Tax Free Weekend 2013 to Help Back-to-School Shoppers

A sales tax-free weekend is scheduled to take place in 11 states next month so that people can more easily prepare for the new school year.

Parents and students alike can do their back-to-school shopping without having to pay a state sales tax and in some cases a local sales tax.

Shoppers will be able to make purchases on anything from clothes to electronics during the tax-free weekend Aug. 2 to Aug. 4 in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators.

Alternately, states Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland and Texas will offer the tax-free weekend in late August, reported News Max.

Then, in Texas, the tax-free holiday will take place from Aug. 9 to Aug. 11, according to The Houston Chronicle.

In addition to helping with back-to-school shopping, the tax holiday will be a break for small business owners.

The tax-free weekend could see shoppers saving up to $3 million collectively, according to the South Carolina Department of Revenue.

The summertime tax holiday is similar to that offered on Cyber Monday, the first Monday following Thanksgiving when Christmas shoppers take to the internet.

Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year, and many online retailers do not require patrons to pay a sales tax.

However, online tax-exempt purchases are not always welcome. While tax holidays lure shoppers, many critics argue that it is unfair.

According to researchers at the University of Tennessee, shirking responsibility on sales tax costs states $10 billion in 2010.

Because online retailers are not physically present in a state, such as their counterpart technological mega-stores and mom-n-pops, they are not technically required to pay a state sales tax.

Meanwhile, Twitter users have sounded off about the tax-free weekend coming up.

"Sooo ready for Iowa's tax free weekend," wrote Cindy. "Definitely stocking up on stuff for baby!"

Taylor added, "I can't wait tiltax free weekend so I can step up my teacher outfits."