Best and Worst Buys of September 2013
Here's what you'll find on sale over Labor Day Weekend and throughout the rest of the month.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
Labor Day weekend is a good time to find sales on many consumer goods -- especially summer items that retailers are eager to get rid of to make room for fall and winter inventory. Sales on seasonal items will continue throughout the month. And here's what else you can expect to find on sale in September, as well as what you should wait a few more months to purchase to get the best price.
What's on sale in September ...
Apparel. Labor Day weekend is a good time to find rock-bottom prices on summer apparel and sales on high-end brands, according to dealnews.com, which analyzes deals from past years to predict what will be discounted this year. Discounts on summer clothes were as steep as 85% off last year, according to dealnews.com. Look for retailers such as Brooks Brothers and Anne Klein to mark down their apparel over the holiday weekend, both of which had good sales last year. You'll probably see sales on fall apparel, too, but dealnews.com recommends waiting until later in the season to find better prices.
Bicycles. New models of bicycles arrive in the fall, so you can find discounts on last year’s models in September, says Luke Knowles, founder of FreeShipping.org. Usually bicycles don’t undergo a major redesign every year, according to Bicylcing magazine, so you’ll be getting a good deal by buying the previous year’s model if the new model hasn’t been changed much.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Grills. In many parts of the country, the weather still is nice enough in the fall to grill outdoors. So take advantage of Labor Day sales -- and markdowns throughout the month -- to find grills up to 50% off, says Brett Billick, Deals2Buy.com senior director.
iPhones and iPads. Apple typically announces a new iPhone in September, so dealnews.com expects price cuts on previous generations. There's also speculation that a new budget iPhone will be released. Also, a new iPad mini and iPad are expected to be released, so look for price drops from Apple of up to 20% on current models (plus a possible extra 8% off from retailers).
Mattresses. Look for discounts of up to 50% off from retailers such as Sears and US-Mattress.com during Labor Day sales, according to dealnews.com.
Patio furniture. You've probably seen patio furniture on sale for a couple of months now. But if you've held off on purchasing a set, you'll be rewarded this month with the lowest prices of the season at retailers such as Kmart, Sears and Target. Discounts can reach as high as a staggering 90% off in September and October, according to dealnews.com. Keep in mind, however, that the longer you wait, the smaller the selection.
Sunglasses. Labor Day weekend is a great time to find deals on sunglasses. The best storewide sales on sunglasses are at retailers such as Oakley Vault, Sunglass Hut, REI and 6pm.com, according to dealnews.com.
Wait a little longer to buy ...
Appliances. You'll find sales on major appliances in September and October, but you'll see double the number of deals in November from department stores and home-improvement stores, according to dealnews.com. Note: You won't find refrigerators on sale because they get marked down in May before new models come out in June.
Cars. You might have heard that September is a good time to buy a car because it's the start of a new car season. This once was true, but new models arrive on car lots through the year now, says Kiplinger's car expert Jessica Anderson. She recommends waiting until December to find the best deal on the previous year's models and have more negotiating room than normal on new-model prices because dealers will be anxious to make both monthly and annual sales goals.
-
Dow Adds 1,206 Points to Top 50,000: Stock Market TodayThe S&P 500 and Nasdaq also had strong finishes to a volatile week, with beaten-down tech stocks outperforming.
-
Ask the Tax Editor: Federal Income Tax DeductionsAsk the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, Joy Taylor answers questions on federal income tax deductions
-
States With No-Fault Car Insurance Laws (and How No-Fault Car Insurance Works)A breakdown of the confusing rules around no-fault car insurance in every state where it exists.
-
21 Last-Minute Gifts for Grandparents Day 2025 to Give Right NowHoliday Tips Last-minute gifting is never easy. But here are some ideas to celebrate Grandparents Day.
-
Texas Sales Tax-Free Weekend 2025Tax Holiday Here's what you needed to know about the Texas sales tax holiday.
-
Alabama Tax-Free Weekend 2025Tax Holiday Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 back-to-school Alabama sales tax holiday.
-
The Sweet 23: States Where Twix and Kit Kat Avoid the ‘Candy Tax’State Taxes There’s something spooky this Halloween, and it’s not just the ghouls. Find out if your state’s sales tax takes a bite out of sweet savings.
-
Florida Back-to-School Tax-Free Holiday 2025Sales Taxes The new tax-free holiday in Florida brought month-long savings on computers, clothing and other school supplies.
-
Five Reasons You Shouldn't Shop Amazon's Prime Big Deal DaysSmart Buying Are Amazon Prime Big Deal Days still a good deal? We'll break it down.
-
Five Ways to Save on Vacation Rental PropertiesTravel Use these strategies to pay less for an apartment, condo or house when you travel.
-
How to Avoid Annoying Hotel Fees: Per Person, Parking and MoreTravel Here's how to avoid extra charges and make sure you don't get stuck paying for amenities that you don't use.
