Labor Day Deals

Labor day sales are coming out of the woodwork at all the big box stores and home centers this weekend. There are the traditional deals on patio equipment and lawn care gear. You know, all the stuff they need to clear the floor space for fall/winter items. Just be careful when you go hunting: There are several “gotchas” out there among the sweet sales.

The first big thing is to make sure the items are really “on sale” enough to warrant a purchase outside of your normal spending. Sure, that bag of landscaping rock cost $2.50 but it only runs about $2.75 the rest of the year. Is a quarter a bag worth it? Another thing to look for is buying sale items on credit. Discounted interest and several months grace isn’t a good reason to buy a $600 grill, especially in the fall.

On the other hand, Chuck and I picked up a few full-size ceiling fans with remotes for $20 a pop a few years ago, and I scooped up a deal on a two $35/piece bathroom faucets that were marked down to $5. Just look before you pull the trigger — the deals are there, but they may not be on the items you thought.

Labor Day Sale [Lowe's]