Tax free does not mean totally FREE, people
August 8, 2004
This weekend in Texas was the Texas Sales Tax Holiday which basically means that there are no taxes on certain items that the state feels are helpful for going back to school. There is a complete list of things that will be tax-free (under $100 per item) to use as a guide. But wait, I am not here to advertise it. (That would be totally pointless considering it is after 11:00pm on the last day of the “holiday” weekend.)
You would think that it is a massive 75% off sale or a free-for-all at the Krispy Kreme next to a Weight Watchers meeting. (Hey, I can joke. I went to WW.) People lose their ever-lovin’ minds to be sure to get to the stores and snap up those great bargains.
Great bargains.
Correct me if I am wrong, but no taxes would pretty much save you what? About $8 for every $100 you spend? Now, I am all about frugal. I have been living the life of the unemployed for 2 years. I love me a bargain, people. But I have my limits.
For instance, I will not go to a clearance sale on a Saturday if the same sale will be available on the following Sunday or the Friday prior. Insane people go out for sales on Saturdays. I will, however, go to an after Thanksgiving sale, but only if I can get there early, have coffee and no children. (I mean, that is the Super Bowl of Sales. It is not for amateurs or the weak of heart. It is also not for children or men who are not willing to engage in a little hand to hand combat over the last item on a shelf.)
But, we are not talking about Super Sales. We are talking about $8 for every $100 you spend and it isn’t even the good stuff. Most of the stuff isn’t even on sale. Suffice it so say, I don’t see the need to battle the masses for this meager savings. Each year, I find out what weekend the sale will be and I head to a mall early that Friday while most people are at work or not remembering that the “holiday” has started. I see if there is anything worth my money and I shop accordingly. Basically, I do not put on combat gear and head to the local Wal-Mart.
So, today, Gabriella and I are helping out a friend and I realized I needed to pick up a few things on the way home. Where do I go? Where do I find myself? What god-forsaken, straight from the pits of hell store did I unknowingly find myself walking into before remembering what weekend this was? Say it with me. Wal-mart.
For the love of all that is bargain shopping, I think I may have witnessed the chaos that just may erupt if the world ever ends in my lifetime. People everywhere. Every language known to man (and a few not yet documented) were represented. People of every age where crowded into the clostophobic aisles that are characteristic of WalMart and are all trying to purchase the same things. Never have I witnessed the carnage that was the result of the assault on the clothing departments of this WalMart. Perhaps I am mistaken and a bomb actually did go off, thus showering the store with clothing, but somehow I doubt it.
I still have no idea why the idea of tax-free makes people see dollar signs like that. It isn’t like it is a massive savings. I think I am going to just occasionally put $1 into a jar over the next year. Then,when next year’s tax-free weekend occurs, I am going to go on a guilt-free, chaos free, crowd free (rather than tax-free), shopping spree the following weekend when the crazies have gone back home!
