September Deals: Best Things to Buy Now

(MoneyWatch) 

Back by popular demand, I've got a list of seasonal hot deals going on, this time specifically in the month of September. My sources include researchers at ShopItToMe.com (who, full disclosure, are helping to sponsor my upcoming book launch) and FreeShipping.org. (My parents also weighed in on a recent car purchase.)

Cars Expect prices to go even lower on any 2010 vehicles that didn't get sold this past Labor Day weekend. If you're willing to buy a 2010 model car, you're in luck: Dealerships are desperate to clear out the old inventory and make room for the new 2011 models. My parents just bought a new luxury German vehicle for more than $10,000 off the sticker price, all because it was a 2010 model. "At the price we got, we could have bought a Camry. Instead we got a BMW," my mother brags. (My parents have been longstanding Toyota customers, but they said this deal was just too good - and snazzy -to pass up.)
Bicycles Now's a great time to get Junior that bike he's likely to ask for around the holidays. As with cars, September is the month when most retailers get their new fleet of bikes and they'll want to clear some space. At my local bike shop in Manhattan, Bicycle Renaissance, the store is having a 10-15% off sale on select bicycles.
Denim Experts at ShopItToMe.com are noticing a number of denim sales this month across a span of designers and retailers including at 7 For All Mankind and Ralph Lauren.

Shoes Like denim, there are major shoe sales on the Web this month. Nordstrom is running a shoe clearance until September 14, and Aldo's has a 30% off clearance going on right now.
China and Flatware They may be last season's patterns, but the best time to buy china and flatware is in September, after the summer wedding season. Oneida, for example, is offering "Sizzling Labor Day Deals" right now.

Patio Furniture As the weather cools off, stores are all the more eager to get these bulky items off their floors and out of their warehouses. I found great clearance deals at Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel and Sears.
Swimwear As in August, swimwear is steeply discounted in September - maybe even more so, as folks drain their pools and put an end to beach season. Macy's and Bloomingdales have swimwear marked down by as much as 75% right now.

More on MoneyWatch:

• Cheapest Days to Shop Online
• 9 Ways to Save on Spas, Gym, Beauty and More
• 4 Splurges That Make Sense
• Budget Worksheet: How to Spend Your Money
• Should I Save or Pay Down Debt?
• Credit Cards: Steer Clear of Store Credit Cards
• Summer Savings: 21 Ways to Save Money on Restaurants, Day Trips and More

Photo Courtesy: UggBoy's Photostream on Flickr