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Thrifty shoppers love to celebrate those big Labor Day and back-to-school sales in September — and then gleefully count the days until November’s Black Friday events.
But let’s not snooze on October, people! Between Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days (Oct. 10-11) and the sales around the weekend of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day (observed Oct. 9, but many sales run Oct. 6-9), this month has some great discounts to offer.
And for some particular purchases, October is simply the best time of year to find a deal. Which ones? Read on and find out!
Bikes, E-bikes and Cycling Gear
October is the month when bike shops try to sell what’s left of their existing merchandise so they can make room for newer models. In fact, Jason Boles of The Velo bike shop told Bicycling that you can find some of the lowest bike prices of the year on both bikes and e-bikes in fall, and starting in October, it’s easy to get exactly the bike you want.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days will feature big discounts on cycling accessories, apparel and gear (included items listed here).
Frugal Apple fans know the deal: Wait until the newest version of a product is released in September and then snag the earlier model for less. Now that the much-anticipated iPhone 15 has been unleashed upon the world, the prices on the iPhone 14 and other older models are starting to drop — and will continue to do so in October.
Retailers don’t want to be stuck with an excess of Halloween candy, costumes and decorations once the holiday has passed, and they don’t have much time to clear the shelves for Thanksgiving and Christmas merchandise. So as the October calendar inches closer to Halloween, prices on these items begin to drop.
Once the holiday’s over, of course, those stores slash prices dramatically: You’ll pay 50% to 80% less on holiday merchandise, consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch told USA Today. However, once Oct. 15 rolls around, shoppers can also snag holiday decor items, including costumes, for up to 80% off in some cases.
When the temperatures get lower, so do the prices on patio and outdoor furniture. Retailers like Lowe’s, Home Depot and Wayfair will give you a price break if you buy these items in October, because they have lower inventory, and they’re making room for newer versions for next season.
These stores begin slashing prices during their Labor Day sales, but if you can wait until October, you can find extra savings of up to 70% off.
The best time to buy large appliances is in the fall, just before the new models come out. And big department stores tend to reduce prices over holiday weekends like Columbus Day (also recently celebrated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day), which falls on Oct. 9 this year.
Amazon’s Big Deal Days will also include appliances, both big and small. If you’d like to make sure you’re aware of the best deals, you can sign up for invite-only doorbuster sales on specific products. And if you still haven’t invested in an air fryer, this sale is the time to do it, because these invite-only deals include 56% off a Philips 3000 Series Air Fryer.
According to U.S. News and World Report, the auto industry’s year begins in October. That’s when the new models arrive in dealer showrooms — and the old ones go on sale. Car dealers have more incentive to offer discounts in October than in most other months.
Did you know that October is National Pizza Month? Most pizza chains do, and they like to celebrate by offering deals and freebies. While the deals for October 2023 haven’t been made known yet, we have an idea what to expect based on last year. For example, in October 2022, Domino’s awarded 20% off all menu-priced items during the first half of National Pizza Month as long as you ordered off the website.
Lucky for us, this month isn’t just about pizza, either. Oct. 4 is National Taco Day, and chains like Del Taco, El Pollo Loco, Taco Bell and Moe’s Southwest Grill offer discounts to commemorate it. On National Taco Day 2022, Taco Bell offered a $10 “taco pass” on their app, which allowed customers one free taco a day all month long. Stay tuned to learn how they’ll spoil us in 2023!
And if you have a sweet tooth, you won’t want to miss National Dessert Day on Oct. 14. Several national chains tend to have freebies or discounts on sweet treats on this day. Last year, Baskin-Robbins offered a free scoop of ice cream if you ordered via the app.
Halloween (Oct. 31) is a great day to score free food. Last year, you could get free or discounted food at Chipotle, Krispy Kreme, IHOP, Outback Steakhouse, Del Taco, Qdoba, Baskin-Robbins, Dippin’ Dots, Noodles & Company, Wendy’s, TGI Fridays, Sonic and many more chain restaurants.
For example, if you wear a costume to Chipotle on Halloween this year, you can buy their Chipotle Boorito at a big discount.
Some stores just like to throw big sales events in October. Here are a few of them:
Target Circle Week (Oct. 1–7 ) is a week of sales on products across all departments (including toys, small kitchen appliances and electronics), which you’ll find both in-store and online. You do have to be a rewards member to participate this time, though.
Best Buy has numerous deals in October, including a 48-hour flash sale coinciding with Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days. The store is promising hundreds of great deals on tech and electronics. And from Oct. 27-29, the chain will give members early access to some of its Black Friday deals.
Jennifer has written features and essays for over a dozen magazines, including American Baby, Cosmo, Cosmo Girl, Fit Pregnancy, Good Housekeeping, Health, Marie Claire, Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Self, Teen People, TV Guide, and YM. More.
