Best Buys During the 2010 Massachusetts Sales Tax Holiday Weekend

Savvy Massachusetts shoppers can maximize their dollars with smart shopping during recently approved 2010 tax-free holiday. There are some purchases you can skip during the 2010 Massachusetts sales tax holiday weekend, while steering your hard-earned dollars towards more sensible purchases, based on the Massachusetts Department of Revenue rules for the Massachusetts sales tax holiday weekend

Best Buys During the 2010 Massachusetts Sales Tax Holiday Weekend

It's a good time to purchase holiday or birthday gifts, as well as those items you've been holding off on buying.

Clothing

In the state of Massachusetts, there is no tax on clothing, except for luxury items. Back-to-school shopping for clothes should not be saved for tax-free weekend, unless the retailer is running a sale. Any individual clothing item costing under $175 is tax-free year-round in Massachusetts.

For Parents and Students

The Massachusetts tax-free weekend will benefit parents shopping for back-to-school supplies including crayons, glue, paper, scissors, notebooks, binders, file folders, pens, pencils, backpacks, lunch boxes, food containers and locker organizers.

For the college bound, parents and students can stock up on tax-free toiletries including shampoo, soap and razors. The following items can also be purchased tax-free during the 2010 Massachusetts tax-free weekend: bedding, curtains, housewares, rugs, storage units, book shelves, desk lamps and furniture.

Tax-free weekend is also an ideal time to upgrade any electronics in your home or for your college student. The cap is $2,500 per item, which leaves Massachusetts consumers ample room to buy a new laptop or desktop computer, a new printer, digital camera, printer ink and printer paper.

Appliances For the Home

If you're in the market for appliances, including toasters, a new vacuum, a bread maker, blender or food processor, you can buy any of them tax-free during the tax holiday weekend. Larger appliances including stoves, refrigerators dishwashers (as long as the individual item costs less than $2,500) are also good buys during the Massachusetts tax-free August holiday.

Home Improvement and Decor

Tax-free weekend is also an ideal time to buy home decor items including furniture, home decor accessories, lighting, window treatments. If you need a new mattress for a family member, consider using tax-free weekend to your advantage. Home improvement products including paint and painting supplies, tools, outdoor furniture and grills on clearance and home storage units.

Personal Electronics

If you're in the market for electronics costing under $2,500, take advantage of the 2010 Massachusetts sales tax holiday weekend. You can either save money on an item you've already priced and evaluated, or upgrade to the next level with your savings. Consider a GPS system, portable DVD player, new MP3 player, flat-screen TV, gaming system or hand-held game.

Sources

Massachusetts Department of Revenue, http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dorterminal&L=7&L0=Home&L1=Businesses&L2=Help+%26+Resources&L3=Legal+Library&L4=Technical+Information+Releases&L5=TIRs+-+By+Year(s)&L6=2010+Releases&sid=Ador&b=terminalcontent&f=dor_rul_reg_tir_tir_10_10&csid=Ador