What2Buy in October

October was originally the 8th month, not the tenth. Those ancient Romans made the change. So what used to be a hot summer month has become our month noted for gorgeous fall colors, Columbus Day holiday and preparing ourselves for winter.

When it comes to being frugal first look to the supermarkets for deals. The summer bounty has dwindled, but there are still good foods that offer good deals and good meals available. October is also the entry for some of the better traditional fall foods.

On the tail end of their season are broccoli, grapes, pomegranate, lettuce, spinach and sweet potatoes. New foods coming into season, and with increasingly lower prices, are apples, cranberries, pumpkins and winter squash.

The Frugal Yankee is a big believer in eating seasonally. Simply stated it is buying those foods that are the freshest and cheapest. For example, as we get further into this month, cranberries will keep getting less expensive. Wait until the price bottoms out and grab a couple of bags of cranberries. Toss one or two into the freezer for future use.

Food isn't the only sale items. Appliances, especially in this economy, will be advertised like crazy for this Columbus Day holiday. The economy is one reason why appliances will be on sale. The other reason, is new models have rolled into the showrooms last month. Before settling on a new year model, consider getting one of last year's models, maybe even one with some scratches. It is not like the washer or dryer is on display in your living room. A ding in the new fridge, especially on the side facing a wall, is no bigger especially if the savings is worthwhile.

If you own a house, fall could be an excellent time to buy some landscaping trees or plants. The selection may not be great, but the deals will be sweet as nurseries will be looking to clear inventory before the snows fly. The Frugal Yankee would strongly suggest buying fruit trees or other bushes that can be more than decorative. If the ground is frozen before you plant, most plants can winter over. Find out how by asking the nursery experts. Then plant them next spring.

Not unlike nurseries, hardware stores, big box or local indie, will be looking to unload summer inventory. One item to check out would be BBQ grill. Same rules apply.

Perhaps the biggest concern many of us have come in October. Securing health insurance is a confusing and difficult task. Policy rates rarely drop at this time of year, but for employer health insurance plans, open enrollment occurs. Not adjusting your plan at this time could easily lock last year's insurance choices. This could hurt your family's costs during the course of the upcoming year. A good source to help you in this decision comes from Kiplingers.Get the Best Deal on Health Insurance