Did you know that State Sales Tax Holidays begins this Friday, August 2, 2019 and ends on Sunday, August 4, 2019 in Florida?

• Arkansas  August 3-4
• Connecticut August 18-24
• Iowa  August 2-3
• Maryland  August 11-17
• Massachusetts August 17-18
• Missouri  August 2-4
• New Mexico August 2-4
• Ohio  August 2-4
• Oklahoma August 2-4
• South Carolina  August 2-4
• Texas   August 9-11
• Virginia  August 2-4

What is State’s Sales Tax Holiday?

Every year, at the end of summer, usually in August, various states organize days when shoppers don’t have to pay sales taxes on many purchases, such as school and office supplies, computers, electronics, and apparel. This holiday really helps with back-to-school shopping and can save you 4%-8%, depending on your state’s tax policy.

This kind of savings might not seem like a lot at first, but everything ads up, especially when we are talking about larger purchases, which are often unavoidable. According to statistics, an average household spends about $700 on back-to-school items and close to $1,000 on back to college shopping. First year of college shopping can cost even more. If all of those items qualify for tax breaks or if you are buying a computer for $1,100 or more, you can expect to save at least $50, which is no small deal.

What items are usually tax-free?

This largely depends on the state that you live in or shop in. The list can be very detailed and very specific sometimes. For example, in Maryland you will be able to buy belts tax-free, but not belt buckles. Given such tedious rules, the best course of action is to read the rules on your state’s resource site before heading out to shop and know what you can save on.

What are the best products to buy during tax-free holiday?

• School supplies

Tax-free holidays happen on weekends in August, which is the prime time for back-to-school discounts and shopping sprees. This way you can save double, so always plan your shopping trips carefully. The same products that get merchant discounts most of the time qualify for tax-free savings too.

You can take any school supply and see for yourself – 3-pack of Elmer’s Glue Sticks cost $4.97 at Walmart on a regular day. Two packages of this glue with 7% sales tax will set you back by $10.64. On back-to-school discount and tax-free weekend it’ll be just $5.94. That’s almost 50% savings!

• Diapers

During back-to-school shopping craze in August people often forget to hunt for other items that are priced just as good. One of such items is diapers. Tax-free weekends are great for stocking up on them, especially when you find extra store discounts and manufacturer coupons.

Take a look at this:

• Pampers Cruisers 22-count diapers cost $12.99 per pack at Walgreens
• The store sells them for $20 when you buy 2 packs
• Plus they will give you $3 coupon for buying 2 packs
• If you buy 2 packs on tax-free weekend your price per diaper goes from $0.63 to $0.39

• Spring and summer clothing

As soon as August starts, stores will start having sales on warm weather clothing to make room for fall and winter apparel. You can buy tank tops, dresses, and shorts for very cheap and still get a good 2 months of wear before you really need sweaters and jeans. Tax-free weekends can be a great time to stock up on them for fall, next spring, and for layering during cold weather.

Many retailers price summer clothes at $4 – $7 per piece, depending on category. In addition to that, there are other discounts to be had at the stores, such as 20% off extra. Add 7% off during tax-free weekends and you can get as much as 70% off for fashion and kids clothing.

When Shopping during Tax Free Days don’t forget to save even more with coupons:

• 50% OFF Back-To-School
• 70% OFF Sale Items
• Free Shipping with $75 Purchase

• Computers

If you live in Tennessee, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, South Carolina, or New Mexico, get ready to buy computers and computer equipment during their sales-tax weekends. If you are in the need of a tablet, consider buying Samsung Galaxy Tablet from Walmart. It usually costs $127.99, but gets discounted to $97.99 for back-to-school. Buying it during tax-free weekend will save you extra 7% and you will pay $97.99 instead of $136.99 on a regular day with sales taxes.

One thing to remember – all the states set a price thresholds or limits how much items can cost to qualify for sales tax exemptions. For example, in Virginia only less than $20 per item school supplies qualify for tax-free discount. In Missouri computers can’t be more than $1,500 to qualify.

Even with all the limitations, tax-free weekends are great times to buy and save with a little planning and research ahead of time.