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With Labor Day around the corner, here are the 5 best things to buy in September

It's Labor Day, and shoppers can expect great offers on many goods and services. Here are the five best things to buy in September
/ Source: TODAY Contributor

With Labor Day around the corner, shoppers can expect deeply discounted prices on many goods and services, from cars to plane tickets, and in many cases the sales will continue through September. Here are the five best things to buy this month:

What’s On Sale? An iPhone 6

On Sept. 8, Apple will be announcing the latest iteration of the iPhone, the 6s. Price cuts are expected to happen on the iPhone 6/6 Plus models (with a two-year contract) in order to make room for the latest inventory.

Where’s The Deal? You may see deals from your phone carrier and major retailers like Best Buy, Target, etc. (with a two-year plan)

How Much Will I Save? According to researchers at DealNews, they expect Apple to take 50 percent off the contracted price of an iPhone 6 once the new version is revealed. On the day of the keynote, it said, Apple will shave $100 off the subsidized cost of an iPhone 6. In the weeks that follow, you can expect retailers to offer iPhone 6 Deals with prices cut by another $50 (with a two-year contract).

RELATED: The best Labor Day deals of 2015: How to shop like a pro

What’s On Sale? Summer Clothes

Stores are making room for fall inventory and cleaning out summer stock with major clearance sales. Take this as an opportunity to save big on swimsuits, shorts and other warm weather clothes for next season.

According data from fashion deals website ShopItToMe:

  • For her: Average discounts in September are 48 percent.
  • For him: Average discounts in September are 45 percent.

Where’s The Deal?

  • Roxy sale - Up to 50 percent off swimsuits and cover-ups and free shipping through Oct. 1.
  • ROMWE – 50 percent off sitewide through September. This offer is exclusive to Coupons.com users.
  • BCBG - Save 50 percent off select sportswear styles through Sept. 13.

And if the deals this year are anything like 2014, the savings could be significant. My team at Nerdwallet found mark-downs at stores like Aeropostale and Old Navy boasted savings of 50 percent or more last September.

Additionally, you can try a new app while you shop calledRaise to save a little more. This free mobile app lets you buy and redeem discounted gift cards while shopping to save an average 16 percent from major stores and retailers.

And if you shop online, a new website called Paribus.co gets you an automatic refund if items bought online go on sale later. How it works: You shop at your favorite stores via Paribus’ website and if anything you buy goes on sale within the store’s price adjustment window (usually seven to 14 days), Paribus puts the savings on your credit card.

According to Paribus co-founder and CEO Eric Glyman, many members have saved $100 in the past couple of months and some families have pocketed over $500.

What’s On Sale? A New Mattress

September is a popular time for people to move or get married, which also makes it a relevant time to shop for a new mattress. Many retailers offer Labor Day sales and discounts to further entice shoppers. The holiday also is a good time to shop since you can make the time commitment to search and test mattresses.

Where’s The Deal? At Serta.com, buy any Serta iComfort or iSeries mattress through Sept. 14 and receive either a free standard box spring or up to $1,000 off a qualified Serta adjustable foundation.

Sears will also have sales Sept. 3-12, including up to 60 percent off Serta Coralee Queen Mattresses (sale price $178; regularly $449.99) and Sealy Talworth Queen Set Mattresses (sale price $387; regularly $999.99).

With the purchase of certain mattress sets, customers will receive free gifts on the same day such as a $300 Sears award card, specialty pillows, a 32” LED HDTV, compact fridge, etc.

What’s On Sale? Plane Tickets for Holiday Travel

September is a wise time to book holiday flights – especially for Thanksgiving. Data from Expedia shows that the best prices for air tickets are about 60 days out from the date of travel – so booking in mid to late September for the Thanksgiving holiday would be “optimal.”

That said, Thanksgiving (and the entire holiday season) is a busy travel time, so best to begin booking travel for popular destinations (and destinations with limited flight options) soon.

Where’s The Deal? Check travel sites like Travelocity, Expedia, Kayak etc. to find the best deals. According to ARC data from Expedia, buying a ticket 50 to 100 days before the departure date results in an average savings of $85.

What’s On Sale? A 2015 Car

August and September are the best months to buy a current model year car, according to researchers at Edmunds.com, because dealerships want to make way for the upcoming model year. The average discount in September (based on last year’s levels) is 9 percent. It’s slightly better in December, 10 percent, but by then you may be left with slim pickings, says Jeannine Fallon of Edmunds.com.

Where’s The Deal? You can find a number of sales events including:

  • The VW Model Year End Sales Event. This offers a variety of lease deals and zero percent APR deals that also include cash back in the form of a reward card.
  • Ford’s Free Ride Sales event that has zero percent financing for 72 months (longer than usual) and $1,000 cash back.

Remember, you should always look to negotiate the price. Among other things, this is a great time to mention offers you’ve seen elsewhere.

“There are so many deals out there on such a wide variety of models that as long as the shopper is interested in outgoing model year vehicles, there should be attractive lease, finance, and cash offers,” says Fallon. You can find a list of current auto incentives and rebates at Edmunds.com/car-incentives.

Farnoosh Torabi is a financial editor with Nerdwallet.com.