A setting sun at the end of summer.

Summer Is Over So Start Shopping

With the end of Summer comes one of the best words for a budget minded person, “clearance”. Take a look at some of the things that you should be buying right now. Save hundreds and even thousands of dollars by shopping for these things now.

Fall is almost here and with it come cooler temperatures, pretty foliage and fantastic clearance sales. Now is the time to save huge money on all those Summer items. Items that you may not be able to use now but will put into good use next year.

If you really want to save, you should never be shopping for the current season, always be shopping three seasons in advance and save as much as 80 percent on your seasonal supplies. Here are some things that you should be considering purchasing right now.

Water Toys

At the end of a season, retailers must either store it or put it on clearance. Most of them do not have the room to store these items for 9 months so they let it go at huge savings. Water supplies are high on the clearance list.

Now is the time to buy portable pools, water toys, water guns and all of your pool gear. You will have to store it until next season but you will be able to buy it at a fraction of the cost. Had your eye on that portable pool but never wanted to pay the 800 dollar price? Pick it up for just 200 dollars right now. The sales can be just that good.

Patio Furniture

Patio furniture takes up a huge amount of space. This is space that will soon be needed for Halloween costumes and Christmas Trees.

About a month ago you probably saw all of those patio sets drop in price by ten or maybe twenty percent but now it is time for the real savings. Watch out for big fifty plus percent discounts on those patio sets.

Given the cost of outdoor furniture, these savings might finally make these items affordable to you. Buy it now and store it until next year or use part of your savings to buy protective covers to keep it looking good until next season.

Grills & Smokers

Just like with furniture, these things take up a lot of space and stores need it gone.

It is not uncommon for 300 dollar grills to get reduced to under 100 bucks. If you have been looking for a new grill or smoker, it is time to pounce. You might not have time to use it much before the weather turns but it will be ready for next Summer.

The degree of savings that you can see on outdoor cooking gear will vary greatly based on where you live. The further south you live, the less savings that you will get because the grilling season is longer.

Lawn Equipment

When the grass stops growing, the stuff used to cut it stops selling. That means savings for you. If you have had your eye on a new high end mower, this might be the time to pounce and save hundreds of dollars.

When buying power equipment for next season, be sure to test it out thoroughly once you get it home. If there are any warranty issues, you would want to take care of them ASAP. Also, be sure to put them into storage carefully. It is best to drain gas tanks and allow the engine to burn off all of the fuel left in the carburetor.

At the minimum, to protect your new equipment you would want to add some fuel stabilizer.

Clothing

Department stores want the Summer clothes out for a variety of reasons. Mainly, they need to clear room for Fall clothing, followed by all the Winter gear. There is simply not enough room to store it all. In addition, next years offerings will probably be different and they do not want to keep anything that could be dated next season.

Because they need to move this stuff, you can save big as long as you shop carefully. If shopping for next year, never buy anything trendy. Stick with the basics like shorts, plain t-shirts and tanks. Solid colors are best and you should stay away from any designs that might appear dated next year.

When shopping for kids, do your best to judge their size for next season. Kids clothing tends to go on sale with bigger discounts so the risk is worth it. If in doubt, erring on a larger size is generally a good bet.

Vehicles

Last but certainly not least, now is the time to start shopping for a new vehicle if you are soon to be in the market.

Now is when all of the next year models start coming in. That usually means big rebates and the ability to save thousands of dollars on your next vehicle. You might not have the biggest selection of colors or options but if you are not particular on getting the exact model that you want, you can save big.

A little tip here is to also look for the hidden rebates. If you are a Sam’s Club member or part of USAA, there may be additional rebates available. Currently, for example, you can get up to a 1500 dollar rebate just from USAA on select makes. Most dealers will not clue you in on these, so you need to look.

Posted by
James

James Car is a finance, loan and budget expert based in the United States. After attending Brookhaven college, he went on to become a successful entrepreneur. He now enjoys writing articles that help people save and make the most of their money.