Gear up for Florida's tax-free weekend
Once, when I was a kid, my mom offered to let my sister and me stay home from school for no reason. "We're going to play hooky!" she said. "We'll go to the movies and get popcorn and eat ice cream!" My sister immediately returned to her room to pick out an outfit. I, on the other hand, elected to go to school anyway.
This is me. I don't break the rules. I once found a plastic jewel on the floor of a toy store -- presumably popped off a Treasure Troll -- put it in my pocket, then later cried about "shoplifting."
Shopping without paying tax is about the closest I get to feeling TOTALLY REBELLIOUS! Boo ya, Uncle Sam!
Anyway, tax-free weekend is upon us. Friday through Saturday, clothes, shoes and certain back-to-school items are available without the extra 6 percent. It only applies to most clothing items less than $75 (If that deters you, you're probably reading the wrong blog.)
Here are the official rules:
No sales tax shall be collected on the sale of clothing, wallets, or bags, including handbags, backpacks, fanny packs, and diaper bags, but excluding briefcases, suitcases, and other garment bags, having a sales price of $75 or less per item, or on sales of certain school supplies having a sales price of $15 or less per item for the period beginning 12:01 a.m. on August 3, 2012, and ending at 11:59 p.m. on August 5, 2012.“Clothing” means any article of wearing apparel, including all footwear (except skis, swim fins, roller blades, and skates), intended to be worn on or about the human body. However, “clothing” does not include watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, handkerchiefs, or sporting equipment. “School supplies” means pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, notebooks, notebook filler paper, legal pads, binders, lunch boxes, construction paper, markers, folders, poster board, composition books, poster paper, scissors, cellophane tape, glue, paste, rulers, computer disks, protractors, compasses,
and calculators.
You heard 'em. Go to town on the fanny packs, but steer clear of the swim fins. THOSE ARE THE RULES, OKAY?!?!
Deal Diva Kim
(Photo: iStockphoto.com)
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Katie Sanders foolishly spurned pretty dresses and shoes as a child, tossing new clothes over her shoulder at birthday parties with a totally rude "no, thank you." Her drab days of monocolor outfits are over now, and she certainly knows better than to turn down free stuff. Her wardrobe mixes classic with quirk. Think blazers with statement necklaces, and lots of patterned ballet flats. She can be reached at 850) 224-7263 or 
Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or 
A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or 
From camo pants and construction boots to sundresses, sweaters and sling backs, Keyonna Summers knows how to make all of it rock -- at rock bottom prices. A Detroit native, Keyonna delves into her urban roots to find fashion pairings that give a nod to street fashion while maintaining the class of the modern, professional woman. She believes in searching for affordable clothes that look expensive and can easily be dressed up or down. You won't find plaid shirts or fleece jackets in her closet; the only hiking Keyonna does is to the bargain basement. She can be reached at (727) 445-4153 or 
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