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September ushers in the start of fall -- and deals on a variety of products. Several big-ticket items, such as appliances and mattresses, and seasonal items, such as camping gear and patio furniture, will be marked down over the long Labor Day weekend. In addition to these best buys during Labor Day sales, you'll find great deals in September on the following items:
What's on sale now ...
Airline tickets. Because fall is shoulder season -- the period between summer and the holidays when fewer people are traveling -- you can find deals on flights to many U.S. cities and overseas destinations (see 10 Fall Travel Destinations That Are on Sale). Now is also the time to book your holiday travel because prices are lower and more seats are available. You could save hundreds of dollars, according to CheapAir.com CEO Jeff Klee.
Broadway tickets. September is off-season for Broadway, so it's a good time to find deals on tickets to shows. Theatergoers also can get two-for-one tickets to popular performances during Broadway Week, which actually runs for two weeks September 1-14. For more ways to see plays and musicals at a discount, see How to Save on Tickets to Broadway Shows.
Flowers and plants. Some nurseries start marking down prices at the end of summer so they don't have to store plants over the winter. Look for buy-one-get-one-free deals or discounts ranging from 20% to 75%, according to money-saving site CreditDonkey.com. Note: You probably won't find deals on cold-tolerant annuals such as mums.
Grills. Look for discounts of 50% to 75% on grills as retailers try to clear out their inventory to make room for cold-weather products, according to CreditDonkey.com.
High-end apparel. Retailers and luxury brands such as DKNY, Nordstrom, Ralph Lauren and Tory Burch tend to have great sales over Labor Day weekend, according to DealNews.com. Discounts range from 25% to 85%.
iPhones. Apple is expected to announce the release of a new iPhone September 9, at which time prices on older models should drop. According to DealNews.com, iPhone models that are priced at $199typically drop to $99 when a new model is released, and $99 models drop to $0 (with a service contract).
School supplies. Pens, pencils, notebooks and binders that didn't sell during back-to-school sales in July and August will be marked down even more in September. You'll see discounts on these items, as well as other school-related gear such as backpacks, ranging from 25% to 75%, according to CreditDonkey.com
Wine. Late summer and fall are harvest time at vineyards in the northern hemisphere. So as the current year's wines start hitting the shelves in September, the previous years' wines go on sale. You're more likely to find discounts at supermarkets and online retailers than at wine shops.
Wait a little longer to buy ...
Appliances. You'll find plenty of deals on appliances during Labor Day sales. But if you'd rather be enjoying the last days of summer than shopping, you'll find great discounts on washers, dryers, dishwashers and more at department and home improvement stores during Black Friday sales in November, according to DealNews.com. The discounts can be even deeper than those available in September.
Laptop computers. Laptops were discounted during back-to-school sales in July and August. If you need one but didn't take advantage of those sales, wait until November for another round of markdowns that will be as good, if not better, according to DealNews.com.
Televisions. Wait a couple of months to buy an HDTV because prices will be at their lowest around Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to DealNews.com
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Cameron Huddleston is an online editor at Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. .
