Aid for families in need
(Photo: whitechocomocha.com)
In this recession, people are looking for ways to save money. No matter what rabbit hole they need to dig into, people are counting on pennies saved whenever possible. In places like North Carolina where unemployment has grown at a staggering pace, people need some kind of relief.
For instance, back to school season has already begun. What are parents to do? Kids have to be prepared when class starts, so the prerequisite folders, pencils, paper and clothing must be ready. Something has to give.
Enter tax free weekend in NC
In North Carolina and other states, the idea of having a tax free weekend has proven popular. According to McClatchy Newspapers at http://www.thesunnews.com/extras/story/1012604.html, the tax free weekends make buying expensive items like computers a better proposition than ever, considering there’s no sales tax. Buying expensive items can save consumers hundreds of dollars in that scenario.
However, even the small expenses count when there’s no sales tax. Like many other states, North Carolina is mired with double-digit unemployment. Parents are cutting corners wherever they can, but their children do need certain things for school. Charity organizations can help, but with the tremendous demand lately, even they are taxed to the limit.
A free tax weekend eases the burden, even if just temporarily
Kathy Grannis, spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, knows that families are on the lookout for good deals on school supplies.
“People are comparison shopping like they never have before,” she said. “They’re also taking a look at extracurricular activities and digging through closets to find notebooks or binders that may not have been used the previous year.”
Charities feeling the pinch
Helping Hand Mission in Raleigh, North Carolina depends almost entirely upon community donations in order to serve those in need. Those donations have been slow in coming lately. Their greatest need is school supplies, says director Sylvia Wiggins. The plan in place right now is to ration out what they have on a first-come, first-served basis. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to help everyone.
“It’s about as bad as it’s ever been,” Wiggins said. “It’s rough, man.”
Helping Hand and other charities in North Carolina hope that the tax free weekend in NC will enable some people to stock up on supplies and donate some of them to the charities in need. One such program is the “Stuff the Bus” campaign, which operates outside such big-box stores as Wal-Mart.
Tax free weekend to help retailers
While teachers may be scaling back on what they’re asking students to provide, it seems obvious that tax free weekend in NC will still benefit retailers by drawing people who may otherwise have decided shopping for school supplies is too expensive.
This is what you'll save on tax free weekend!
For instance, the general manager of the Staples office supply store in Cary, North Carolina, Mark Pygott, expects to see a definite boost in sales numbers. He told McClatchy that while school supply sales are typically a plus this time of year, his biggest boost should come from sales of electronics and computers due to the significant tax break.
Freedom from financial burden
Tax free weekends in NC and other states may not be enough to make the specter of the recession go away entirely, but as I’ve said, every little bit helps. For families with no other option, it’s a small, good thing.
If your situation is such that a tax free weekend won’t be enough to help you tackle a financial problem, perhaps something like payday loans with no faxing or short term loans will be useful in your situation. If you would like to apply, please do so here.
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