What to Buy and Not to Buy in September 2023

September marks the end of summer - both officially and unofficially. Add in the fact that Halloween is still several weeks away, and it may seem like September has nothing fun to offer. But we have good news! This month is an excellent opportunity to shop several items, meaning you don't have to wait until Black Friday for top-notch bargains. Even better, it features more than just Labor Day sales.

The Best Things to Buy in September

1. Summer Clothing

With summer winding down this month, it's the perfect time to shop for warm-weather apparel. Labor Day sales will be an excellent opportunity to find deals, but even without those, we should still see deep discounts. If you need kids wear, look to Target, which knocked 20% off more than 500 kids' wardrobe basics in September 2022. Watch for kid-specific retailers like The Children's Place to have great September sales, as well. Expect apparel options for the rest of the family to also go on sale. Keep an eye out for Macy's Labor Day Sale. JCPenney could knock up to 80% off clearance items. Check outlet stores, too. Last year, J.Crew Factory knocked up to 72% off, plus an extra 50% off!

2. Major Appliances

Labor Day is one of the last sales periods of the year when you can reliably expect savings on major appliances. You can shop the usual destinations like Lowe's and Home Depot, but also watch Best Buy and the appliance manufacturers themselves.

3. Mattresses

Labor Day is also an excellent time to shop for a new mattress, with online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores alike holding sales. You can find mattress deals past Labor Day, too. Last year, Home Depot cut up to 30% off a range of items, mattresses included. Wayfair knocked up to 70% off mattresses and more later in the month while Amazon knocked 20% off select Tuft & Needle mattresses.

4. Grills

Plenty of people enjoy grilling long into football season and during the chilly temperatures of fall, but grills are still a summery item. Because of that, retailers tend to discount a variety of grills just in time for tailgating in September. Check Walmart for deals, like portable charcoal grills for $50 or electric smokers for $88, but watch for Amazon to offer notable savings, too. Keep an eye out for Woot! to take anywhere from 20% to 30% off and BBQGuys to cut up to 60% off clearance items again this year.

5. School Supplies

Back to School shopping may not be at the forefront of many people's minds in September. But others may have been waiting to buy student supplies as a way to deal with inflation. If you still need to buy school supplies, watch for retailers to offer up last-minute savings as they try to clear out the shelves and make room for fall and winter items.

6. Patio Furniture

With summer winding down, it's a good time to shop for a variety of patio items. Discounts on patio furniture suitable for summer are to be expected, but September is a good opportunity to shop for other patio gear, too. For instance, consider shopping for items for winterizing your patio furniture and protecting it from the elements. As for actual pieces of patio furniture, look for retailers to offer wicker ottomans and end tables for bistro chairs and folding Adirondack chairs. It's also a great time to look for deals on fire pits and patio heaters. Watch for Wayfair, eBay, Macy’s, Home Depot and Kohl’s sales.

7. Bicycles

September is also an ideal month for buying bicycles. Plenty of people use bikes year-round, but demand drops when it cools off, so many outdoor retailers discount these items to clear the shelves. Watch for Dick's Sporting Goods and Woot! to take up to 50% off, while eBay could discount kids' bikes by up to 60% off and take an extra 15% off. Amazon could also offer up to 40% off Schwinn and Mongoose bikes again this year. Watch for REI to get in on the action, too, taking up to 30% off bikes. Accessories will probably be a part of many sales, but expect plenty of individual offers, too.

8. Bedding/Linens

While you're shopping for a new mattress, you might as well pick up discounted bedding to go with it! Some retailers may offer bundled deals on mattresses and bedding, but those might not appeal to everyone. And if you're simply looking to refresh your bedding, you don't need those bundles. The good news is that September should bring sales on different kinds of sheets and blankets. Check out eBay, Belk, Amazon and Bed Bath & Beyond for sales

9. Airfare

It's not a guarantee, but you could find a good rate for holiday airfare by shopping in September. In general, about six to eight weeks before departure is when you want to book airfare for the best prices, so the tail end of September will bring the right time frame for Thanksgiving flights. Online travel agencies will likely offer sales for Labor Day, but the discounts might not be as great as they were pre-pandemic.

Also check the dashboard from the U.S. Department of Transportation if you're going to book a flight. It shows the amenities different airlines offer in the event of controllable delays and cancellations.

10. Summer Gardening Gear

If you need new garden tools for summer outdoors work, know they're one more category that sees serious discounts as the season winds down. Expect to find products like a hand weeder for $9, an all-season garden hose for $15, a rake or hoe for $22, and a leaf blower for $24.

11. National Coffee Day Deals

Every year, National Coffee Day falls on September 29, and plenty of restaurants use it as an opportunity to entice customers with deals. Watch for doughnut shops and convenience stores alike to offer free coffees. Sometimes they'll be completely free — especially for members of loyalty programs — while other times you might have to make a purchase. Even if you do have to buy something, you can get a simple item like a glazed donut for relatively cheap, and you'll receive a cup of your favorite java for free.

12. In-Season Fruits and Veggies

Even though September 23 marks the first day of fall, you still have plenty of time to enjoy seasonal summer produce before it's all gone. Shop for ripe fruits that skirt the line between summer and fall, including apples, cantaloupe, figs, grapes, mangoes, persimmons, pomegranates, and tomatoes. On the lookout for fresh veggies? Be ready to indulge in the tastes of autumn with acorn squash, beets, butternut squash, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, peppers, pumpkins, spinach, sweet potatoes, and Swiss chard.

Things Not To Buy In September

1. Halloween

Wait until October. September may bring early deals on Halloween items, but October will be when they really pop up, as people start decorating and shopping for the holiday.

2. Cruises

Wait until November. Travel deals may show for Labor Day, but we tend to see a fair amount of cruise deals pop up around Black Friday and Travel Tuesday, and in the winter months as people are looking for warm-weather getaways.`

3. Fall Clothing

Wait until November or December. Any fall apparel on the shelves now is brand new, so we won't see serious discounts for a couple of months at least. Black Friday will be a good opportunity to shop, as will December, when the season is winding down.

4. Winter Holiday Decorations

Wait until November or December. You may see a few decorations in September, but the selection of these items will grow over the next few months, and the discounts probably won't hit until November and December.

5. Toys

Wait until November or December. The toy hype is just starting to build in September, so the discounts won't really be there. But around Black Friday and into December, we tend to see a generous selection of toy deals.

(Partially reprinted from www.dealnews.com)