Tax-Free Savings Await Eager Shoppers
State's 5th Annual Tax-Free Holiday Set To Begin Aug. 1
Mark the first weekend in August as a time of savings.
Shoppers from Texas and surrounding states will descend on stores in hopes of saving money as the state's fifth annual Sales Tax Holiday gets under way. Since 1999, the holiday has reportedly saved Texans about $150 million.
SALES TAX HOLIDAY CAN BE MONEY-SAVER
Christmas doesn't really come in August, but some Texas shoppers might feel that way.
For the fifth year, the annual Sales Tax Holiday on Aug.1-3 shortly before the start of the school year will allow families to stock up on some back-to-school items without paying sales taxes.
Certain items priced at less than $100 each may be purchased tax-free. Those items include many clothing items such as baby clothes, coats and wraps, dresses, gym suits and uniforms, jackets, robes, sweatshirts, shirts, sweaters, underwear and certain kinds of shoes.
The holiday provides exemptions from state and local sales taxes on most clothing and footwear priced at less than $100, which will save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend.
Some of the items excluded from the holiday include jewelry and watches, handbags, briefcases and wallets, clothing rentals, and repairs and alterations.
Consumers will be able to save money the first weekend of August, but only if they play it smart. Just because sales taxes won't be collected from selected items is no reason to go on a buying spree. The best savings will result from careful comparison shopping.
The advice to shoppers is:
- Carefully compare prices. Consumers should know where, in their communities, they are most likely to get the best prices for specific items.
- Look for reduced prices. When items are on sale or clearance, prices can be significantly lower than regular prices.
- Pay no sales tax. By shopping for specific items on Sales Tax Holiday, consumers can save money.
By combining all three tips, "careful comparison shopping can help consumers find sale items whose original price tag may have exceeded the $100 per item limit the Texas Sales Tax Holiday Exemption provides on Aug. 1, 2 and 3. Consumers who are price-sensitive know when a mark-down is a good deal. Some stores may offer special sales and promotions to get people to shop, but this may not be true for every store."
But remember, even when shopping at sales, consumers should keep their own personal finances firmly in mind. "The allure of sales and‘saving money' can lead some shoppers to buy more than they can afford. Shoppers should plan and set spending limits to avoid overspending.
LucyC:在美國買東西都要另外再加稅,不像台灣東西上的標籤都已經是含稅價了.又到了免稅的時候啦! 雖然只有短短的3天而且並不是每一樣東西都免稅,但是已經很難得了呢! 走吧~ 購物去囉! 咦?? 奇怪,怎麼聽到有人哀嚎說荷包又要大失血了ㄟ放心,跟我走,絕對讓你買到好東西又不會大失血喔! 要加入我的購物行列的人請舉手....=^.^/
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