Labor Day Sales and Deals

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - National retailers are offering some attractive Labor Day weekend deals in an effort to entice recession-racked shoppers to loosen their purse strings.

"Retailers know it still takes incentives to bring people into stores and encourage them to buy, so we're seeing a lot of aggressive promotions," Ellen Davis, vice president at the National Retail Federation, told US News and World Report .

Here's a primer on some of the best Labor Day deals:

The Home Depot is featuring deals on grills, paint, and bathroom gear, such as vanities and faucets. Online shoppers can get free shipping, as well as 10 percent off energy-saving appliances such as washers and dryers.

JC Penney is offering free shipping on online orders over $49, as well as half-off furniture and mattresses. Shoppers can find storewide discounts on everything from clothes to jewelry to home-related goods.

Online shoppers at Macy's who spend more than $99 over the holiday weekend can get free shipping, and clearance items are an additional 25 percent off.

CVS shoppers can get 25 percent off of beauty products through September 6, while online shoppers can get free shipping on orders over $49 as well as $10 off orders of at least $50.

Best Buy shoppers can snag a Samsung 46-inch HDTV and Blu-ray player for just under $1,000 and get as much as 15 percent off television stands.

And if you want to buy a new car, this weekend is the time to do it.

Juan Flores, director of vehicle valuation for Kelley Blue Book, told The New York Times that Labor Day is traditionally the best time to buy a car, as manufacturers offer generous incentives on current-year models to clear them out and make room on dealer lots for vehicles from the next model year.