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Tax-free weekend underway as shoppers navigate inflation

Shoppers in the Natural State and Oklahoma have one day left to take advantage of tax free weekend to save on back-to-school shopping.

ARKANSAS, USA — It’s tax-free weekend and families are looking to save money. The National Retail Federation says families with children in elementary to high school plan to spend an average of $864 on school supplies.

“I probably will spend between $200-$300 in total,” said Shelley Reisinger, a local shopper.

Amanda Nauden has 3 kids who did virtual learning the past 2 school years. As they head back to the classroom, she has to prioritize back-to-school spending.

“With 3 kids, I would like to spend only $350 but it’ll probably be a little bit more than that. But I’m hoping that because of tax-free weekend I might save $100 or so,” said Nauden.

According to the National Retail Federation, back-to-school spending has increased dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic, as families adjusted to changes from virtual to in-person learning.

“Last year I kept them home. We did Fayetteville Virtual Academy, so I didn’t have to do school clothes shopping because they were home,” Nauden recalled.

With inflation still on the rise, Nauden had to cut back on spending in other areas to buy school supplies.

“Actually this is my birthday weekend and I got some money from my birthday and instead of spending it on me, I’m spending it on my kids,” Nauden said.

She still has more shopping to do. But overall, she feels positive about the school year because her kids will have a sense of normalcy.

“And communicating with other kids because like I said they’ve been home so he’ll be in first grade and because his first year of kindergarten was at home and he wasn’t really around a lot of kids,” said Nauden.

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