Health & Fitness
Georgia Tax Free Holiday
After a hiatus, the Georgia sales tax holiday is back - yay! Unfortunately it starts after many kids have already returned to classes - boo!
UPDATED: 2:45 p.m.
If you have kids getting ready to head back to school don't rely on the Georgia sales tax holiday to stock up and save on an all those supplies you need before classes start. For some reason the powers that be decided that the tax free holiday would fall on Aug 10th/11th, which is great, but it happens to be after many school districts are back in session.
The tax free holiday covers clothing, school supplies and computers. I would love to take advantage of the holiday especially as I have a rising freshman at UGA and laptops are...well...expensive. Unfortunately for me move-in day at UGA is on Aug 8th and although I guess we could wait till the weekend after to buy the computer, it really is not practical or wise to wait until the last minute.
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Some counties, Cherokee and Paulding for example, start as early as Aug. 1st; I am guessing those folks can't wait until the 10th to pick up supplies. Gwinnett, Coweta and Douglas counties are already in class by the 6th and Forsyth by the 9th. Fulton County Schools head back on August 13th but their information days, when students typically schlepp in all their supplies, are the week before that so it may be too late for many of them also.
I know that some folks avoid the crowds on tax free weekend like the plague. But for those with several kids in school or with a limited amount to spend on supplies, laptops and back to school clothing, the tax break is a tremendous help.
Find out what's happening in Alpharetta-Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The National Retail Federation states that that "the average person with children in grades K-12 will spend $686.62 on their children". That seems like a lot but if you have been out buying backpacks, binders, paper, sneakers etc. you know how quickly that adds up. Have more than one kid in school and it is easy to see why some families really rely on the tax free holiday.
I am very grateful that the tax free holiday for back to school items has returned. However, I really wish that more thought had gone into the timing. It should be held early enough that those who wish to take advantage of it could do so when it would be most beneficial i.e., before our kids actually go back to school!
