Many items follow the same sales cycle every year. Stocking up on items when they are at their lowest prices is a great way to save serious money. Here is a big list of what to buy in October.
A general rule to follow is that if an item is in low demand, it will also be at the lowest price. The same applies in reverse- if an item is in high demand, it will be at its highest price.
In October, stores will be trying to clear the shelves to make room for the Holiday items. Anything summer will be on clearance, and towards the end of the month, anything fall will go on sale.’
Stores always use Columbus Day (October 10th) as an excuse to have a sale, so many of the things on this list will be at their best price that weekend.
Amazon has started promoting a 2nd prime day-like event on October 11-12. It’s probably worth checking out, but be sure to do a little price research before you buy anything. I’m not sure if this event will have prices as low as Black Friday.
Here are the things you should buy in October and a few things you should skip.
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What to Buy in October:
Warm weather Clothing:
Buying clothes out of season is a great way to save money. Look for sundresses, swimsuits, t-shirts, shorts, and sunglasses.
If you have kids, now is a great time to buy for next year. Don’t forget to buy a size or two larger.
Tip- Buying bathing suits for girls to use next season almost never works! Wait until spring and look at a store like Once Upon a Child.
Jeans:
Now that all the back-to-school shopping is over, you’ll see deals on denim. Sizes and styles may be limited, though. Stores will be making room for some of the trendier items that will be on people’s Holiday shopping lists.
Fall Clothing:
Towards the end of October, retailers will be clearing out the fall clothes to make room for winter coats and boots. Look for lightweight sweaters, socks, slippers, cardigans, etc. Wait to buy boots, winter coats, and heavy sweaters, though- those will go on sale closer to Black Friday.
Outdoor & Summer Items:
With winter coming, the demand for outdoor items will be going down, which means the prices will be going down too! Selection will be very limited, but October is a great time to buy anything you might need next year. Look for grills, grilling accessories, camping equipment, outdoor furniture, gardening gear, pool supplies, air conditioners
Plants
Now is the best time to buy bulbs. Plant them now, and you’ll be rewarded in spring! Many garden centers and nurseries will be making space for mums, pumpkins, poinsettias, and Christmas trees, so as long as you aren’t looking for these, you should find some great deals.
Travel
The time between summer and the winter holidays is slow for the travel industry. This means you can generally find some good travel deals. Fall is known to be an excellent time to book a cruise.
New and Used Cars:
New car models are released in September, which means dealers will have dropped the prices on last year’s models. If you are looking for new, this is the best time to buy.
A nice side-effect of this being a great time to buy a new car is that many people will be trading in their old cars. Dealerships will have a fresh selection of used cars making this a great time also to buy a used car.
Toys:
Stores will be clearing out the “old” toys to make way for the newer toys that will be on everyone’s Christmas list. The newest toys will be at their best price between Black Friday and Christmas, but if you are looking for a toy that’s been out for a while, October might be the time to buy. Now is an excellent time to make a Christmas shopping list and watch for any toys on that list to go on sale.
Wedding Supplies:
Summer is known as wedding season, which means October will be a great time to shop overstocks.
Smoke Detectors & Batteries:
Many people use daylight savings time as a reminder to check the batteries in their smoke detectors. Look for sales on smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and batteries.
Halloween Costumes and Decorations (maybe)
You’ll find the best deals on Halloween items on November 1st, but the selection will be very limited. Most stores will start putting Halloween items on sale the week before Halloween.
Caution- if you are looking for something specific, you need to shop as early as possible!
Parenting Hack: Stash away some of the Halloween candy your kids get to use as stocking stuffers!
Dish Soap
Why is October the month to buy dish soap?? I have no idea! However, it is historically at its lowest price in October.
Cold & Flu Medicine:
This is one of the few things that go on sale while the demand is high. October is the start of cold and flu season and a great time to re-stock your medicine cabinet. Humidifiers will also be going on sale.
Food to Buy in October:
Pizza:
October is national pizza month, so there will probably be some fun sales for frozen pizza and pizza ingredients. Be sure to watch out for pizza deals from pizza restaurants too!
Tacos:
October 4th is National Taco Day so look out for deals on anything taco related.
Frozen Seafood:
October is also National Seafood Month. Buy now and save it for your Holiday meals or to eat all year.
Coffee:
International Coffee day is on October 1, so you should be able to find some fun coffee deals the first week of October. Watch for free coffee deals at doughnut shops and convenience stores.
Canned Food:
Look for deals on canned soups, stews, and ingredients for chili.
Cake Mixes and Baking ingredients:
Look for deals on anything baking related this month. Be sure to get stocked up now for all your Thanksgiving and Christmas baking
Hint- Take time this month to write down all the “must-have” treats during the Holiday season that you plan to make. Discover exactly which ingredients you’ll need on hand and try to buy it all this month.
Cat Food:
I don’t know why, but canned cat food is frequently on sale in October.
Pasta:
Pasta is another key ingredient in many soups, and it should go on sale this month. Anything under $1 a box is a good deal.
Produce to Buy in October:
• Apple sauce
• Apples
• Artichokes
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cherries
• Cranberries
• Garlic
• grapes
• Green beans
• Herbs
• Honey
• honeydew melon
• kale
• leeks
• lettuce
• Nuts
• Okra
• oranges
• Pears
• Peppers
• Pomegranates
• Pumpkins
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Squash
• Sweet Potatoes
• Tomatoes
What NOT to Buy in October
Hint- If it’s not on the list above, don’t buy it in October. Black Friday is in November, which is when most things will be at their lowest price. Here are a few things you absolutely want to avoid buying in October, though…
Electronics:
Wait to buy TVs, phones, laptops, computers, and any other electronics. These are ALWAYS part of the black Friday sales.
Appliances
Big and small appliances are usually hot items during the black Friday sales, so hold off on buying these until next month.
Winter Clothes
Yes, you might need winter clothes now, but if you wait another month or two, you’ll get the best prices on winter coats, boots, sweaters, and accessories.
Gifts Cards:
Try to wait until closer to Christmas to buy gift cards. That’s when the fun deals are released that will get you more for your money.
Jewelry:
October is typically a very bad month for jewelry. Most deals happen around November for Christmas, Winter, which is the engagement season, and Valentine’s Day, or May-July for the wedding season.
Want to know what to buy in other months? Check out the post What to Buy in September.
