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Q: Many states have tax-free weekends coming up. Do you recommend that parents shop during that time for school essentials?

Definitely! The rules can vary from state to state, but generally, residents can shop tax-free for most clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks that are sold for less than $100. That’s an automatic savings of anywhere from 2.9-7% and these savings can be combined – in most cases – with other sales and offers.  You can find info about your state at taxadmin.org

 

Q: Are there any other special savings opportunities we should know about?

For clothing to school supplies, be sure to take advantage of the birthday event from Couponcabin.com. From July 26 – August 8 only, CouponCabin will be celebrating its 18th birthday by offering 3x cash back at dozens of stores, like Nike, Office Depot, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, and more. The cashback earnings will be substantial, which means substantial savings of all your new back-to-school gear.

 

Q: Any tips for tweens & teens?

Resist the urge to buy all your kids’ clothes before school starts. Kids can be impressionable, and they might be drawn to new trends in the first few weeks of school. You’ll be glad you reserved some of your budget! Also, Fall styles are more likely to be discounted later in the fall.

Also, older kids often like to shop for themselves. Friends and family who would like to contribute can send a customized gift card for them! Build-a-Card from GiftCardGranny allows you to upload a photo to a Visa or Master Card gift card with a personalized message. They usually ship the same day, so it’s even a fun last-minute gift that can be used at any retailer. This is a great way for family members who don’t live close to send spending money for Back-to-School shopping!

 

Q: What are some other things our viewers should keep in mind regarding Back-to-School sales?

  • We talked about helpful resources like CouponCabin, but don’t ignore traditional coupons that you can find in your newspaper, weekly circulars, or Valpak. You can find valuable savings on school supplies.
  • If you don’t have school-aged kids, don’t ignore these sales! If you think about it, Back to School sales are on things we all use, like clothing, footwear, and office supplies.
  • If you’re feeling overwhelmed, many retailers, including Walmart, Amazon, and Target, offer helpful suggestions for Back-to-School essentials.
  • The dollar store can also be a good place to find inexpensive composition notebooks, folders, and project supplies, like poster board and foam core. I would skip the pens and binders, though, because the quality often isn’t there.

Click here to view the original segment on ABCNews.go.com.

Related: Dozens of Back to School deals