Re: starting to get close to the holiday season....

REI just had one of their sales where you can get 20% off, but it seems like they had another one before Christmas last year. One of my local stores is having their garage sale in 3 weeks but unfortunately I will be out of town. They are a good place to find some great deals on some barely used items. You have to be there when the doors open to get the best deals.

If I get a price that I consider to be a good deal when I buy it, then I try not to fret over whether it is the best possible price I could conceivably get. You can make yourself crazy that way, what with the extreme variability in pricing these days.

It will probably depend on how much stores such as REI feel they need to stimulate holiday sales this year. Normally, January has the best sales.

Our local "Camp Coleman" outlet store has some amazing deals about a month before Christmas. I don't know if their web site does as well but it'd be worth checking.