October is good time to buy outdoor goods, jeans

BUY IT NOW

Seasonal remedy: Don’t feel blue that summer is over. Go out and buy blue jeans. October is one of the best times to buy denim clothing because retailers are trying to clear their shelves of this backto-school clothing staple. NerdWallet.com points out that discounts on denim are already revving up, with Hollister and American Eagle both offering sales on jeans. Many retailers are likely to offer “buy one/get one” deals on denim.

All outdoors: Outdoor living essentials rarely go out of style, which makes such items as camping gear, patio furniture, grills and smokers perfect for purchase during the end-of-season sales. Such items as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, hoses and garden tools hit their best prices this month, so if you have space to store this merchandise you should have plenty of opportunity to stock up.

Scare tactics: While the best time to buy holiday-oriented merchandise is usually the day after the holiday, not many people are all that eager to buy their costume for Halloween a year ahead of time, so it’s no surprise consumers are expected to spend a record $9.1 billion on Halloween merchandise this year. Still, DealNews.com says the days before Halloween also include heavily discounted costumes. Last year, BuyCostumes.com offered as much as 90 percent discounts in the two weeks before Oct. 31, and Spirit Halloween stores slashed prices on everything by $10.

THINGS TO EAT

Crunch time:It is apple picking season as well. Branstool Orchards in Utica, one of many in the region, has 37 varieties, including 15 that ripen in October — some popular ones are fuji, goldrush, jonagold, suncrisp, winesap, pink lady, snowsweet and topaz.

Early cheer: Great Lakes Brewing Co. is tapping its first keg of Christmas Ale on Oct. 26 at its Cleveland taproom, which means the annual best-seller will find its way into bars and stores in central Ohio soon after, along with numerous other brands of the popular seasonal brew.

CAR MATTERS

Smart leasing: While prices of new cars are climbing, there remain a number of lease offers for less than $199 per month. Edmunds.com looked at current deals and calculated the three-year costs, including up-front fees, and divided the costs by 36,000 miles. The lowest costs are for the Honda Civic and Nissan Rogue, which both are 23 cents per mile. Next are two Subuaru models, the Legacy and Impreza, which are 24 cents

per mile. The point of the analysis is to encourage customers to look at all fees, and realize that there can be large variation among models with the same monthly lease payment.

YOUR MONEY

Tuition help: Students going into in-demand occupations such as advanced manufacturing and computer programming may be able to get their tuition costs covered under a federal grant that’s been given to the state. The Ohio College Apprenticeship Consortium will reimburse participating students who complete pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs in occupations identified by local businesses as needing workers. Columbus State Community College is one of 10 community colleges in Ohio participating. For more information, go to Apprentice.Ohio.gov.

Looking good: JCPenney is working with Ohio State University on an event Sunday meant to advise students on what to wear for job interviews. Faculty, staff and alumni from Ohio State, along with members

of the JCPenney team, will offer insights on career fashion trends from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the JCPenney at Polaris Fashion Place. Ohio State students can get a 40 percent discount with a valid ID at the event.

Teachers & taxes: With school back in session, many teachers are reaching into their pocket to cover costs for classroom supplies, training and other expenses tied to their jobs. Keep track of those costs because they can be used to reduce what teachers pay in taxes. There are two methods teachers can use: Claiming the educator expense deduction of up to $250, for those who itemize their deductions, or claiming eligible work-related expenses as a miscellaneous deduction on Schedule A.

GETTING A JOB

The following job fairs are planned this month in central Ohio:

■ A Choice career fair is planned from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North — Worthington, 6500 Doubletree Avenue.

■ National Career Fairs plans a Columbus event from

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Hyatt Regency Columbus, 350 N. High St.

■ Black Expo America’s Diversity Career Expo is planned for noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Columbus State Conference Center, 315 Cleveland Ave.

■ A Recruit Military job fair is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St.

Holiday hiring: If you’re looking for seasonal work, many are available this year. Retailers, package handlers and warehouse-distribution centers all over the city have put out the call for holiday help. Check company career websites for open positions or visit ohiomeansjobs.gov to help locate something of interest.

THINGS TO DO

Some early fun: Get a jump on Halloween. Gahanna’s “Creepside” event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 21 at the city’s Creekside Park & Plaza, 117 Mill St. Everyone is invited to put on a costume and enjoy live music, games, a haunted trail and trick-or-treating. The event is free and family-friendly.