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Tesco 3x2 Special

Update 8/8: Taxes are back as of last nigt at 12am. Early reports indicate a sucessful weekend. 

Local businesses both large and small are reporting great slaes for this years tax-free holiday. The big winners were of course computers, but not the desktops of old, tablets ruled this year. Some local businesses say that thier sales for the season have been down but thanks to this weekend business picked up nicely. 

Head on over to both CarolinaLive.com and SCnow.com for their S.C. sales tax holiday coverage, including video. 

If you missed out on this years tax holiday, you won't be able to hop the border to North Carolina to grab deals there as their sales tax weekend was also held this past weekend too. 

First Report:South Carolina's annual "back to school" three-day sales tax holiday will be the first weekend in August, beginning Friday, August 5, 2011 at 12:01 a.m. and end Sunday, August 7, 2011 at midnight. This annual tax break event is to encourages SC citizens to purchase various needed school supplies without giving Uncle Sam any of of your money. Since back to school shopping season is the second largest retail season, behind Christmas, a tax break could save you some serious dough. 

During the three-day sales tax holiday, the 6% state sales and use tax, and any applicable local sales and use tax, will not be imposed on the following:

• Clothing & clothing accessories (e.g., hats, scarves, hosiery, and handbags)
• Footwear
• School supplies (e.g., pens, pencils, paper, binders, notebooks, books, bookbags, lunchboxes, and calculators)
• Computers, printers and printer supplies
• Computer software
• Bath wash clothes, blankets, bed spreads, bed linens, sheet sets, comforter sets, bath towels, shower curtains, bath rugs and mats, pillows, and pillow cases

The sales tax holiday, however, does not apply to sales of jewelry, cosmetics, eyewear, wallets, watches, furniture, rental of clothing or footwear, items for use in a business, or items placed on layaway or similar deferred payment and delivery plans.

For a complete run down on the tax break code and all items check out the SC DOR website. 

An information graphic by GDS Infographics showcases how much money we spend on back to school shopping. Large version here.