17 best things to buy on Labor Day weekend

If you’re not squeezing in one last summer getaway this Labor Day weekend, it’s a good time to do some shopping to score deals on a wide range of products. “Today’s Labor Day sales are as big as Memorial Day and President’s Day sales, if not bigger,” said Brent Shelton, an online shopping expert for deal website FatWallet.com.

Because so many of the items being marked down are seasonal, it can be advantageous to shop early to have a bigger selection and to have the items you buy on hand to use during the Labor Day weekend, Shelton said. However, if you can hold out until Labor Day weekend, you’ll find the best sales, said Howard Schaffer, general manager of coupon and deal site Offers.com.

Here are 17 things — from appliances to summer apparel — that you can get the best prices on during these Labor Day sales.

Cars

If you’re in the market for a new car, you typically can find a great Labor Day car sales. Dealerships tend to offer a variety of deals — from cash-back rebates to zero percent financing — to move cars off their lots before new models arrive in the fall, according to Kelley Blue Book. For example, Toyota is offering $2,500 cash back on 2016 Camry purchases as part of its annual clearance event.

Travel

Travel sites are often the first to start offering Labor Day deals, perhaps to take advantage of people trying to book a late summer getaway, said DealNews editor Benjamin Glaser. For example, Hotels.com started offering 12 percent off bookings of $300 or more as of mid-August, he said.

In general, fall is a good time to travel because it’s shoulder season in many parts of the country — the period after the peak summer travel season and the holidays when prices drop.

Summer Apparel

The best Labor Day sales are on summer apparel, which accounted for almost one-third of all Labor Day deals last year, Glaser said. “Look for up to 85 percent off at all your favorite brands and stores, especially department stores,” he said. In some parts of the country, you might be able to continue wearing warm-weather clothing for a couple of months. Or take advantage of sales to stock up for next year.

Avoid the temptation to buy fall fashions because they’ll be at their highest prices of the season, Schaffer said. Wait until Black Friday sales to save up to 30 percent or hold off until December to save as much as 80 percent.

Shoes

Retailers will be marking down shoes along with summer apparel. Some of the best discounts are on running shoes from brands such as Nike, Reebok and Sperry, according to DealNews. Also look for deals from online retailers such as 6pm.com and higher-end brands such as Cole Haan and Kenneth Cole, which offer discounts of up to 70 percent.

School Supplies

Labor Day sales offer a great chance to get pens, pencils, notebooks and other school supplies at low prices. “It’s a good time to stock up for back-to-school as retailers are trying to clear their stock,” said Amy Chang, lifestyle savings expert for Slickdeals. You might find items such as packs of crayons or pens marked down for a limited time to just one cent at office supply stores, she said.

You also can expect retailers to mark down some school supplies to just $1 during Labor Day sales, Shelton said.

Backpacks

Your kids will need something to carry all those school supplies in, too. Labor Day is a good time to get a great deal on a backpack. Expect to find backpacks marked down more than 60 percent, Shelton said. For example, Best Buy marked down a Targus Shasta Laptop Backpack from $29.99 to $9.99.

Laptop Computers

You’ll find deals on Apple computers — just not at the Apple store, according to DealNews. The best sales will be at other retailers, such as Best Buy. Plus, Best Buy offers even deeper discounts for students who sign up for its College Student Deals. Currently, it’s offering $150 off MacBook and iMac purchases.

Major Appliances

During September and October, manufacturers release new models of major appliances, Schaffer said. To clear the way for the latest products, retailers will mark down stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers by as much as 40 percent during Labor Day sales. Check out sales at Sears, Best Buy and Home Depot — which had the best discounts on appliances last year, he said.

Grills

With summer coming to an end, retailers will mark down seasonal items such as grills. It’s typical to find discounts of 20 percent to 30 percent during Labor Day, Shelton said.

However, some retailers will discount grills by as much as much as 80 percent, Schaffer said. You’ll see some of the best grill deals at retailers such as Sears, Home Depot and Walmart, Schaffer said.

Patio Furniture

“As with grills, demand for patio furniture wanes after Labor Day,” Schaffer said. So retailers mark down outdoor dining and leisure furniture as much as 70 percent to clear it out of stores. You’ll likely find some of the best deals at Home Depot and Target, according to DealNews.

Mattresses

You can save up to 60 percent on mattresses during Labor Day sales, Shelton said. If you can find coupons, you might be able to save even more. Offers.com expects the best Labor Day mattress sales to be at Macy’s, Sears Outlet, JCPenney and Overstock.

Lawnmowers

You’ll find great discounts on push mowers and riding mowers during home improvement store’s outdoor equipment clearance events over Labor Day weekend — with some deals already available, Shelton said. “Expect between $50 to $100 off regular prices, including the newer cordless lithium powered push mowers from brands like Greenworks and Kobalt,” he said.

Gardening Supplies

As the summer heat eases, it can be a good time to get some yard work done. You can get the tools you need at a discount during Labor Day sales. In general, expect to find lawn and garden supplies marked down 25 percent to 75 percent, depending on the quality and brand, Shelton said. Cordless yard tools — such as trimmers, edgers and hedge cutters — will also be discounted up to 50 percent, he said.

It might be better to buy many of these items after Monday when “extended” Labor Day coupons are released and prices are lowered even more, Shelton said. Be aware, though, that some items sell out of inventory during the holiday sales. In that case, ask a sales clerk where you’re shopping to check if another store has it in stock and can ship it to the store where you are — while still honoring the clearance pricing, Shelton said.

Swimwear

The end of summer might not seem like the best time to buy swimwear. Despite not being able to use it for several months, it’s the ideal time to get a deal — and pick up a suit for next summer if your current one is showing signs of wear and tear from this summer. For example, Roxy is offering an extra 40 percent off sale items, with some suits just $11, Chang said.

Televisions

You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving or Black Friday to get a good price on a TV. In fact, some of the lowest prices of the year on big-screen TVs, 55 inches or larger, can be found during Labor Day sales, according to DealNews. And you can expect Best Buy and Walmart to mark down 40-inch TVs below $200.

Swing Sets

If your kids have been begging for a swing set, Labor Day weekend is a good time to buy one. You’ll find a fairly large selection of lower-cost wooden swing sets and select higher-cost models marked down 10 percent to 20 percent during Labor Day — many with free delivery, Shelton said.

A big selection of metal and plastic swing sets can be found on sale for as much as 50 percent off. “Shopping around a bit for these items can offer some significant savings,” he said. In particular, though, look for the best sales at home improvement and big-box retailers.

Pools

You’ll also find deals on above-ground pools during Labor Day sales at home-improvement stores and big-box retailers such as Walmart. The average discount will be 20 to 30 percent. However, there will be some pools marked down as much as 50 percent, but they will sell out quickly — especially smaller models priced below $150, Shelton said.

From GoBankingRates.com: 17 best things to buy on Labor Day weekend