South Carolina’s Tax Holiday

If you need to do some shopping, this weekend is the time to get it done. Beginning this weekend (Aug. 8 and 9), South Carolina shoppers will receive a sales tax break on back-to-school items.

The six percent state and local sales tax will be waived on certain purchases, including school supplies, clothing, footwear, computers, accessories and more. All consumers are eligible; shoppers need not to be prospective students to receive the tax break. For a list of eligible items, visit the SC Department of Revenue site.

In the past, the holiday tax break has saved shoppers upwards of $2.8 million. Experts have mixed opinions on how consumers will view this opportunity. Will it be enough of a break to get people in the shopping mood again? Or has the tough economy put a damper on consumers’ opinions of sales and tax holidays?

Projected sales are said to be lower than previous years, according to forecasts. On the contrary, spending on electronics is predicted to increase by 11 percent this year, according to the National Retail Federation.

For consumers, this is the weekend to make those back-to-school and other essential purchases. If you’ve been contemplating purchasing any of the listed items, now is your chance to save a little.

With stores expected to be a little busier than normal this weekend, it may be helpful to get an early start. The tax holiday has already begun and ends at midnight on Sunday, Aug. 9.

For a list of helpful shopping tips, click here.