Tyler TX — Friday, August 17th-19th marks the date for tax free weekend on general merchandise in the state of Texas. This will be Texas second tax free weekend this year.

At first the sound of tax free weekend would send shoppers straight to their favorite stores, but there are some smart shopping strategies you don't want to miss out on to make sure you
get the best savings!

Terry Blevins, Mall manger at Broadway Square Mall in Tyler, told KETK that tax free weekend, "Gives people the chance to come out and buy their stuff, anything that's under a hundred dollars pretty much from the clothing or footwear standpoint, is tax free so that saves you basically eight dollars for every a hundred dollars that you spend."

Broken down this means, if you buy two shirts for $80 each, both are tax free even though their total is over $100, but if you buy a shirt for $110 you will have to pay sales tax.

Blevins said, "As long as each item is under a hundred dollars it qualifies for the tax free status."

But don't make the mistake of buying something just because it's tax free; sometimes stores offer sales the week after tax free weekend, so be sure to do your research on those more expensive items!

There are also some exemptions that many people aren't aware of, Blevins told KETK, "If its an equipment item like basketballs or some of the athletic shoes are not tax free, its typically the neccesities"

Although this might not be the weekend to buy sporting equipment it is one of the best times to for back to school shopping!

In addition to clothing; school supplies, including backpacks under a hundred dollars, are tax free as well.

Before you head to the mall be sure to check online to compare store prices and use coupons to make sure you get the best savings.

Most East Texans we talked to were looking forward to buying back to school clothing and saving money!