Tax Free Weekend Makes Back To School a Little More Affordable

The sales tax holiday weekend has arrived, and for some families in Southwest Oklahoma, not a moment too soon.

As several area school districts, including Lawton, prepare to open classrooms next week, nervous parents and grandparents are expected to swarm to retail locations this weekend, to pick up school clothes for the new year. Almost every clothing item under $100 is exempt from sales tax from now through 11:59 p.m. Sunday. At a current sales tax rate of 9 percent in Lawton, bargain conscious shoppers can save money this weekend on clothes and other back-to-school needs.

Some retailers, such as JC Penney are setting up temporary locations in outlets such as the Central Mall in Lawton to handle and expected overflow shopping crowd. Some families save the majority of their shopping for just this weekend to take advantage of the nearly 10% savings. Retailers are expecting increased sales on Friday, but expect the majority of their weekend sales to come on Saturday and Sunday, when most parents are off work, and have more time to take the family back-to-school shopping.