Meant to be a celebration of the various achievements and contributions of American workers, Labor Day has commonly become associated with the end of a seasonal chapter, a much-needed day off work and, when it comes to the world of consumer behavior, sales.
Tons of retailers roll out discounts on Labor Day weekend — to the point where it can be difficult to determine which deals are worth your hard-earned money and which are financially savvier to sit out. In an email sent to GOBankingRates, shopping experts at RetailMeNot dished on which types of sales shoppers should take advantage of during the holiday weekend for top savings — and which they’re better off passing up.
The summer grilling days may be winding down, but the sales on grills are just heating up. RetailMeNot said retailers historically discount grills during Labor Day weekend by as much as 50%, and the experts recommended checking out sales expected at Ace hardware, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Walmart.
With the weather due to cool down soon, you may be in the market for a new fall jacket, scarf or pair of boots. But if saving money is top of mind, now is not the time to shop for fall apparel, with RetailMeNot claiming that late summer through early autumn sees fall apparel at its highest prices of the year. You’ll find great sales here during Black Friday — and even better ones in December and January.
Buy: Patio Furniture
You may not be using your patio or yard(s) as much as you did during the peak summer months, but now is a great time to purchase patio furniture for the future. Hey, it’s not like it will go bad! RetailMeNot suggested seeing what Lowe’s, Wayfair and Target have to offer in terms of patio furniture sales. You also should be on the lookout for sales on outdoor lights, umbrellas and rugs.
Buy: Outdoor Gear
Are you noticing a theme here? Basically, as the warm weather dies down, all those warm weather essentials start to drop in price. RetailMeNot said to look out for end-of-season clearance sales featuring hot deals on items such as coolers, fishing or camping equipment, kayaks, warm-weather hiking apparel and outdoor games. Check out Patagonia and REI, for starters.
Skip: Some Tech and TVs
You may see a boatload of sales on tech items including headphones, gaming consoles, headphones and TVs. Unless you’re desperately in need of one of these items, wait for Black Friday when dynamite deals on tech are flooding in.
Buy: Computers, Tablets and Laptops
Though you should be wary of sales on the aforementioned tech items, you could find great savings on desktop computers and laptops, because Labor Day weekend intersects with back-to-school shopping sales. RetailMeNot suggested seeing what Best Buy, Dell and the Microsoft Store have to offer here.
Skip: Toys
If you have little kids in your life, you know that toys are always in season, but they’re not always on sale. Labor Day weekend is one where we’re not expected to see many worthwhile deals in this sector. Unless you suspect a trendy toy will be hard to get closer to the holidays, you should wait until then if you want to find it on sale.
Buy: Home Appliances
If you’ve been pausing on buying a new washer, dryer or dishwasher, you can hit the “play” button and likely find some great sales this Labor Day weekend. RetailMeNot said Lowe’s, Home Depot and Best Buy each uphold a tradition of offering up to 40% off sales on large appliances during Labor Day weekend.
Skip: Halloween Decor
Those who celebrate Halloween may be eager to deck out porches with creepy décor and stock up on candy, but it’s best to hold off. RetailMeNot said the very best deals on Halloween stuff will drop just before Oct. 31 and on into November.
Buy: Mattresses
Most major holiday shopping weekends usher in deals on mattresses and other bedding essentials. Labor Day weekend is no exception, and RetailMeNot said that in addition to price drops, mattress retailers often toss in free pillows, frames or mattress toppers with your mattress purchase. Check out mattress specialty retailers including Casper, Mattress Firm, Purple and Sleep Number, in addition to mega retailers such as Macy’s and JCPenney.
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