Florida Back-to-School Tax Holiday starts Monday: What you can save on

TAMPA, Fla. - Florida's month-long Back-to-School Tax Holiday officially begins Monday, allowing families statewide to purchase computers, clothes and traditional school supplies completely tax-free. 

Florida tax-free holiday

What we know:

The following items are tax-exempt in Florida from Monday, July 20, through Thursday, Aug. 20.

• Personal computers or personal computer-related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use with a sales price of $1,500 or less.

Personal computer items

Personal computers include:

• Calculators
• Desktops
• Electronic book readers
• Handhelds
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Tower computers

The term does not include cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers or devices that are not primarily designed to process data.

Computer accessories

Personal computer-related accessories include:

• Keyboards
• Mice
• Modems
• Monitors
• Nonrecreational software
• Other peripheral devices
• Personal digital assistants
• Routers

The listed accessories are tax-exempt regardless of whether they are used in association with a personal computer base unit.

The term does not include furniture or systems, devices, software, monitors with a television tuner, or peripherals that are designed or intended primarily for recreational use.

Wallets and bags

Wallets and bags with a sales price of $100 or less per item, including:

• Backpacks
• Diaper bags
• Fanny packs
• Handbags

Briefcases, suitcases and other garment bags are excluded.

School supplies

School supplies with a sales price of $50 or less per item, including:

• Binders
• Cellophane tape
• Compasses
• Composition books
• Computer disks
• Construction paper
• Crayons
• Erasers
• Folders
• Glue or paste
• Legal pads
• Lunch boxes
• Markers
• Notebooks
• Notebook filler paper
• Pencils
• Pens
• Poster board
• Poster paper
• Protractors
• Rulers
• Scissors
• Staplers and staples used to secure paper products
• Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles with a sales price of $30 or less:
• Flashcards or other learning cards
• Interactive or electronic books and toys intended to teach reading or math skills
• Matching or other memory games
• Puzzle books and search-and-find books
• Stacking, nesting blocks or sets
• Clothing, footwear and accessories with a sales price of $100 or less per item, including:
• Shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, shorts and other apparel
• Shoes, boots, sandals and other footwear
• Accessories such as belts, hats, gloves and scarves

South Tampa family impact

What they're saying:

Inara Alimova and Andrei Girenkov are South Tampa parents with a college student and a middle schooler.

"It helps a lot, you save a lot of money, especially in times like this, and we have one child going to college and the second child going into middle school, and we can buy all the school supplies and clothes, and it saves a good chunk of money for us and for everyone in Florida," Alimova said.

Both parents said the Back-to-School Holiday helps more than just school-age kids — college students and other adults can benefit from this month-long tax break.

"College, you need so much stuff. You need a computer, you know, clothes, accessories, all this other stuff," Girenkov said. "So, it's a big deal. I think I mean it saves a lot. I'm happy that Florida is able to make it happen."

Consumer savings tips

Why you should care:

Consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch said these tax breaks don't happen in every state, so, this is a big help for Floridians, especially considering you can get electronics tax-free.

"Some states don't even offer electronics," Woroch said. "So, the fact that Florida is offering an opportunity for you to save on tax on an electronic purchase of up to $1,500, that can help you save a lot of money."

Shop at home

What you can do:

Woroch said the best way to save is to shop at home first and see what you have leftover before heading to the store.

"I always say shop at home first because oftentimes we have leftover supplies that we forgot about," Woroch said. "You could find scattered crayons to make a set as well as markers. Highlighters, pens, pencils. You don't need these brand-new. They're likely still going to work for the upcoming school year, even notebooks."

FloridaConsumer