Summer is winding down. School is back in session. The first vague hints of autumn can be felt in the air, especially in the evening.
It’s early fall, and with it comes a number of changes, but also a number of money-saving opportunities (and we’re not just talking about being able to turn off the air conditioning). Early fall brings with it a number of seasonal discounts that you can take advantage of to save a lot of money in the coming months.
Here are six ways that you can spend a little now in the early fall to save a lot of money later on.
[See: Avoid These Common Pitfalls During the Back-to-School Shopping Trip.]
Replace things worn out from summer use. If you have any items that you used heavily throughout the summer that are simply worn out, now’s the time to consider replacing them. Items such as grills, camping equipment, lawn chairs and other such belongings that see heavy use when the weather is nice but get stowed away in the garage in the colder months almost always find themselves on deep discount at the end of summer and in the early fall.
Take some time to evaluate your summer items such as coolers and sports gear and see which ones are no longer in very good shape. Then look in the store flyers to see whether those goods are on discount — and they likely will be this time of year — and get yourself some new gear for next summer at a great price.
Stock up on summer consumables such as sunscreen. Summers often involve using a lot of consumable items, such as sunscreen and campfire starters. If you find yourself using lots of matches and margarita mixes in the summer, pick up some now when they are cheap and stow them away for next summer.
It’s also a good idea to think ahead to what you might need for next summer. Will you need sunscreen for babies or swimming diapers? Now’s a good time to stock up on them. Put them in storage and pull them out in the late spring.
[See: 12 Shopping Tricks to Keep You Under Budget.]
Prepare your summer wardrobe … for next summer. Most clothing stores and department stores are dumping their summer clothes at a discount right now, so it’s a good time to buy any new clothes you might want for next summer.
Take a look at your summer clothing that you’re about to put away for the year and see whether there are any heavily worn items that might be ready to be discarded, and do the same for the rest of the family. Fill in those holes with highly discounted items, which you can then fold up and store for next summer.
Watch for discounted Apple products as the company rotates models. Apple typically refurbishes its smartphone line in September, which means that models sold at high prices in August are suddenly slashed in price.
Keep an eye on Apple’s announcements on Sept. 12, and if you’re considering replacing your iPhone, wait until after that date. You’ll likely either get a better phone for the same price or the same phone you were planning on buying, except at a lower price than before.
[See: 10 Money-Saving Websites to Check Before Shopping.]
Plan ahead for winter or summer travel. If you have any upcoming travel plans, early fall is traditionally a great time to shop for them. Start shopping around for tickets and reservations for any late fall and winter travel plans you may have.
It might even be a wise idea to start considering travel plans for next summer. What does next year’s summer vacation look like? If there are travel reservations required, it’s not a bad idea to start shopping now for those items.
Buy appliances as new models rotate in. Many appliance manufacturers rotate in their new model line during the fall months, which means that last year’s models tend to be discounted as appliance stores want to make room for the latest and greatest.
What does that mean for you? If you have a washer, dryer, dishwasher or microwave on its last legs, the early fall is a great time to shop around for a replacement. The prices are right on last year’s perfectly good new models, and the weather won’t interfere with swapping out the appliances.
Early fall is a great time to save on several different types of products, which means that if you plan ahead and consider your future needs, you can save quite a bit of money on big and small purchases. Remember, however, that smart spending means addressing genuine needs and not just buying because you happen to want those items, even if they’re on sale. Good luck.
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6 Strategies for Taking Advantage of Early Fall Discounts originally appeared on usnews.com
