Sales-tax holiday gets under way

Shoppers will be able to purchase computers, clothing and many back-to-school supplies this weekend – all without having to pay state and local sales taxes.

North Carolina's sales-tax holiday began Friday at 12:01 a.m. and will continue until 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

Clothing, footwear and school supplies costing less than $100 per item; sporting goods and recreation equipment costing less than $50 per item; and computers and some computer accessories costing less than $3,500 are exempt from sales taxes.

Legislators voted nearly six years ago to erase the sales tax for three days during the year. Each year since then, officials said North Carolina consumers have saved between $8 million and $12 million.