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Young, middle-aged, old take advantage of tax-free shopping

Shoppers walks past a sign promoting the sales tax holiday weekend Friday at the entrance of Belk in the Prince of Orange Mall. (Photo by Christopher Huff/T&D)

Phyllis Pelder had little space left in her K-Mart shopping cart by late Friday morning.

Crayons and magic markers were neatly tucked away between a pair of shoes in the cart's child seat. A bookbag is thrown over half-dozen or so spiral notebooks.

And there was more shopping to be done for this mother of two school-aged children.

"I will take advantage of as many things as I can this weekend that I have been planning to buy," she said. "I made a special trip to get out and cut another 5 to 8 percent off of my bill. You have to take advantage of every little opportunity you have to save."

Pelder was not alone.

Hundreds of early-bird, back-to-school shoppers were out in full force Friday to take advantage of the first day of the state's three-day tax break weekend. The exemption is on the state's 5 percent sales and use tax and local sale taxes where applicable. Exemptions are granted on purchases such as clothes, shoes and school supplies. The tax exemption continues through midnight Sunday, Aug. 3.

For Pelder, the opportunity to save could not have come at a better time.

She has a child entering school for the first time -- Sheridan Elementary -- and another in middle school. On top of this she is soon going to reap the benefits of the child tax credit of $800 for her two children. The credit is part of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act passed by Congress in May.

The combination spells relief for a lady who normally spends $500 to prepare her child for school. With two entering the schooling world this year, these bills will increase.

"It is going to help," Pelder said, referring to the child tax credit. "We have not gotten it yet, but just knowing we are getting it gives an added incentive to go out and spend more."

Of course, Pelder said with a little smile, all the money will not only be spent on her children. She also has her eye set on an personal outfit.

Mary Bowman, Nix Elementary School teacher, spent her morning shopping both for herself and for school supplies for her classroom.

"You can buy a couple of items, and that is another dollar added onto the prices of things," Bowman said, pointing to a price tag. "If you can just look at that number and say that is what I am going to pay, it is great. It saves me money."

Her ability, however, to utilize the tax break for her own children was thwarted when she discovered that she just fell out of the boundries of the child tax credit.

Both are Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and South Carolina State University students and above the 17-year-old age cut-off for the credit. However, due to their full-time school status, she still supports them.

"I have two children that will not benefit from the $400, ... and each are going back to school," Bowman said. "It disturbs me a lot, because I could benefit from that money right now, today. We could have a good time shopping, but I have to be very careful with my money now. Otherwise, I would have been able to help the economy out."

North resident Sarah Nettles took the tax break exemptions as a rare opportunity to go to K-Mart and purchase clothing for herself. As a senior citizen and living on a fixed income, Nettles said money is often tight. After paying for her utility bills and groceries, there is little else.

"In Social Security you do not get all that much. I have a lot of medical bills," she said. "The sales tax break helps because otherwise I can hardly buy any clothes."

Beth Axson, mother of seven -- two of which are school-aged and grandmother of two -- knows what back-to-school can cost. She spends upward of $1,000 each year and so has found herself taking advantage of the tax break every year. Savings have traditionally have tallied nearly $200 a year. This year she has also received $800 for two of her children under the tax credit.

"Jeans are so expensive, and the shoes are so expensive," Axson said, relating that both items are on her list of weekend purchases. "It (the tax cut and child credit) helps, believe me. It is wonderful. It has definitely helped to send our kids back to school which is a good thing."

Janet Hall, a mother of a 5 year old and a 16 year old -- said that the tax break and child credit means more pennies in her pocket at a time when she is always searching for money-saving venues.

"At one point, I decided not to buy back to school clothes," Hall said. "But since I have that extra money, my son wound up with all new jeans and all new shirts. They were the ones who got me that money, and so I spent that money back on them."

The tax break, however, was not only for adults.

Dwayne Middleton, upcoming junior at Holly Hill-Roberts High School, spent much of his morning searching for bargains at Hibbits Sports and Citi Trends in the downtown district.

The latest styles in shirts and pants were on his shopping bull's-eye.

"Without the tax, you can save money and can buy some more stuff," he said. "I usually spend about $70 (for back-to-school). I am looking to save about $10 or $15."

North Middle/High School student Dana Bloome was scouting out the women's clothing aisles in the JCPenny at the Prince of Orange mall.

On her list -- "khaki pants and shirts without writing on them."

Normally spending $250 to $350 for back-to-school items, Bloome summarized the tax break weekend well: "It is about saving money."

T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551.