Here\u2019s one way that overtaxed parents can find some relief while buying school supplies: skipping the sales tax.<\/p>\n
Back-to-school shopping is expected to reach an all-time high of $41.5 billion this year, up nearly $5 billion from last year, according to the National Retail Federation\u2019s 2023 expectations. Average spending on back-to-school shopping per household is estimated to hit a high of $890.07 \u2014 $25 more than last year\u2019s record.<\/p>\n
Back-to-college shoppers also plan on spending more on things like electronics and dorm or apartment essentials this year, with 43% saying their increased expenditure is due to a need for more items, the NRF added.<\/p>\n
And with big spending on school necessities comes a heightened desire to get the best deals possible \u2014 which is where tax-free holidays come in.<\/p>\n
\u00a0More than a dozen states that normally charge sales tax are holding weekend or week-long events over the next month or so that nix the sales tax from items that often pop up on school supplies lists.<\/p>\n
So for those still looking to save on clothes, supplies and electronic devices this back-to-school shopping cycle, the summer 2023 sales tax-free holiday season officially starts Friday, July 21, and runs through Sept. 4th.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you can take advantage of a sale on top of a 6% to 8% discount on sales-tax elimination, you\u2019re talking about a pretty sizable chunk of change,\u201d Marshal Cohen, the chief industry advisor at Circana, a consumer behavior and retail industry company, told MarketWatch.<\/p>\n
Katherine Cullen, the NRF vice president of industry and consumer insights, agreed.\u00a0\u201cParticularly with higher prices and inflation, even though people still feel comfortable spending, they are looking to make every dollar count,\u201d she told MarketWatch.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some shoppers have gotten an early start on saving, with 55% already making back-to-school purchases as of early July during sales events like Amazon Related:<\/strong> Amazon\u2019s Prime Day sales were driven by discounts \u2014 but inflation played a key role, too<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong> Amazon saw its best sales performance ever on first day of Prime Day<\/p>\n And Alabama \u2014 where students go back to school the first week of August \u2014 begins its sales tax-free celebrations on Friday. So back-to-school shopping is already in full swing there.<\/p>\n \u201cI just expect that this year there\u2019s going to be a lot of folks out shopping and trying to get some deals before school,\u201d Nancy Dennis, the director of public relations at the Alabama Retail Association, told MarketWatch.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dennis <\/strong>said many Alabama businesses participating in the holiday started their sales earlier this week, and some plan to extend their hours through the weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n But for those who don\u2019t live in Alabama, or one of the other states listed below, shoppers can still take advantage of back-to-school deals by simply traveling to the participating states to do their shopping. And Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon don\u2019t ever<\/em> charge sales tax, so shoppers can take a trip to do some tax-free shopping in those states, too.<\/p>\n So here\u2019s the list of all 17 states holding sales tax-free holidays this summer, which have been drawn from the\u00a0Federation of Tax Administrations website.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>July 21-23<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing up to $100 per item; computers and computer software up to $750 per single purchase; school supplies for up to $50; books for up to $30. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 5-6<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing up to $100 per item; clothing accessories or equipment up to $50 per item; electronic devices with no maximum price per item; school supplies including art supplies and instructional materials with no maximum per item. See the complete list here.\u00a0<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 20-26<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing and footwear (excluding accessories and protective or athletic clothing) up to $100 per item. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>July 24-Aug. 6<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles up to $30 per item; most school supplies up to $50 per item; clothing, footwear and accessories up to $100 per item; computers and related accessories up to $1,500 per single purchase. See the complete list here.\u00a0<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 4-5<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing and footwear for up to $100 per item. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 13-19<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing and footwear up to $100 per item; backpacks and book bags for the first $40 per item. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 12-13<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>All tangible personal property up to $2,500 (not including vehicles, food, alcohol, gas, certain utilities, tobacco, marijuana). See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>July 28-29<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing, footwear and accessories up to $100 per item. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 4-6<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing and diapers up to $100 per item; computers and other electronic devices up to $1,500 per single purchase; graphing calculators up to $150 per item; computer software up to $350 per single purchase; school supplies up to $50 per item. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 26-Sept. 4<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>School and art supplies <\/strong>with no maximum price per item; instruction materials with no maximum price per item; computers up to $3,000 per single purchase. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 4-6<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing, diapers and footwear up to $100 per item; computers up to $1,000 per single purchase; computer equipment up to $500 per item; school supplies up to $30 per item. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n When: <\/strong>Aug. 4-6<\/p>\n What\u2019s for sale: <\/strong>Clothing up to $75 per item; school supplies up to $20 per item; school instructional materials up to $20 per item. See the complete list here.<\/p>\n
\n AMZN,
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\n Prime Day and Target
\n TGT,
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\n Circle Week, the NRF said.<\/p>\nAlabama<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Arkansas<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Connecticut<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Florida<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Iowa<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Maryland<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Massachusetts<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Mississippi<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Missouri<\/strong><\/h2>\n
New Jersey<\/strong><\/h2>\n
New Mexico<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Ohio<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Oklahoma<\/strong><\/h2>\n