Pity the poor woman with an October birthday.
Price breaks on popular gift items such as jewelry, perfume and lingerie are harder to find in October, because many retailers are waiting to discount them until the start of the holiday shopping season, says Sharon Banfield, spokeswoman with PriceGrabber.com.
So while you can find some deals, they won't be as plentiful as in the weeks to come.
When to expect better deals: In November and December, Banfield says. "If you wait another four weeks, you can take advantage of holiday sales," she says. That's when you can expect discounts of 25 percent to 30 percent on lingerie and jewelry. With perfume, look for discounts in the form of extra products or larger sizes for the same price, she says.
What is on sale this month: Back-to-school clothes. "Not full-fledged cold-weather apparel, but things like long-sleeved T-shirts, denim products and other remaining back-to-school items," Banfield says. "Retailers want to clear the remaining back-to-school inventory to make room for holiday items."
How much of a discount you'll get will depend on the store and the inventory. However, because it's valuable retail real estate that stores are trying to clear, shoppers who do their homework should be able to score deals of up to 40 percent off in many places, Banfield says. For backpacks, another back-to-school staple, look for price cuts of 30 percent to 40 percent, she says.