New Jersey families take advantage of back-to-school tax break with last-minute Labor Day shopping
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It was a thrilling end to summer at the American Dream Mall, where kids spun away back-to-school jitters as their parents shopped for holiday deals.
"She's into Barbie Chelsea, so we got that from Toys R'Us. And then at Angry Birds Golf, we got a little water bottle, which is nice for back-to-school, it was on sale for $10," Jersey City parent Kristen Merritt told CBS2's Christina Fan.
Particularly packed this Labor Day weekend, were any store selling school supplies.
At the Target in Jersey City, Fan found families who deliberated waited last-minute to shop, taking advantage of New Jersey's first ever Sales Tax Holiday on art supplies, laptops, binders and folders.
"It's been so helpful, I bought a new iPad," Bayonne resident Cheyla Belrosario said.
Montessori teacher and parent Belrosario was on her 10th trip this summer, stocking up before the 10-day exemption ends tonight.
"I'm back here again for some notebooks, some leggings for gym," she said.
"It's a great thing for everybody to save a little bit of money," said Richard Basili, of Jersey City.
Shoppers said the tax holiday comes at a critical time when inflation is cutting down on discretionary spending, forcing families to focus on essentials like food, groceries and household supplies.
"I know it's coming down now, but it's good to have that relief for parents not to have pay that extra almost 10%," Hoboken resident Gilda Ildra said.
The extra savings are here to stay. The back-to-school tax exemption will continue next year, helping families who mark Labor Day with trips to the mall with future deals and steals.