GET A SALES TAX BREAK ON SCHOOL SUPPLIES— AND MORE

State sales tax holidays offer discounts on everything from backpacks to generators.

- SANDRA BLOCK

BACK-TO-SCHOOL supplies have never been cheap, and lingering inflation and tariffs could make backpacks, computers and other school essentials even more expensive this year. The average household will spend $976 on back-to-supplies in 2025, according to projections from the National Retail Federation, up from an estimated $918 in 2024.

You can save money by taking advantage of back-to-school sales tax holidays, which provide a temporary reprieve from state sales taxes— and in many cases, local sales taxes, too. This year, more than 15 states are expected to hold back-to-school sales tax holidays in July and August.