BEST BUYS OF FALL (September, October, November)

Cooler temperatures bring falling leaves — and falling prices on these goods. Here are ten ways you can rake up the savings in autumn.

1.) SEPTEMBER: Holiday airfare

Scout out deals for holiday travel. September is typically early enough to get a good price as well as a good seat.

Keep in mind that Wednesday is usually the cheapest day to fly, according to Rick Seaney, chief executive of FareCompare.com. (An exception to the rule: the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the busiest travel day of the year.) Sunday is generally the most costly.

2.) SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER:
Health insurance

Fall marks open-enrollment season for employer health-insurance plans. Policy rates don’t drop at this time of year, but now’s when you should review the changes to your plan’s costs and coverage options.

If you don’t update your insurance preferences during open-enrollment season, you risk locking in your previous year’s insurance choices, which could cost you money if your family’s situation has changed at all. See Get the Best Deal on Health Insurance to learn more.

3.) SEPTEMBER: New Cars

Shop now for an end-of-the-model-year car deal. You’ll get a good combination of price and selection as dealers clear inventory for the new models.

Bargains will vary by car model and dealer, but it’s not uncommon to haggle your way down to the invoice price, or a few hundred dollars over invoice.

4.) SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER: Landscaping plants

Fall plant sales are often overlooked by all but seasoned gardeners. Nurseries in four-season areas want to lower greenhouse costs for the winter by selling inventory. Check your area for pre-winter deals on trees and shrubs.

5.) SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER: Appliances

New models of big appliances roll into showrooms in September and October, making autumn a great time to get a deal as stores clear out the old to make room for the new.

And consider buying scratch-and-dent models — a ding in a refrigerator door could shave hundreds off the price, and most likely, no one will notice.

6.) OCTOBER: Grills

Prices on grills heat up in the summer. But as the weather cools down, so does demand, making fall a good time to buy, according to Luke Knowles, founder of FreeShipping.org.

7.) NOVEMBER: Candy

Got a sweet tooth? Mark your calendar for November 1 to stock up on Halloween candy leftovers. You can snag bags of sweets and boxes of chocolate bars for 50% to 75% off.

8.) NOVEMBER/DECEMBER: Medicare Prescription Drug Plan

Open-enrollment season begins in November for Medicare prescription-drug plans and continues through December. You won’t see discounts by enrolling at this particular time of year, but it’s a window you shouldn’t miss, or else you could be forced to pay more money for your prescription drugs.

9.) NOVEMBER:
Baking ingredients

Grocers offer up deals that can’t be beat just in time for your holiday baking.

Stock up on the basics, including sugar, flour, chocolate and butter (the latter two freeze well), plus other ingredients, such as canned pumpkin, evaporated milk and nuts.

10.) ALL FALL LONG: Travel

September through the weekend before Thanksgiving, look for fall shoulder-season travel bargains.

Shoulder season is that pause between peak seasons — the time to travel when you’ll find great deals on cruises, resort trips, vacation rentals and international travel. Plus, the weather is typically pleasant and you’ll see fewer crowds.