Guide to 2012 Sales-Tax Holidays

For most of you it probably seems too soon to start thinking about back-to-school shopping. But in just a few weeks several states will be offering their annual sales-tax holidays on purchases of clothing, school supplies or computers. Shopping on these days can be a good way to save a little money.

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Seventeen states will have sales-tax holidays this year -- and 12 will fall on the first weekend of August, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators. Georgia returns to the list of states offering tax breaks this year after canceling its sales-tax holiday in 2010 because of a budget deficit.

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See the list below to find out which states will have sales-tax holidays and when.

JULY

Mississippi: July 27-28. Purchases of clothing and footwear less than $100 exempt. More details.

AUGUST

Alabama: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing (up to $100), computers ($750), school supplies ($50) and books ($30) exempt. See a complete list of tax-exempt items.

Arkansas: August 4-5. Purchases of clothing less than $100 and school supplies are exempt. See a complete list of tax-exempt items.

Connecticut: August 19-25. Purchases of clothing and footwear less than $300 exempt. More details.

Florida: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing ($75) and school supplies ($15) exempt. See a complete list of tax-exempt items.

Georgia: August 10-11. Purchases of clothing ($100), computers ($1,000) and school supplies ($20) exempt. More details.

Iowa: August 3-4. Purchases of clothing and footwear less than $100 exempt. See a complete list of tax-exempt items.

Louisiana: August 3-4. Most items less than $2,500 exempt. More details.

Maryland: August 12-18. Purchases of clothing and footwear $100 or less exempt. More details.

Missouri: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing ($100), computers ($3,500) and school supplies ($50) exempt. More details.

New Mexico: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing (less than $100), computers ($1,000) and school supplies ($15) exempt. More details.

North Carolina: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing ($100), computers ($3,500), school supplies ($100) and sports equipment ($50) exempt. More details.

Oklahoma: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing and footwear less than $100 exempt. See a list of tax-exempt items.

South Carolina: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing, computers and school supplies exempt. See a list of tax-exempt items.

Tennessee: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing ($100), computers ($1,500) and school supplies ($100) exempt. More details.

Texas: August 17-19. Purchases of clothing, footwear, backpacks and school supplies less than $100 exempt. See a list of tax-exempt items.

Virginia: August 3-5. Purchases of clothing and footwear ($100) and school supplies ($20) exempt. See a list of tax-exempt items.

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