It’s hard to believe that we have almost reached Labor Day. This means kids go back to school, half of your office won’t be on vacation and Pumpkin Spice Latte season will soon be in full throttle. But before that you have the Labor Day sales, one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. We talked with Andrea Woroch, a money-saving expert who has appeared on Good Morning America, Today, CNN, Dr. OZ, New York Times, MONEY Magazine, Consumer Reports, Forbes, and many more. Here are her tips to guide you through those Labor Day sales.
Summer apparel
Though stores are starting to fill up with their fall styles (even though it is still 80 degrees out) expect major markdowns on swimsuits, shorts, sandals, tank tops and more. Woroch says Victoria’s Secret is offering up to 70% off select swimwear as it shuts down this product line, while merchants like Gap and Nordstrom have been known to offer up to 80% off end-of-summer clearance items. Most retailers offer extra savings on sale and clearance items in the form of coupons, so track down these discounts to save an additional 10 to 25% off your purchases.
Back To School Supplies
If you are looking to get your kids or yourself ready for school head to Macy’s where they are offering 30 to 50% off back-to-school goods through Sept. 4, while Shoe Carnival has a promo code for $10 off $60 through Sept. 6. Don’t miss penny deals from stores like Staples and Office Depot, which offer basic supplies for as little as one cent in some cases. For even bigger discounts on clothes for kids, snag up to 90% off gently-used items from sites like ThredUp.com, or search CouponSherpa.com for up to 75% off school essentials with a Zulily coupon.
Garden and Outdoor Items
Woroch says items like patio furniture and decor go on sale after July 4, and prices will continue to fall as temperatures drop. The prices on grills continue to lower through October, so this is a good time to invest if you’ve been meaning to upgrade. For example, Lowe’s, Home Depot and Ace Hardware are all offering $100 off Weber Genesis grills, a rare discount on these premium barbecues. You can also score deals on outdoor accessories like lighting and fire pits from stores such as Target, World Market and Pier 1, with savings between 30% and 50% off.
Travel
Looking to save on future holiday travel. Well good news. Many airlines and third-party travel booking sites offer discounts over Labor Day weekend. If you’re planning on traveling over Thanksgiving or Christmas, you should plan ahead and take advantage of flight and hotel deals offered this holiday weekend. Last year, airlines like Frontier were known to offer one-way deals as low as $30 around LaborDay, while hotel-booking sites like Hotels.com have already begun running deals of 12 to 50% off reservations through early October.
What You Should Not Buy During Labor Day Sales
Fall Clothing
This is not the time to rack up on cute fall sweaters and booties. They will be at peak prices. You will see prices drop for those clothes later in the fall as winter clothes come in. The big sales will be on Columbus Day weekend.
Halloween Costumes
Yes it is disturbing that these are even available but do not think you are winning buy buying them now. Woroch says wait until after October 15 to buy anything related to Halloween. This is when stores start switching to Christmas and lower the prices on festive merchandise.
Toys
If you are already planning your Christmas shopping than you are amazing. However, the best time to buy them is actually the Saturday before Thanksgiving, according to experts.
