I think the practice has been in effect in Georgia for about six years now. It is an incentive for people to spend a lot of money just before school starts, because they can avoid paying sales tax for the "holiday" weekend. It has been a boon to retailers and a testament to the fact that lower (or zero taxes) are GOOD for the economy.
While I am a huge advocate for lower taxes, I don't think we have ever purposefully taken advantage of the "tax free weekend". Mainly because R and I do not like crowded stores and the frenzied atmosphere these events can produce.
But this year is different. As I have mentioned in an earlier post, Ab has been saving for a laptop. She mounted the quest in earnest about a year and one-half ago and amassed a little over $700. Now some of this came in larger chunks: birthday gifts, cash Christmas gifts and occasional Grandparent endowments; but a lot of it has been earned from entrepreneurial pursuits like home-made book marks and other items. She has also undertaken a number of odd jobs. In fact, it has become fairly common for her to come around and ask if I have any jobs for her. Since we believe that there are some things you do around the house simply because you are a part of the family (pro-bono), she has learned to amend her requisition by asking if there are any jobs that pay money.
At any rate, we thought that the tax free weekend would be a good opportunity to make the laptop purchase since the savings would be noticeable.
I did have to correct a misconception in hopes of teaching some foundational lessons to the kids: we were explaining why this weekend would be a good one to make our purchase and how the Governor had proclaimed the Tax-Free Holiday, Ab remarked how that was nice of him to do that for us. My response was lightning fast (I nearly pulled something) as I explained to her that while I liked Governor Sonny Purdue - he was not giving us anything; that money we pay on sales tax is our money. The Tax-Free Holiday, only means that they are not taking quite as much from us as they usually do. I do not want to rear cynical children but I do want them to have the correct perspective on free enterprise - and a healthy caution about government.
We headed out Saturday, first for a haircut for me . While there AA explained that we were going to get Ab's laptop and he was "getting a big, fat zero!". Then, armed with a visit to some websites and advice from our Computer Guru, "Mr. Dunt", we hit the stores.
And we prayed. It's something R and I usually try to do before making a major purchase: we ask for favor, for wisdom and that we'll end up with what God wants us to have.
We made the purchase after about three stops (at each location AA attempted to gain sympathy - and some sort of prize). We felt that we got a fairly good deal and "Mr. Dunt" confirmed it.
Most of the remainder of the day was spent loading stuff and setting up. AA warmed to the idea of his sister's new laptop.
I am proud of my little girl and at day's end I told her so. I also caught AA as he was zoning into sleep mode, and told him that I was proud that he had worked at maintaining his self-control and tried to be proud for his sister.
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