SAN ANTONIO – The holiday creep is on. We’ve barely started carving the pumpkins and retailers are already rolling out the holiday sales.
“With two multiday sitewide sales this month, Target Deal Days and Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale, you’ll be able to find deals that come close to what we expect for Black Friday on giftable items like tech devices, kitchen appliances, fitness equipment, apparel, toys, and so much more,” said Consumer Reports’ Shopping Editor Samantha Gordon.
Amazon is already posting some of its Prime Sales for some of its devices at up to 70% off. Target’s Deal Days kick off on Thursday and last for three days. Look for other retailers to get in on the early action, too.
Consumer Reports tracks the prices of many of its top tested products all year long, so it knows exactly when they go on deep discount. Here are products to look out for in this month’s Best Time to Buy.
The long weekend around Indigenous Peoples Day, also called Columbus Day, is typically a good time to find deals on mattresses and large appliances.
If your kitchen needs an upgrade, the LG Electric Smoothtop Range is a CR Best Buy and now $764 at LG and The Home Depot. That’s $85 off.
Now that Apple recently released its new iPhone, October is a great month to find lower prices on top-rated previous models. The Apple iPhone SE is a CR Best Buy and $429 at Amazon. CR says this is the best iPhone under $500 it has tested.
And finally, keep the climate under control in your home with a new thermostat. The Honeywell Thermostat is a CR Best Buy at $155 at Amazon.
One worry about shopping for the holidays early is the fear of missing out on a better sale later. So, look out for retailers that offer price match guarantees. Target will start offering its Holiday Price Match Guarantee on Oct. 6. If an item you buy at Target goes on sale for less through Dec. 24, it will adjust the price and refund you the difference. Be sure to save those receipts.