year models. Video game bundles, iPads, computers and laptops are all on sale right now. Some of the prices we see are just as good OR less than what we see on Black Friday and Cyber Monday!
What are your favorite end of summer sales? Share in the comments!