Texas’ Tax-Free Weekend Approaches, But Is It Worth It?

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Texas Tax-Free Holiday Weekend is coming August 6th-8th, 2021. Qualifying items will not incur sales tax during this time, saving families and individuals a little extra; the average sales tax rate in Texas is around 8 percent, including local surtaxes.

In essence, it's a savings of about 8 cents per dollar, 80 cents per $10, etc. Compared to retail sales offered as Back to School deals, it seems hardly worth the effort to me, unless of course those offers are "stacked."

I usually avoid clothing and school supply outlets during tax-free weekends, as it does seem like a huge amount of folks, many from outlying areas, descend upon the Hub City to take advantage of the deals. If it saves them money, I think that is great, but I consider my time waiting in line to be more of a cost than the tax-free savings could possibly cover.

I think the best possible way to take advantage of tax-free weekend would be to shop as much as possible online, because it is easier to comparison shop and it may prove to be a time-saver, depending on the layout of the website. The major drawbacks would be potential shipping costs, and the inability to try on clothes. But many stores still do not have their dressing rooms open anyway. I will say that I know that Lubbock's JCPenney does have their dressing rooms open, which proved to be a lifesaver when purchasing jeans. They're always sized just a little differently every time, aren't they?

Of course, this is also a great opportunity to support local retailers who will likely be less crowded than big box stores.

Planning to brave tax-free weekend anyway? Here's a list of qualifying items so you know exactly what to look for. In essence, it includes clothing, face masks, and footwear (but not sports-specific items like cleats or helmets) under $100. It does not include accessories like barrettes or materials to make your own clothing, like ribbon. It does include backpacks and messenger bags, but not purses or luggage, and items must be under $100. It includes specific school supplies but not tech-based items beyond calculators.

If you decide to brave the tax-free weekend, I wish you the best of luck finding great deals and may your checkout lines be short and swift.