Saving Money by Avoiding Sales Tax

Sixteen states are offering sales tax holidays this August, providing consumers with a couple of days to shop tax-free. Should you take the bait?

States with sales tax offer the sales tax-free days not only to give consumers a small taste of tax relief, but also to give retailers a boost in a typically slow month. While you can definitely save a bit on sales tax holidays, they can also make it tempting to buy stuff you don’t need.

If you’ve been saving up for a relatively big purchase, by all means plan to snap it up on a tax-free day. If you’re just hitting the mall because of the tax holiday, perhaps you should find something free to do instead.