Top Shopping Tips For Texas Tax Free Weekend 2013
Ready
to do a little tax-free shopping this summer? The Texas Tax Free weekend
has been scheduled for August 9 - 11, 2013.
Those three days, Texas shoppers can skip paying taxes on clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks priced at $100 or less!
Here are a few of my favorite shopping tips to help you successfully navigate your tax-free shopping:
Those three days, Texas shoppers can skip paying taxes on clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks priced at $100 or less!
Here are a few of my favorite shopping tips to help you successfully navigate your tax-free shopping:
·
The tax free exemption counts toward any valid item under $100,
even if you wind up spending more than $100 in a single transaction. For
example, if you buy three kids each a new pair of $50 sneakers, your $150 worth
of purchases are all tax-free.
·
Items over $100 are still charged sales tax -- so you can't buy
a $200 coat and only pay sales tax on $100 of it.
·
Lay-away plans can be used to help spread costs out
across several paycheck cycles, so check and see if your store offers it!
·
Messenger bags and backpacks with wheels qualify for tax free
exemptions, as long as they can be worn on the body like a traditional
backpack. Wheeled luggage sadly doesn't qualify.
·
Baby clothes and diapers are tax free as well -- so this is a
terrific weekend to coupon for baby gear!
Saving Money On Back To School Shopping: A Quick Guide
Want to
save more money on your list of back to school items this year?
The average family spends over $100 per child on new clothes, shoes, school supplies, and more at the beginning of every school year.
If you still need more money-saving ideas on back to school shopping, here are four more suggestions to consider:
The average family spends over $100 per child on new clothes, shoes, school supplies, and more at the beginning of every school year.
If you still need more money-saving ideas on back to school shopping, here are four more suggestions to consider:
- Host a clothing swap. This would be an easy and fun summer activity for your circle of friends, especially if you have kids of similar ages and sizes. Just invite everyone to bring their clean and gently used clothing to the party, and trade off while the kids run around in the backyard. Older kids may want to host their own swaps, so they can have more control over what comes home with them and/or can try items on before agreeing to a trade.
- Clean out your kids' closets for extra cash. Sites like ThredUp or Twice are willing to pay good money for your kids, tweens, and teens' gently used items, especially if they're name brands. You can earn cash to take with you to the mall, or to turn around and use right on the site itself for even more savings. If you don't like shopping online, check out clothing consignment stores in your area like Plato's Closet or Clothes Mentor.
- Shop thrift stores in ritzy zip codes. The more expensive areas of town usually have a better range of clothing available in their thrift shops. Here in San Antonio, for example, I really like shopping the Salvation Army on 281 N in the Stone Oak area -- you'd be shocked at the deals you can find there on higher-end labels!
