Best Things to Buy This Fall and Save Money

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This article was written by our guest Irina from Don’t Pay Full. All thoughts expressed are solely those of the author. Enjoy!

You’re probably tired of hearing you have to spend money to save money…and you’re right! But there are seasons when you can save on things you’d buy anyway. So, why pay more when you can pay less? We take a closer look at things you should consider buying in fall and how they’ll save you money if you do!

Plan Fun for Less

Halloween Is More Fun with Cheap DIY Costumes

Yes, inspirations can be hard to find, so we jog on down to the nearest costume store to buy or rent for Halloween. Oh, hello! It’s peak season for them, and they’re riding the wave with premium prices plus, “So sorry, we’re out of stock,” messages from sad-eyed shop assistants.

So, what’s the alternative? Fun! All you need is some DIY Halloween costume ideas and a few cheap odds and ends. This is the coolest online search you’ll ever do – so get ready to enjoy fun, creative, and occasionally chilling Halloween costumes you can easily make at home!

Best of all, with a few cheap, store-bought Halloween standbys like devil horns, angel wings, and masks, you’re ready to trade with other family members or friends next year. Share the love!

Book Your Winter Holiday-or Even Your Spring Break!

Are you planning to take a break this December? Don’t wait too much longer to make your bookings. Remember, cheap airfares, accommodation, and more are for the early birds. Leave it to the last minute, and you’ll be paying top dollar for those winter holiday destinations – even supposing they’ve still got room for you.

Likewise, if you’re thinking of traveling during the spring, there’s nothing to stop you from making your reservations now. You’ll have plenty of time to shop around, so download some money-saving travel apps and start comparison shopping right away.

Get Your Outdoor Sports Gear

Sporting goods stores aren’t expecting their customers to buy summer sports gear. So, as with clothes, shopping for summer could get you bargains galore. Extend your search beyond mainstream stores and check out garage sales and thrift shops. It’s often at the end of the season that people realize they never used their sports gear and decide to get rid of it.

Attend to Outdoor Décor and Gardening

Shop for Camping and Outdoor Items

While you’re at it, take a closer look at outdoor, camping, and BBQ products. If it’s for use outdoors, it’s probably not something retailers want to carry over winter. That makes it your opportunity to snap it up for a song.

So, if you were planning new garden furniture, want a new gazebo for next summer’s beach outings, or were considering a birdbath garden feature, this is the best time to snap up bargains.

Red hot tip: if you’re planning to get a new lawnmower, now’s the time to shop for it.

Visit the Garden Center for Low-Priced Plants

Garden enthusiasts should head for local garden centers and nurseries. A lot of summer-flowering plants they still have in stock will be on sale at the lowest prices you can ever hope to see. Just be sure to choose hardy perennials that won’t mind overwintering outdoors or be willing to provide shelter for your new plants till springtime.

Make Your Own Cold Frame

If you get a lot of your produce out of the garden, you can extend your growing season beyond the frost and get an early start on next spring’s crops. All you need is some PVC pipe and some clear, UV-resistant plastic. With warm-weather crops like early-season tomatoes costing so much, keen gardeners can save extra on early produce thanks to the longer growing season.

Stay Cozy

Get What You Need to Prepare Your Home for Winter

Omitting maintenance tasks that protect your home and keep it warm in winter could prove costly. Service your furnace and buy what you need to insulate pipes, caulk gaps where cold air sneaks in, and so on. If your electric water heater isn’t already wrapped up in insulation, spending a little on getting that job done could save you 16 percent per year on your energy bills.

Buy a Programmable Thermostat

You don’t need to keep the entire house toasty all day long. Plan your heating needs and use a programmable thermostat to help you save energy. As money-saving purchases go, this one is sure to pay for itself before long – and it keeps giving you savings for years to come.

Shop for Bargains

Check Out All the Seasonal Offers

Clever marketers will have their eye on seasonal shoppers. As a frugal consumer, you don’t easily fall for the hype, but if they’re offering good prices on something you want anyway, be ready to snap up those deals. Check out fall promotions but remember to compare prices so you can be sure they’re a bargain.

Look Out for Cheap Seasonal Fruit and Veg

Even if you don’t have a veggie garden, you’ll know what’s in season by looking at the prices. When it’s prime harvest time, that produce items’ price plummets. Got a chest freezer? Now’s the time to stock up on the last of the summer produce plus things exclusively autumnal and get them stored away to preserve in-season freshness and enjoy out-of-season treat time.

It’s also a great time for making jams and preserves – but be sure you have enough time to get busy in the kitchen before you come home with a ton of fruit and veg you don’t have time to process.

Sort Out Your Summer Wardrobe

By now, most of the summer clearance sales are over – but if you’re super-alert, you can snap up the cheapest deals of the year as retailers try to rid themselves of the last summer stock. The big chains may already have done most of their summer clearance, so check out those boutique outlets you ordinarily wouldn’t touch for deep discounts that could make those items you’ve been coveting affordable.

Check Out New and Used Mobile Phone Prices

With Apple having released its latest product range in September, competing brands hoping to grab market share could be hoping that low prices will attract more business. And for those who feel they always must have the latest tech, it’ll be time to get rid of last year’s (perfectly good) phone. Opportunity knocks.

Irina Vasilescu is a personal finance writer and the content manager behind DontPayFull.com, one of the fastest growing coupon sites that helps people save money!