The Best Things to Buy in September

Put big-ticket items on the list of things to buy in September. With the first cool winds of fall come sales on major consumer products. Retailers are looking to clear shelf space ahead of the holiday season and juice spending in the lull after kids return to school — whatever that looks like where you are in 2021. Labor Day presents the best discounts on many items until holiday sales rolls around. Here are the best September deals to seek out.

Related: 50 Tips for Back-to-School Savings

Labor Day sales kick off the action early in September. This is one of two times a year when mattress retailers offer deep discounts on piled-up inventory (the other prime time is around Memorial Day). Shoppers may also find some better-than-normal deals on bedding and bath supplies such as towels over Labor Day weekend and throughout the month.

Related: The Best Ikea Mattresses

September promises low prices on flights for the winter holidays. Though air travel has been messy since the pandemic arrived, the best deals on plane tickets usually surface about eight weeks before the departure date. For Thanksgiving, that would mean the last week or two of September, but start looking for cheap tickets and convenient times now if you hope to travel during what is usually busy season. Be sure to factor in airline fees when comparing prices (and keep an eye on coronavirus testing and quarantine requirements).

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September is a good month to buy large appliances (washer, dryer, dishwasher, stove). New models for the upcoming year will be hitting showrooms soon, and retailers are eager to sell off older stock. These appliances are still new and perfectly functional, and trends don't come and go in this industry as quickly as they do in others. 

Related: How to Make Sure Your Appliances Don’t Fail When You Can’t Get Them Repaired

September is historically the month new Apple iPhones and watches are unveiled. This suggests older-generation models will see steep discounts. Be on the lookout if you're an Apple user in need of new iDevices.

Summer plants, trees, and shrubs can be picked up for dirt-cheap prices this month, because garden centers are stocking up on fall and holiday plants. With cool temperatures on the way, September is the right moment to fill out landscaping with perennials. Summer flowers are at rock-bottom prices, as well, and there's still a little time to enjoy them.

Related: 22 Tips to Keep Gardening Dirt Cheap

Discounts on lawn mowers, grills, swimsuits, and other summer gear will deepen in September. Sales on yard decor and outdoor furniture also heat up this month and continue into October. But don't wait too long to snatch a deal — the selection could be thin.

Once most students have started classes, school supplies start going for lower prices. This includes big-ticket items such as desktop computers. Selection may not be what it was in August, but shoppers won't beat the prices in September.

Related: Retro School Supplies That Will Make You Miss the Classroom

Jeans are so closely identified with back-to-school that, come September, denim goes on sale as stores seek to unload surplus inventory.

Related: The History of American Jeans: From Railroad to Runway

This is the last chance to enjoy low prices on summer produce such as corn, peaches, plums, nectarines, peppers, mangoes, green beans, lettuce, and tomatoes. September will also see the first fall produce hit grocery stores. Look for cheap prices on apples, berries, beets, cantaloupes, cauliflower, eggplants, grapes, honeydew melon, pears, squash, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, figs, and dark-green leafy vegetables such as spinach.

Related: Eat Seasonal and Save: When to Buy Fresh Produce Year-Round

National Coffee Day is oct. 1. Dunkin' Donuts, Caribou Coffee, the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Krispy Kreme, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Starbucks, and Tim Hortons have all offered a free cup o' joe in years past, though this might not be the year to expect freebies.

Related: Dunkin' vs. Krispy Kreme - Who Has The Better Tasting Doughnuts

September is National Chicken Month, National Potato Month, and National Rice Month. Food holidays honoring bacon, cheese pizza, guacamole, cheeseburgers, and lobster also fall in September. Be on the lookout for deals on these items at the supermarket and local restaurants.