2014 Edition of Tax FREE Weekend!

Jul 15 by Paul Ivanovsky Leave a Comment

Tax free weekend 2014 is coming up for most of us, starting August 8th if you are in Texas! It is hard to get excited about a sale where you are saving 8.25% BUT the sales that they run on top of that are killer!

The tax free weekend for general merchandise purchased in Texas is scheduled for August 8 -10th, 2014 and applies to the following items:

Clothing and footwear under $100
School supplies under $100
Backpacks under $100 for elementary and secondary students
Includes layaway items

Keep in mind, too, that not all general merchandise items are included in the sales tax holiday. For example, cowboy boots and climbing boots are tax-free, but ski boots are still taxed during Texas’ tax free weekend. In fact, many sporting goods are not included in the sales tax holiday at all in Texas, like cleats, football pads, and protective helmets, so make sure that you read Texas’ Sales Tax Holiday web page before heading out to the mall.

States Offering a Tax Free Weekend (or Week) in 2014:

Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Iowa
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
Missouri
New Mexico
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia

TIPS ON HOW TO SPEND $20 OR LESS ON BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES

There are two separate lists of items that qualify for TAX FREE status. The first one is the list of qualifying clothing, footwear and other items. The second list is the School Supplies. The (T) means taxable and the (E) means exempt

A

Accessories (generally) (T)
Adult diapers (E)
Alterations (T)
Aprons (household) (E)
Aprons (welders) (T)
Athletic socks (E)

B

Baby bibs (E)
Baby clothes (E)
Baby diapers (cloth or disposable) (E)
Backpacks (unless for use by elementary/secondary students) (T)
Baseball accessories
Bathing caps (T)
Belt buckles (T)
Belts with attached buckles (E)
Belts for weight lifting (T)
Bicycle shoes (cleated) (T)
Blouses (E)
Boots (general purpose) (E)
Bow ties (E)
Bowling shirts (E)
Bowling shoes (rented and sold) (T)
Bras (E)
Buttons and zippers (T)

C

Camp clothes (E)
Caps (baseball, fishing, golf) (E)
Chef uniforms (E)
Children’s novelty costumes (E)
Chest protectors (T)
Clerical vestments (E)
Cloth and lace, knitting yarns, and other fabrics (T)
Clothing repair items, such as thread, buttons, tapes, and iron-on patches (T)
Coats and wraps (E)
Corsages and boutonnieres (T)
Coveralls (E)

D

Diapers (cloth and disposable) (E)
Dresses (E)
Dry cleaning services (T)

E

Elbow pads (T)
Embroider (T)
Employee uniforms (unless rented) (E)

F

Fabrics, thread, buttons, lace, patterns, knitting yarns (T)
Fins (swim) (T)
Fishing boots (waders) (T)
Fishing caps (E)
Fishing vests (non-flotation) (E)
Football accessories

G

Gloves (generally) (E)
Goggles (T)
Golf accessories
Graduation caps and gowns (E)
Gym suits and uniforms (E)

H

Hair nets, bows, clips, and barrettes (T)
Handbags and purses (T)
Handkerchiefs (T)
Hard hats (T)
Hats (E)
Headbands (T)
Helmets (bike, baseball, football, hockey, motorcycle, sports) (T)
Hockey gloves (T)
Hooded shirts and hooded sweatshirts (E)
Hosiery, including support hosiery (E)
Hunting vests (E)

I-J

Ice skates (T)
Insoles (T)
Jackets (E)
Jeans (E)
Jewelry (T)
Jogging apparel (E)

K

Knee pads (T)
Knitted caps or hats (E)

L

Laundering services (T)
Leg warmers (E)
Leotards and tights (E)
Life jackets and vests (T)
Luggage (T)

M

Mask, costume (E)
Mask, protective – welder, umpire, swim (T)
Monogramming (T)

N

Neckwear and ties (E)
Nightgowns and nightshirts (E)

O-P

Overshoes and rubber shoes (T)
Pads (football, hockey, soccer, elbow, knee, shoulder) (T)
Paint or dust respirators and incidental supplies (T)
Painter pants (E)
Pajamas (E)
Pants (E)
Panty hose (E)
Patterns (T)
Personal flotation devices (T)
Pocket squares (T)
Protective gloves (T)
Protective masks (T)

R

Raincoats and ponchos (E)
Rain hats (E)
Religious clothing (E)
Rented clothing (including uniforms, formal wear, and costumes) (T)
Repair of clothing or footwear (T)
Ribbons (T)
Robes (E)
Roller blades (T)
Roller skates (T)

S

Safety accessories
Scarves (E)
Scout uniforms (E)
Sewing patterns (T)
Shawls and wraps (E)
Shin guards and padding (T)
Shirts (E)
Shirts (hooded) (E)
Shoe inserts (T)
Shoelaces (T)
Shoes (generally) (E)
Shoe shines (T)
Shoe repairs (T)
Shoulder pads (for dresses, jackets, etc.) (T)
Shoulder pads (football, hockey, sports) (T)
Shorts (E)
Shower caps (T)
Skates (ice and roller) (T)
Ski boots (snow) (T)
Ski suits (snow) (T)
Ski vests (water) (T)
Skirts (E)
Sleepwear, nightgowns, pajamas (E)
Slippers (E)
Slips (E)
Soccer socks (E)
Socks (E)
Sports helmets (T)
Sports pads (football, hockey, soccer, knee, elbow, shoulder) (T)
Suits, slacks, and jackets (E)
Sunglasses (except prescription) (T)
Support hosiery (E)
Suspenders (E)
Sweatbands (arm, wrist, head) (T)
Sweatshirts (E)
Sweat suits (E)
Sweaters (E)
Swimming masks and goggles (T)
Swimsuits (E)

T

Tennis accessories
Ties (neckties – all) (E)
Tights (E)
Track shoes and cleats (T)
Trousers (E)

U

Umbrellas (T)
Underclothes (E)
Underpants (E)
Undershirts (E)
Uniforms (school, work, nurse, waitress, military, postal, police, fire) (E)

V-W

Veils (E)
Vests (generally) (E)
Wallets (T)
Watch bands (T)
Watches (T)
Water ski vests (T)
Weight lifting belts (T)
Wet and dry suits (T)
Work clothes (E)
Work uniforms (E)
Workout clothes (E)
Wrist bands (T)

This list does not include all items that may qualify for exemption during the sales tax holiday. It provides examples only.

Sales Tax Holiday

All-inclusive list of qualifying school supplies (if priced less than $100)

Binders
Book bags
Calculators
Cellophane tape
Blackboard chalk
Compasses
Composition books
Crayons
Erasers
Folders; expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila
Glue, paste and paste sticks
Highlighters
Index cards
Index card boxes
Legal pads

Lunch boxes
Markers (including dry erase markers)
Notebooks
Paper; loose leaf ruled notebook paper, copy paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board, and construction paper
Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes
Pencil sharpeners
Pencils
Pens
Protractors
Rulers
Scissors
Writing tablets

CLICK HERE TO SEE YOUR STATES DATES

Taxed: Taxable items tend to be the more specialized, less necessary items of clothing such as jewelry, hair accessories, purses, football pants and golf gloves. Regular shoes (sandals, slippers, sneakers) are exempt, but cleated shoes, fishing boots and ballet slippers are not. A more complete list of exempt and non-exempt items can be found on the state of Texas website.

FREE Back To School Supplies PRINTABLE Walmart List

Jul 14 by Paul Ivanovsky 19 Comments

We are seeing a LOT more B2S deals! I want to make it as easy as possible for you, and so I did what most smart guys do and had my wife make me a spread sheet like the one she uses each for our kids. So that I can look cool and offer it to you guys to print free. I am really awesome that way 🙂

Seriously, it works. We spend about $80 a year on 6 kids school supplies by doing the following:

Print the Back To School Supply List
Get your kids school supply lists
Add the items into the spreadsheet (one sheet for ALL your kids)
Watch the sales for the next 5-6 weeks
If it is less then Walmarts price at any store, buy it.
If it is the same as Walmarts price wait a few weeks and see if it goes lower anywhere
About a week before your school starts, the things you are still missing, buy them at Walmart
Cross off items as you get them, so you are not overbuying

Thats it. Easy.

I am going to be posting ANY deal that I find, or that you see and email me, that we can price match at Walmart each week.

If you buy a little each week you can save a LOT of money.
Not get stuck right before school spending a bunch of money.
Don’t wait until the say before and everything is sold out.

This is basically what our sheet looks like. Except that my wife laminates ours (she is just that way) and it is on the fridge.

We combine all the kids supply lists into one sheet. Add the # of each item that we need. If there are certain folder colors they need we make a note. We cross off what we bought. The Walmart prices are listed as a reference in case we are in another store and are wondering if something is a good deal.

There is space at the bottom because I am assuming you might have different items your school is requiring. Or you can always just make one up that works for you better. But this is a method my wife has been using for a long time and it works.

Go HERE to print yours. Once you are there, just right click and select print to get it.

Let us know if you have a system that works!

Save $1 off 2 Five Star Notebook

Jul 14 by Paul Ivanovsky 3 Comments

We have had lots of discussion on the Facebook site about the FREE Mead Notebook deal. When I looked it up on the Mead Five Star website I saw that they were both from the same company. Honestly I was thinking that Five Star was the manufacturer and Mead was the type of product, not the other way around.

So, now that we have all the correct information, here is the deal that will work perfectly with this $1/2 Five Star Product, exp. 7/30/14 (P&G 07/06/14) coupon.
If you find any other great uses for this coupon please let us know.

Mead Five Star Notebooks: $1.97
$1/2 Five Star Product, exp. 7/30/14 (P&G 07/06/14)
Total: $1.47 each

Mead Five Star Notebook: $4.87
$1/2 Five Star Product, exp. 7/30/14 (P&G 07/06/14)
Total: $4.37

Walmart Back to School Deals 2014!

Jul 13 by Paul Ivanovsky 2 Comments

Back to School sales are in full effect! I feel like the kids just got out of school and we are already planning on them going back. These are the items in the Walmart ad for this week. You can price match deals if they are the same brand and quantity. I am working on great price match deals but wanted you to get started with these deals in the meantime.

Walmart July 13-19

Crayola Crayons: $0.50

Elmer’s Glue Stick twin Pack: $0.50

Mead 70Sheet Fashion Notebook: $0.50
Crayola Markers 10pk: $1.27

Crayola Colored Pencils 12pk: $1.27

Sterilite Pencil Box: $0.97

Crayola Washable Watercolors 8pk: $1.97

Fiskar ZPointed Tip or Blunt Tip Scissors: $1.47

Crayola Construction Paper 240 sheets: $4.96

Elmer School Glue Sticks 6pk: $1.97

Wide or College Ruled Filler Paper: $0.82

Composition Book 100 sheets: $0.50

Folders 2 Pocket: $0.50

Folders 2 Pockets with Prongs: $0.50

USA Gold No 2 Pencils 10pk: $1.84

Dixon No 2 Pencils 20pk: $0.97
Expo Dry Erase markers 5pk: $2.97
$1.25/1 Expo Ultra Fine Product, exp. 8/17/14 (SS 06/22/14)
Total: $1.72

Expo Dry Erase Markers 16pk: $14.97
$1.25/1 Expo Ultra Fine Product, exp. 8/17/14 (SS 06/22/14)
Total: $13.72

PaperMate mechanical Pencils 20pk: $2.77

Papermate 8pk pens: $4.77

Sharpie Permanent Markers 8ct: $3.97

Sharpie Permanent Markers Neon 4pk: $3.97

Bic Round Stick 10pens: $0.97

Papermate Inkjoy 100 Retractable Pens 12ct: $3.77

Neon Eraser: $0.25

Pilot G2 Ink Gel Pens 4pk: $3.97

Bic 0.07mm Mechanical Pencils 10pk: $1.46

Five Star 1Subject Notebook: $1.97
$1/2 Five Star Product, exp. 7/30/14 (P&G 07/06/14)
Total: $1.47

Five Star 5 Subject Notebook: $4.87
$1/2 Five Star Product, exp. 7/30/14 (P&G 07/06/14)
Total: $4.37

Avery 5 Tab 2 Pocket Dividers: $2.94

No 2 Pencils 72pk: $3.97

Be sure to check out the backpacks too.

FREE Sharpie Permanent Markers this week!

Jul 13 by Paul Ivanovsky Leave a Comment

Head over to Staples to pick up a twin pack of Sharpies Permanent Markers. They are only $1.99 but when you submit for your Easy Rebate you will receive that money back making them FREE! Limit 1 per customer, while supplies last.

NOTE: This is not a Walmart Deal!

Wet Ones Only $.98 Coupon & Ibotta Match Up at Walmart

Jul 7 by Paul Ivanovsky 2 Comments

$1.00 off two Wet Ones Wipes: Canister or Singles You might need these Wet Ones for your back to school supply list or just for around the house, either way you can score a great deal at only $1.48 a canister. We love carrying these in the car and our kids love having the singles in their backpacks.