Save money on your Bug Out Bags with Back to School Sales!
Just wanted to drop you a quick note with a couple of ideas on saving money on your Get Home Bags and Bug Out Bags.
Back to School Sales
Tax-Free Holidays
Back to School Sales:
I just deleted several emails from my pile o’ emails advertising back to school sales. One of the most popular items on sale…backpacks! But there’s other stuff often in the sales that you can also use in your bags.
- Sharpies
- Ink pens
- Notepads
- First aid supplies
- Portable USB drives
- And more
Don’t just look at sales for the wee kids. Pay attention to sales for college kids as well. There you’ll find more adult size items on sale and more choices to suit your bags.
Tax-Free Holidays:
I don’t know about your particular state, but mine offers several tax-free holidays throughout the year. Be sure to check yours, but to give you an idea, I’ll tell you the specs on mine to help you complete your bags.
Our first one in SC is August 5-7, so it’s coming soon. You can read the entire official statement from the state HERE, but I want to point out the Bug Out Bag specifics for you.
- The holiday removes the 6% state sales tax.
- You don’t have to be a SC resident either, so you could possibly save enough money to make it worth a day trip.
- It also applies to online purchases from SC retailers (although I’m not sure how that works unless it’s a local store pick-up thing).
You can purchase the following GHB or BOB items tax free:
- Clothing and clothing accessories including, but not limited to, hats, scarves, hosiery, and handbags. <A bunch of your bag items fit into this category>
- Footwear. <Bug out footwear, but DO NOT let me catch you buying Crocs for your BOB>
- School type supplies including, but not limited to, pens, pencils, paper, binders, notebooks, books, bookbags, and more. <Just because you’re not using it for school doesn’t mean you can’t get it tax free>
- Computers, printers and printer supplies, and computer software. <You should be able to get your portable hard drive on this category>
- Bath and bed stuff. <There are a couple of these items in your bag inventory>
It’s been my experience on these tax free weekends that ALL stores do it, including camping spots like REI, and they don’t ask what you’re buying it for. The stores are making money, so they really don’t care.
Check your store too. I’ve seen some places kind of fudge on what’s allowed or not.
“Do you really need that monstrous camping backpack for school?”
“Yes sir, I do. Lots of books. And the list from the state does include backpacks with no official reference to the size or type.”
So here’s my advice.
Have fun.
Go shopping.
Finish your bags.
Be sure to practice appropriate situational awareness. Those sale crowds are crazy!
