Many states offer tax-free days in anticipation of purchases for the upcoming school year. Unfortunately, the state I live in and next to do not. Oh, how I miss Texas this time of year! Find the states and the dates of their tax-free days below which comes from http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sales_holiday.html. Happy shopping!
Alabama
August 7-9, clothing – $100, computers – $750, school supplies – $50, books – $30
Connecticut
August 16-22, clothing and footwear – $300
District of Columbia
August 1-9 & Nov. 27 – Dec. 6, clothing – $100, school supplies – $100
Georgia
July 30 – Aug. 2, school supplies – $20, clothing – $100, computer – $1,500
October 1-4, energy and water efficient products – $1,500
Iowa
August 7-8, clothing – $100
Louisiana
August 7-8 , all TPP – $2,500
Mississippi
July 31-August 1, clothing & footwear – $100
Missouri
August 7-9, clothing – $100, computers – $3,500, school supplies – $50
New Mexico
August 7-9, clothing – $100, computers – $1,000, school supplies – $15
North Carolina
August 7-9, clothing – $100, school supplies – $100, instructional material – $300, computers – $3,500, other comp. – $250, sports equip – $50
November 6-8, energy star products
Oklahoma
August 7-9, clothing – $100
South Carolina
August 7-9, clothing, school supplies, computers, other
Tennessee
August 7-9, clothing – $100, school supplies – $100, computers – $1,500
Texas
August 21-23, clothing and backpacks – $100
Virginia
August 7-9, clothing – $100, school supplies – $20
October 9-12, energy star products – $2,500
West Virginia
September 1 – November 30, energy star products – $5,000
I didn't know about this. Pretty awesome! My state and neighboring states aren't included. And I don't have money for a new computer this year. But maybe next year when I hope to get a new imac, I might plan for a trip. Combining a family vacation with saving a few hundred dollars on an expensive computer or energy star purchase would be a huge money saver.
*Note: If anyone else plans to do this . . . it's something that isn't really enforced for individuals, but most state laws have sales and use tax. It means that if the tax you pay in another state is less than the tax you pay in your home state, if you bring the product into your home state, you're supposed to pay the taxes then. Personally, I'm not worried about it. But I wouldn't buy something expensive for my small business that way.
Another thing to note . . . Apple has a sale in August that college students, or teachers will get a free ipod touch with purchase of a computer. So go to North Carolina with your id, get a student discount on the computer and a free ipod touch, and save by not paying tax too!
This should work out great for my family. I plan to home school, so I will do whatever I need to be able to qualify as a teacher for these types of programs. Then my family LOVES to go to Gatlinburg TN for vacation, and we often drive across the mountains to Cherokee, NC. Driving a bit further to an Apple store won't be a problem at all. Then all I'll need to do is schedule a few mystery shops along the way and be able to tax deduct my vacation mileage too!