What to Buy (and What to Avoid) During Labor Day Sales

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Shopping for the best deal is a fine science, like buying stocks. Is this the lowest price ever? Will it be lower tomorrow? Enter Dealnews, a money-saving site that's mined their Labor Day sale archives to figure out what to snatch off the Labor Day sale racks, and what to avoid.

Their findings say nothing about when Chanel shoes magically become half price, so that dream is destroyed, but what they do report is that September is a great month to buy patio furniture, grills, mattresses, and luxury clothing. If you've just moved into a new apartment and have a lot of fancy parties to attend, it looks like this is your time.

To avoid? Cars, which get cheaper in October, and large appliances like washers and refrigerators, whose prices are slashed even further during Black Friday sales. TVs, too, will be cheaper on Black Friday.

In a nutshell: Labor Day sales are for buying fancy swimsuits and porch swings, not investment appliances. Hunting for vintage Chanel at Goodwill? That's still on you.

· The Best and Worst Things to Buy in September [DealNews]
· All Racked Chicago sale coverage [Racked Chicago]