5 Big Deals You Get If You Shop Now

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- This is probably the last time of year anyone wants to shop, but it's also one of the best seasons for sales and deals.  

Listen, we understand. Some of you just finished back-to-school shopping, yet you're already seeing candy corn in the supermarket and drugstore aisles, there's already pumpkin beer in the convenience and liquor store coolers and that vacant Best Buy just turned into a Halloween superstore. Why can't they just let you enjoy your spending vacation in peace?  

Because that's just not how the retail world works. January and February are typically the slowest buying months on the calendar, which explains crazy post-Christmas sales and big President's Day car deals. Just behind them, however, is September. According to Census Bureau data, retail sales tend to drop off by $20 billion to $30 billion from August to September before picking up again in October. Retailers really don't like those kinds of dropoffs, which is why you see a rush to move inventory in September just before the pre-holiday rush starts in October.  

Consumers who can afford or stomach more spending in September tend to be rewarded with big deals on everything from hedge clippers to cars. These are just a few of the areas where savvy shoppers can make a killing in September:  

Cars  
When car dealers run ads screaming their need to move last year's models to make room for new arrivals, they're not just handing you some line. September starts the slow, post-summer descent for car sales that typically bottoms out in November. About 90% of all cars sold this time of year are 2012s, according to auto pricing site TrueCar. Dealers want to feature and move more 2013 models to bump up the new year's 9.2% sales share, so buyers will see increasing incentives as the month progresses.  

If models have been redesigned or discontinued, dealers may take greater pains to get those cars off the lot. The 2012 Chevrolet (GM) Impala, for example, is about a year away from an upgrade and is prompting dealers to throw in a $4,500 dealer cash discount to get it out the door.  

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