Best Things to Buy in October 2025

Don’t let all things pumpkin spice distract you from the big event this month: pre-holiday sales. It might seem a little soon to start your holiday shopping, but nearly half of consumers surveyed by Bankrate have begun checking items off their lists or plan to by Halloween.

“In October, you’re kind of hitting the shopping sweet spot,” says Mackenzie Shand, executive editor at BlackFriday.com, a website dedicated to Black Friday deals. “You have several major retailers hosting sales — and even if they aren’t calling them pre–Black Friday sales, they typically feature savings that are similar to what you’ll see during the Black Friday season.”

Here is a list of products you’ll find on sale in October.

Computers and electronics

Pre-holiday sales events at Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart will offer significant discounts on a range of tech products. “Whether you’ve been eyeing a new laptop, a smart home device, high-quality headphones or a large-screen TV, the upcoming sales provide a prime window to upgrade your gear or acquire new gadgets,” Shand says.

Amazon Prime Big Deals Days Oct. 7–8 will offer deals exclusively for Prime members. (You can sign up for a free 30-day trial.) Best Buy’s sale Sept. 28–Oct. 5 will offer discounted products only for My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total members. Walmart will offer all customers markdowns during its Walmart Deals event Oct. 7–11.

Where to look for deals: Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart

Potential savings: up to 50 percent off

Cookware and small appliances

October is a great time to replace any pots, pans, blenders or food processors that have seen better days after years of use. “Retailers start their pre-holiday cooking push, and brands offer great promotions to help get kitchens ready for Thanksgiving,” says Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping, a frugal-living website.

Target will offer discounts of up to 50 percent on small kitchen appliances during its Target Circle Week sales event, Oct. 5–11. These deals are available only to members of the retailer’s Target Circle loyalty program, which is free to join.

Where to look for deals: Amazon, Costco, Target, Walmart

Potential savings: 25 to 50 percent off

Fall apparel

Around mid- to late October, you’ll start seeing lower prices on sweaters, lightweight jackets and other fall apparel, as retailers make space for winter collections. “That means all that stylish fall stuff we kept telling you to wait on is now the smartest buy you can make,” Shand says.

Bonus: You’ll still have time to get wear out of your new fall apparel before the colder weather hits.

Where to look for deals: Gap, J. Crew, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Target

Potential savings: 25 to 40 percent off

Grills and patio furniture

Even if you’re not a snowbird who flocks to a sunnier locale in the winter, buying items in October for your outdoor space can make sense, as many retailers offer deep discounts on remaining grills and patio furniture. But act quickly to increase your chances of finding the items you want before they sell out.