Things to Buy on Sale in November

Most of the leaves may have fallen off the trees, and the weather is getting chillier by the day. The nights are longer, and, as the Halloween costumes are put away, the holiday season has officially begun! While you’re probably starting to make your list (and checking it twice!) of things that you need to buy for the winter holidays, if you have room in your budget, you should take a look at some of the things that traditionally go on sale in November:

Halloween Candy & Costumes

Yes, you can buy next year’s Halloween costumes, but in all honesty, your kids probably have no idea what they want to be next year. You could stock up on princess dresses and capes for the dress-up bin, of course. The exciting thing that goes on sale on November 1 is Halloween candy! Prices are slashed on bags of mini-Milky Ways and pumpkin-shaped peanut butter cups. It’s not good for your waistline or the best for the kids’ teeth, but if you have a sweet tooth, now’s your time to indulge without breaking the bank. There are also many places that collect candy and donate it to the VA hospitals in your town.

Electronics

You know that the best deals take place on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but watch the prices of electronics all month long if you’re in the market for TV, laptop or handheld game console. They’ll be fairly low through the month of November, if hitting rock bottom right after Thanksgiving. Some sources say that the Black Friday prices mostly pertain to off brands, so if you’re looking for a name brand electronic, you might have better luck right before or a few days after Black Friday.

Wedding Dresses

Have you or someone you know recently become engaged? Even if you’re planning a summer wedding, this is the slow period for wedding gown sales. Visit area boutiques and talk to the owners about special deals for the off-season, and you might be able to save a good chunk of change by buying now. One hint: Put the dress away and save your alterations for just a couple of months before the wedding; if you gain or lose weight in the meantime, you won’t need to worry that you just had the gown taken in.

Furniture

New lines often come out in February, so while the steepest savings may be in January, low prices plus a good selection are rampant right now, in November. Are you looking for a new bedroom or living room set? How about a dining room table? You might even be able to finally outfit the guest room with matching furniture. Try big box stores like Target, JCPenney, Sears and Walmart for the best savings (remember that you can usually order bigger pieces online, even if they’re not available in the stores).

Turkeys

Turkey prices, along with those for sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and other Thanksgiving necessities, will be going on sale over the next week or two. Take advantage of the good sales by buying an extra turkey for the freezer; you might cook one alongside your Christmas ham or on some random weekend in January. Also, if your church, school or other community center is collecting canned and boxed goods for the less fortunate later this month or in December, you can stock up now in preparation.

Season Produce & Baked Goods

Now that it ins November you will find a lot of pumpkins, squash, cranberries widely available and in season. Also, now that the holidays are so close you will see a lot of baking supplies on sale. Now is the time to stock up before the big baking rush begins. Remember most baking products have a long shelf life so buy now and save yourself money.

Have you found any other great sales? Keep our readers posted!