DES PERES, Mo. — Missouri's sales tax holiday weekend is underway and there are some changes this year. Change isn't a bad thing, this year all cities and counties must observe the tax holiday. You can shop anywhere, even online.
Yes, the tax break is designed for back-to-school, but you don't have to be a parent or a student to save this weekend. Sean Phillips with West County Center tells 5 On Your Side, "Even if you don't have kids or your kids are grown, come out and do some shopping for clothing or computers and you can save a lot of money."
He's right, Missouri's tax holiday weekend extends beyond pens and pencils.
"There's no tax on any clothing item or shoes that are valued a hundred dollars or less," Philips explained. "Also computers that are valued $1,500 or less are also tax free as well as other computer equipment that goes with it."
A MacBook Air will cost you $1,299 and not $1,428. Most sales tax, state and local, stack up to around 10%.
"The state lifted all the other little taxes," Buckle District Store Manager Matt Hill told 5 On Your Side, "You know, municipalities and cities were in and out of the participating, but this year it is 100% tax-free."
It's not a rebate, stores handle the temporary tax change. Hill says shoppers don't have to do anything.
"All you have to do is get your card or your cash out and we take care of all the rest," Hill said. "You'll be able to see it on your receipt, there will be no sales tax involved."
Even small savings add up for moms like Elizabeth Oglesby. Her son Ronnie is going into 7th grade in the Rockwood School District.
Oglesby rattles off what's on Ronnie's list.
"Pens, pencils, papers, folders, an expensive calculator...all the fun stuff," Oglesby said.
The graphing calculator Ronnie needs is tax-free if bought this weekend. So are most first-day of-school outfits. Oglesby says she'll be looking for jeans this year.