Austin back-to-school shoppers save money during tax-free weekend

AUSTIN, Texas - Cars filled retail parking lots during tax-free weekend in Austin. 

"I was trying to get some clothes," said Jaime Ybarra, an educator shopping during the weekend event. "I was trying to get my back-to-school wardrobe all figured out."

"We had some excess at some spots and lines and lines were super long at some other ones," Ybarra said.

The annual weekend, which happens every year for three days in Texas, allows taxpayers to save money on items under one hundred dollars.

"My school requires uniforms, and I know that can be costly for families, so removing the tax can be super helpful to them to make the uniforms more cost-efficient for sure," Ybarra said.

Tax-free weekend was created in Texas in 1999 when legislators approved Senate Bill 441.

"I remember shopping with my mom on tax-free," Ybarra said. "It was always a priority to her, she should get the most bang for her buck, because our family would struggle sometimes. Having the opportunity to kind of lower cost was always helpful for our family as well."

Jamie Ybarra is one of many who can recall the holiday, and she supports the continued annual tax reduction.

"When I was a kid my mom would take advantage of the tax-free weekend for school supplies," said Phillip Stahl, a supporter of the tax-free weekend. "I didn't grow up the most privileged, so it was nice that just the little bit of money off helped."

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Shoppers save eight dollars for every one hundred dollars spent on clothing ,shoes and a lengthy list of school supplies.

"Everything is getting more expensive," Stahl said. "The less tax we have, the better."

It is a win-win situation for shoppers and retailers.

"Having people shop in person can't be anything but good for these businesses," Ybarra said.

Tax-free weekend runs through Sunday, August 13 at midnight.