Tax Free Shopping - great for Back to School (tip)

[noehlp]

I know a lot of states (if not all?) are going to be having Tax-Free Shopping weekends for Back-to-School upcoming.

Ours is this weekend.

I suggest to all of you to go to your local shopping malls' website, and sign up for any newsletters or clubs they may have.

We have one local mall (Lindale) that does tons of promotions - though I haven't gotten one too recently.

BUT, the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, just sent out an email today, if you print the email and bring it into the main part of the mall this Saturday (first day of the tax free weekend) you get a $10 gift card. Though, there is a limit of cards availabe, and it's first come/first serve. If I get up early enough, I am gonna give it a shot!

 

Hopefully this will help some of you. Sign up for mall newsletters and clubs, you just never ever know what you can get for free/cheap.

[HansieDZ]

Indiana has never had a tax-free day for anything. It would be kinda nice though.

Happy shopping!

[laffnatu]

Tax free weekend for NC this upcoming weekend.

[Rockfordmom]

Indiana has never had a tax-free day for anything. It would be kinda nice though.

Happy shopping!

IL has never had one before, it's our first one, I'd check if Indiana is doing it too.

[noehlp]

Indiana has never had a tax-free day for anything. It would be kinda nice though.

Happy shopping!

You should take a drive to Iowa this weekend! :)

[AndreaInNC]

Tax free weekend for NC this upcoming weekend.

Yep - can't wait. It's been all over the news the past few weeks with announcement just how much money the state loses this weekend. They thought of not doing it this year, but they figured the retailers needed the money more than the state. Apparently our state gives up a few million dollars in revenue to run this.

[Rockfordmom]

Here they said on the news that the figure that they will make up the tax money from the additional things people will buy with the money that they save

[noehlp]

I'll add to my original tip, not only signing up for the newsletters, but also just visiting each mall website that you may go to during the Tax Free Shopping. I just ventured over to Tanger Outlet, and there's now a printable 20% off a single item.

Also, if they are a bigger mall, they may list individual store sales and sometimes even specific store coupons. Just like the Tanger Outlet mall's website closest to me. These are printable coupons!

And if you join Tanger Club, you can also get a coupon booklet - though I did join that one year a long time ago, and I was not super enthused about it - however if you can utilize it on a Tax Free holiday for BTS clothes, you might as well.

 

Honestly, I've finished most of my kids' back-to-school shopping - I just love clearance racks! I think we will venture out to try and get one of those $10 gift cards this weekend (in the OP) and then I believe either Jc Penney's or it's Younkers has an extra 70% Off their Clearance prices - so definitely going to check that out!

[noehlp]

One observation I had recently.

 

I was shopping at Kohl's and my youngest was trying on some clearance tops for school in the fitting room. There was this lady, I know she had at least 3 kids trying on school uniform pieces. Without a doubt, she had at least $500 worth of uniforms in her buggy, of which none were on sale. I wanted to give her a 'shoulda had a v-8' slap on the forehead. If the clothing you need doesn't go on sale ever, then you have to take advantage of the Tax Free holidays and also printable store coupons. Imo anyway.

[KC-Traderbear]

One observation I had recently.

 

I was shopping at Kohl's and my youngest was trying on some clearance tops for school in the fitting room. There was this lady, I know she had at least 3 kids trying on school uniform pieces. Without a doubt, she had at least $500 worth of uniforms in her buggy, of which none were on sale. I wanted to give her a 'shoulda had a v-8' slap on the forehead. If the clothing you need doesn't go on sale ever, then you have to take advantage of the Tax Free holidays and also printable store coupons. Imo anyway.

That's how it alllll balances out with those of us who love to find bargains/use coupons, etc..... That lady is among those who keep the balance on the retail scale!! :))) (...and I'm sure the type of shopper that the stores would rather see more of!)

[brithug00]

Im so obsessed with sale shopping, that i just dont "get" these people who just walk into a store and pay full price for whatever they need/want. I just cant do it! My sister in law always says she doesnt have time or whatever to do a little research and shop sales, use coupons etc. I cant imagine living that way!

[Rockfordmom]

I know several people that say they don't have the time or patience and just pay full price for everything. I don't think if I had lots & lots of money that I would ever stop how I shop!

[biomajor]

Thanks Patty!! My daughter has decided on a MacBook Pro and with the money she's saving on Educational Discount and the taxes, she will probably hit the Prime Outlet . I'll make sure she checks their site before she goes out tomorrow

[mom2monkiesx3]

Well honestly I avoid tax-free weekend like the plague. The malls/stores are always INSANE. We actually have the chance to do BOTH New Mexico and Texas tax-free weekends. Honestly I would never go to an advertised "sale" that was 7.25% off everything...BUT I do realize that the real savings is in the additional sales they usually combine..I shop alone with 3 kids and its just not worth the madness to me...maybe everywhere is not as insane?

 

Just order everything from Amazon, they don't charge me tax

[KC-Traderbear]

Well honestly I avoid tax-free weekend like the plague. The malls/stores are always INSANE. We actually have the chance to do BOTH New Mexico and Texas tax-free weekends. Honestly I would never go to an advertised "sale" that was 7.25% off everything...BUT I do realize that the real savings is in the additional sales they usually combine..I shop alone with 3 kids and its just not worth the madness to me...maybe everywhere is not as insane?

 

Just order everything from Amazon, they don't charge me tax

I agree. The only time I've ever participated was last year when I needed a new Mac and it happened to be toward the end of the summer. So, I just waited a few weeks and saved another 9 1/2 percent in taxes to get something that I was going to get anyway. The line sucked a bit, and if I had to wait even one more minute past the 45 minutes I had to wait--- I would have said no way. It was the only time I've ever even considered it to be worth the hassle of a crowd. There are so many other better times of the year to stock up on school stuff like clothes, shoes, and the smaller dollar items.

[noehlp]

OMG! Go hit Younkers!!!! TONS and TONS of clearance yellow dot racks, take an extra 70% off lowest price!

 

I scored a pair of boys plaid swim trunks for $6 (reg $30), a pair of boys Ramped Up Pin Stripe boys shorts (black w/ blue stripes) for $6 or so (reg $28)- these shorts are VERY dressy looking.

 

Also, make sure you check out the home section. I so wish I had the extra money for dishes, as they had some 16pc Sango Dinnerware sets that would have been about $19 after the 70% off.

 

In yesterday's newspaper, the younkers ad had a shopping pass for an extra 20% off sale items (not including yellow dot), but I used that on a nice dressy work shirt for myself that was on 'sale' for $5.99 (reg $34), then took 20% off!

[nick_jenni_jocelyn]

Alabama's tax free weekend is this weekend and i went last year and it is a mini-BF, lol. The lines are long, the traffic is crazy and I love it! Although I am working my PT job at Target this weekend, I am sure I will be busy. Our county is 8% sales tax and I told my DH that I wasn't going out since to me it's not worth saving $2-$4 but I might pick up my daughter some things this weekend on my 15 minute breaks and I have been eyeing up a pair of really cute hiking shoes, lol. Jefferson County, which is north of me, does not participate in a tax free weekend and their sales tax is 10 percent, so those people just drive down here, lol.

[Rockfordmom]

Here's a list of dates for states that are participating courtesy of TRU

http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=4381830&csu=942373&csc=941909&csm=151229998&csa=151198714

[Aaron]

Looks like Georgia isn't doing a Tax Free Weekend this year, I guess I'll have to go across the border into Alabama!

[Elmck]

I ventured out today because DD has outgrown all her school clothes, shoes, underclothes, socks etc!! She's been wearing flip flops most of the summer but her shoe size went from a 3 1/2 to a 5 1/2. We got a lot of it bought today. Sales were good, we found things she liked and so did I and no tax. thanks OP

[Kara1204]

One observation I had recently.

 

I was shopping at Kohl's and my youngest was trying on some clearance tops for school in the fitting room. There was this lady, I know she had at least 3 kids trying on school uniform pieces. Without a doubt, she had at least $500 worth of uniforms in her buggy, of which none were on sale. I wanted to give her a 'shoulda had a v-8' slap on the forehead. If the clothing you need doesn't go on sale ever, then you have to take advantage of the Tax Free holidays and also printable store coupons. Imo anyway.

Ummm....since when do we call shopping carts "buggies" here in Iowa???? LOL

[noehlp]

I ventured out today because DD has outgrown all her school clothes, shoes, underclothes, socks etc!! She's been wearing flip flops most of the summer but her shoe size went from a 3 1/2 to a 5 1/2. We got a lot of it bought today. Sales were good, we found things she liked and so did I and no tax. thanks OP

Glad I could help! I hope you got lots of deals to, besides the tax-free part of it.

[noehlp]

Ummm....since when do we call shopping carts "buggies" here in Iowa???? LOL

HUSH Kara!!! lol

But I wasn't sure exactly what to call the thing you push around in Kohl's. It certainly is not a cart, imo, and it's not a basket - hmm, basket on wheels? lol

[Rockfordmom]

I don't usually shop at Target or Walmart on Sundays, but they were both absolutely packed yesterday. I didn't know if it was normal or because of the tax free shopping.

[AndreaInNC]

I totally missed it! I was too busy shopping for my home reno project!

[brithug00]

is there a chance anyone in Fl has any insight into the Target sale for no tax weekend? Its this coming weekend here, and i will be camping with the kiddies, but my MIL has a special discount to use this month on the target brands. Im wondering if they were running any specials to go along with the no tax, to make it worth it to send her into the madness. i was thinking sales on polos, pants etc? I know they ran a sale in the middle of july, but thought they might run another? were on uniforms here-so we stock up, because they dissapear for the rest of the year~

[alexusrydr]

I think the uniform stuff is already on sale. I'm pretty sure I saw the polos for $6 but not sure on the price of pants & skirts since I stocked up at Kohl's when I had a ton of $10 off $20 coupons.

[rogueleader]

Sorry, I don't "get" the whole tax free thing. Here in VA the limit on school supplies is tax free on the first $20 purchased. And on clothes it's tax free on the first $100. Sales tax is 5% here. That means if I spent my limit of $20 I saved myself a whopping dollar! If I spent my limit of $100 on clothes I could save $5 more. Yet every year people go CRAZY, the stores are packed. Is it worth waiting in line for $6? Have you ever thought about what your time is worth?

 

My biggest problem with the sales tax holiday is this, while the savings to the individual are negligible, the cumulative loss in profit to the state is staggering (in the range of 12 to 15 MILLION dollars!). I don't know about else where in the country but in VA we are having a significant budget crisis. We do not have enough money for education, layoffs and furloughs of state workers are rampant. How many teachers jobs could be saved with 15 million dollars? How many state workers? Don't get me wrong, I know government waste is everywhere, but for me saving $6 or even $100 (if it were possible) is not worth someone's job.

[AndreaInNC]

In NC, our state said that they would lose more than 12 MILLION dollars in revenue as well during tax free weekend - BUT - they knew that the stores needed the revenue and so to support the economy, they went ahead and did it.

 

Here were our limits - Clothing, footwear, and school supplies of $100 or less per item; school instructional materials of $300 or less per item; sports and recreation equipment of $50 or less per item, computers of $3,500 or less per item; and computer supplies of $250 or less per item.

 

Now what is funny as that if you have to return something - there is no key to not return the sales tax. I bought some clothes last year and I had to return them, and I ended up getting back more money than I spent - lol

[noehlp]

Sorry, I don't "get" the whole tax free thing. Here in VA the limit on school supplies is tax free on the first $20 purchased. And on clothes it's tax free on the first $100. Sales tax is 5% here. That means if I spent my limit of $20 I saved myself a whopping dollar! If I spent my limit of $100 on clothes I could save $5 more. Yet every year people go CRAZY, the stores are packed. Is it worth waiting in line for $6? Have you ever thought about what your time is worth?

 

I thought what you are reporting for clothing limit was odd.

This is what I found: (link: HERE)

"each eligible article of clothing and footwear must be priced at $100 or less"

&

"purchases of qualifying school supplies selling for $20 or less per item"

 

Under VA's Guideline's this is how it's worded:

"each school supply item with a selling price of $20 or less and each article of

clothing or footwear with a selling price of $100 or less."

 

So, from what I'm reading, you don't necessarily have a limit of total dollar amounts you spend.

Here an example:

you should be able to buy the following, all in one order, ALL exempt from the tax:

• $15 Student Binder
• $19.99 Calculator
• $1.00 Colored Pencils
• $3 Paper Notebook
• $20 T-shirt
• $40 Blue Jeans
• $10 Socks
• $40 another pair Blue Jeans
• $40 (two more shirts)
• etc etc

As long as each 'school item' costs less than $20 EACH (not a limit of $20 spent total) you are good. And as long as each clothing article costs less than $100 EACH (not a limit of $100, go ahead and spend $1,000 if you want) - you should be good.

 

I hope I helped. :) I don't think states do enough advertising and explaining of these wonderful tax holidays.