Labor Day is one of those shopping holidays when websites and brick and mortar stores go all out with sales to draw customers into their stores.
In fact over 65% of consumers said they plan on shopping on this holiday.
Before you hit the mall or your couch, do your research. Every store will advertise a sale, it’s your shopping smarts that will sniff out the best deal. What really goes and sale and what looks like it’s on sale? Here is the complete guide to your best Labor Day shopping spree ever.
What to buy on Labor Day:
School Supplies: It’s close to the school year and stores want to get rid of their extra school supplies while they can. It may even be worth buying some extras essentials for the “midyear school supplies losses” if they are at a deep discount.
As the shopping season draws to a close, budget-conscious parents are likely hoping that end-of-summer sales and promotions will be just what they need to wrap up their school lists,
said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.
Outdoor Living: Grills, patio sets, lounge chairs get heavily discounted by labor day, for the simple reason that they take up too much space in inventory and won’t be needed till the next year!
Tip: If you will be buying, make sure to get some weather-proof covers too if you are planning to keep it outside in the fall and winter.
Appliances: This is one of the best times of year to buy appliances like ovens, dishwashers and washer machines. One notable exception is the refrigerator, which gets marked down in May, when manufacturers are rolling out their new models.
Sporting Goods: Bicycles and other outdoor sport equipment’s season is during the summer which means it is usually heavily discounted during Labor Day. Same goes for camping gear, stock up now!
Mattresses: Mattresses are a popular holiday weekend sales item. You can easily get up to 60% off if you shop at the right time, so don’t buy when your back is already hurting you!
Tip: Buy a mattress in store instead of online, to save the high shipping fees. It can really amount to a lot (think $70 per mattress).
What to avoid:
Electronics: Black Friday is the official day for the tech-lover. If you can hold out til then, you will get the real deal. The deals they feature at Best Buy are 30-65% on Labor Day, which is good if you needed to buy that item yesterday, but not if you compare them to up to 80% on Black Friday.
Current Season’s Clothes: It might have a 20% off sign on top of the merchandise, but in season clothing will most likely not go on any newsworthy sale. Wait a month or two for that, especially when it comes to outerwear like coats.
Warm clothing is not a smart purchase to make over Labor Day weekend. These items just recently arrived in stores, so the prices have not been reduced yet
says Jon Lal founder, of BeFrugal.com.
Phones: Consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch says to wait for a release of the latest iPhone to buy a smartphone. “That’s when the smartphone manufacturers and other iPhone models will be reduced,” she says.
Tip: If you use CardCash gift cards on your purchases you will save an additional percentage off your total. It’s a real #NoBrainer!