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Jul 23, 2023

The best products to buy during September 2023

Fall is one of the busiest times of year to shop sales. Labor Day sales have already begun, Amazon’s Big Deal Days event is happening in October and Black Friday and Cyber Monday are in November.

Fall is one of the busiest times of year to shop sales. Labor Day sales have already begun, Amazon’s Big Deal Days event is happening in October and Black Friday and Cyber Monday are in November. Shoppers rely on these sales to help them save money, especially since many are currently faced with increased costs of living, says Jean Namkung, global commercial leader for shopping and rewards at PayPal.

“We’ve entered an era of smarter shopping where consumers are extra mindful when it comes to how they can best stretch their budgets,” she says. “Consumers never want to miss deals or leave cash back on the table.”

Knowing which product categories offer the deepest discounts each month can help you make informed shopping decisions and save the most money in the long run. Below, experts shared what they recommend buying this month and what to wait on if possible, plus Labor Day shopping tips if you’re planning to take advantage of sales during the holiday weekend.

SKIP AHEAD What to buy this month | What to skip | Labor Day shopping tips

September marks a transitional period for retailers. With the end of summer and onset of fall, they need to start making room for the influx of holiday-related products shoppers will start to look for soon, like gifts, wrapping paper and decorations, says Mary Hines Droesch, head of consumer and small business products at Bank of America. Because of that, many brands and retailers discount their summer merchandise in September. Droesch recommends purchasing these items now as long as you have space to store them until next year.

Some of the best summer gear to buy in September — especially around Labor Day, which is on Monday, Sept. 4 — includes swimwear, warm weather clothing, shoes and accessories (especially activewear), outdoor sports equipment and beach gear, according to Vipin Porwal, CEO and consumer savings expert at Smarty. Big-box and home improvement stores tend to host some of the best Labor Day sales on yard and gardening tools, patio furniture, grills and related accessories, says Ashley Fricker, senior editor and credit expert at CardRates.com.

Brands that sell high-value products like electronics, appliances, furniture and cars tend to introduce new models in the fall, making retailers eager to get rid of previous versions they still have in stock, Droesch says. To do so, they usually discount last season’s TVs, phones, headphones, couches, mattresses and more online and in stores. If you’re in the market for these items and are more focused on getting a deal than the latest technology or styles, September is a great time to buy.

Finally, Labor Day is a popular time to travel, so you’re likely to see deals on hotels, flights, entertainment and food, Fricker says. And if you book your trip using the right travel credit card, you can earn points to use toward future vacations.

Hold off on buying fall clothing, shoes and accessories like coats and boots until late September, or better yet, October, Porwal says. That’s when retailers will start promoting low prices on a large selection of those items across styles and sizes. Additionally, you’ll find better deals on popular new toys and electronics during Black Friday and Cyber Monday since retailers know shoppers will want to buy them as gifts.

Some Labor Day sales have already begun, but the best deals start right before the holiday weekend because retailers begin competing and price matching, Porwal says. As you see more and more deals popping up, it becomes easy to impulse buy and ultimately overspend. To help you stay on budget and save the most money possible, we rounded up some expert tips to use this Labor Day.

At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at Select who covers sales and shopping trends. For this piece, she interviewed four shopping experts to gather their tips about maximizing purchases this fall.

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Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor for Select on NBC News.