Early Life Investments
A Family Financial Head Start
“The best time to build lifelong money habits is when you are young. The second-best time is today.”
“The best time to build lifelong money habits is when you are young. The second-best time is today.”
ELI Tools — Updated July 26, 2026
Every state tax-free date and price cap, 49 teacher, first responder and military discount programs, and where to find free school supplies.
This page is the reference companion to our guide on building a back-to-school budget that holds. Everything here is about paying less for the same cart: state sales tax holidays, standing occupational discounts, and programs that supply a classroom or a backpack at no cost.
The average family plans to spend $864 per K–12 child in 2026, according to the National Retail Federation. Stack a tax-free weekend with a discount you already qualify for and you can take a meaningful bite out of that without changing a single item in the cart.
Most families know tax-free weekends exist but do not plan around them specifically. They are worth planning. Eighteen states are running a back-to-school sales tax holiday in 2026, exempting clothing, shoes, and school supplies from state sales tax — effectively a 4–7% coupon on everything you were going to buy anyway.
Find your state below. The Status column is accurate as of July 26, 2026 — Alabama and Mississippi have already finished for the year, and Florida is open now through August 20.
| State | Dates (2026) | Status | Qualifying Items and Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | July 17–19 | Ended | Clothing $156 or less per item, computers and computer supplies $1,173 or less per purchase, school supplies $78 or less per item, and books $47 or less per book. Caps are indexed to inflation. Local participation may vary. |
| Arkansas | August 1–2 | Upcoming | Clothing under $100 per item; clothing accessories and cosmetics under $50 per item; school supplies, art supplies, and instructional materials with no price cap; electronic devices with no price cap. |
| Connecticut | August 16–22 | Upcoming | Clothing and footwear under $300 per item — a threshold raised from $100 for 2026, now including backpacks and cleated shoes. Separately, non-electronic school supplies became permanently exempt statewide on July 1, 2026. |
| Florida | July 20–August 20 | Open now | Clothing, footwear, and accessories $100 or less per item; school supplies $50 or less; learning aids and jigsaw puzzles $30 or less; personal computers and related accessories $1,500 or less. The longest window of any state. |
| Illinois | August 7–16 | Upcoming | Clothing and footwear under $125 per item, plus school supplies with no price cap. Not fully tax-free: the state rate drops from 6.25% to 1.25%, and local sales taxes still apply. Reinstated by law in June 2026. |
| Iowa | August 7–8 | Upcoming | Clothing and footwear under $100 per item. Does not cover school supplies, computers, or sporting equipment. |
| Maryland | August 9–15 | Upcoming | Clothing and footwear $100 or less per item. The first $40 of a qualifying backpack or bookbag is also exempt. |
| Massachusetts | August 8–9 | Upcoming | Most tangible personal property bought for personal use at $2,500 or less per item. Excludes motor vehicles, motorboats, meals, tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, utilities, layaway, and rentals over 30 days. |
| Mississippi | July 10–12 | Ended | Clothing, footwear, and school supplies under $100 per item. Does not cover accessories such as jewelry, or electronics. |
| Missouri | August 7–9 | Upcoming | Clothing $100 or less per item; school supplies $50 or less per purchase; computer software $350 or less; personal computers and accessories $1,500 or less; graphing calculators $150 or less. |
| New Mexico | July 31–August 2 | Upcoming | School supplies under $30 per item; clothing and footwear under $100 per item; bookbags, maps, and globes under $100; computers and tablets $1,000 or less; computer accessories $500 or less; calculators under $200. |
| Ohio | August 7–9 | Upcoming | Clothing $75 or less per item, and school supplies and instructional materials $20 or less per item. |
| Oklahoma | August 7–9 | Upcoming | Clothing and footwear under $100 per item. Accessories, sporting equipment, and specialized protective equipment are excluded. |
| South Carolina | August 7–9 | Upcoming | Clothing, accessories, and footwear; school supplies; computers, printers, printer supplies, and software; and certain bed and bath items for dorms. No price caps on qualifying items — the most generous holiday in the country. |
| Tennessee | July 31–August 2 | Upcoming | Clothing $100 or less per item; school and art supplies $100 or less per item; computers, laptops, and tablets $1,500 or less. |
| Texas | August 7–9 | Upcoming | Clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks under $100 per item. |
| Virginia | August 7–9 | Upcoming | School supplies $20 or less per item; clothing and footwear $100 or less per item. Also covers ENERGY STAR and WaterSense products $2,500 or less and portable generators $1,000 or less. |
| West Virginia | July 31–August 3 | Upcoming | Clothing and footwear $125 or less per item; laptops and tablets $500 or less; school supplies $50 or less; instructional materials $20 or less; sports equipment $150 or less. |
Status shown as of July 26, 2026. Sources: Tax Foundation, Sales Tax Holidays by State, 2026, and individual state revenue departments. Dates, eligible products, and price caps can change, and local sales taxes may still apply in some jurisdictions. Confirm current rules with your state revenue or taxation department before a major purchase.
If you are in one of these states, shift your shopping day to align with the window. It does not change what you buy — it just means you pay less for it. On an $864 spend, a 7% sales tax exemption is roughly $60 back in your pocket. Two caveats worth knowing: Illinois only reduces its rate rather than removing it, and in many states local sales taxes continue to apply, so plan on saving somewhat less than the full headline rate.
A tax-free weekend is not a reason to buy more. It is a reason to buy the same things on a different day.
Before you shop, check whether your household qualifies for a standing discount. Teachers, first responders, and military families all have programs that run year-round — and in most cases they are worth more than a sales tax holiday, because they work every week rather than one weekend. Several stack on top of sale prices, which is where the real savings live.
Teachers spend a striking amount of their own money on classrooms, and the educator programs are frequently better than the consumer ones. Three of the biggest — Target, Office Depot and Staples — are running right now, and Target’s window closes September 12.
| Retailer | Discount | How and when it applies | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom, craft & office supplies | |||
| Target | 20% | One storewide purchase, July 5 – September 12, 2026, through Target Circle. Stacks with many Circle offers. | Verified teachers |
| Office Depot / OfficeMax | 20% | Year-round on qualifying regular- or sale-price purchases. Verify with ID.me and the coupon is emailed to you. | Verified teachers |
| Staples | 20% | In store only, through September 19, 2026. Show your teacher ID plus the coupon in the Staples app at checkout. | Verified teachers |
| Michaels | 20% | In store, entire order including many sale items. Once per day — but redeemable every day, with no cap on redemptions. | Verified teachers |
| Barnes & Noble | 20% | Classroom purchases, through the free B&N Educators program. Rises to 25% during Educator Appreciation events. | K–12 educators, librarians and homeschool teachers |
| Hobby Lobby | 10% | Classroom purchases only, and you must pay with a school district credit card or check. | Educators buying for a classroom |
| Lakeshore Learning | $10 coupon | Free Rewards program, plus member-only pricing. Text TEACHER to 39714 for an immediate in-store coupon. | Teachers and classroom staff |
| Technology | |||
| HP Education | Up to 40% | Select laptops, desktops, printers, monitors and accessories. Savings vary by product and promotion. | Teachers, faculty, students and parents |
| Apple Education | Education pricing | Year-round on Macs, iPads, Apple Watch, displays and AppleCare+. Verify through UNiDAYS; annual purchase limits apply. | Teachers, school staff and homeschool teachers |
| Microsoft Education | Varies | Surface devices, accessories and software. Many educators also get Microsoft 365 Education free through their school. | K–12 and higher-ed teachers |
| Samsung Education | Varies | Galaxy phones, tablets, laptops, monitors and appliances. Extra promotions often run during back-to-school. | Teachers and eligible educators |
| Lenovo Education | Extra 5% | Verified through ID.me and applied automatically. Can sometimes stack with existing sales. | Verified educators |
| Clothing & shoes | |||
| Adidas | 30% | Same “Heroes” program as military, via ID.me. Online and in store; 15% at factory outlets. Max 2 online and 1 in-store discount per month. | Classroom teachers, principals, school employees and college professors |
| Under Armour | 20% | Same ID.me program that covers military and first responders. Drops to 10% at UA Factory House. | Teachers and educators |
| Skechers | 20% | Community heroes program through ID.me. Excludes sale items and does not combine with other codes. | Teachers and students |
| Wireless plans | |||
| AT&T | Up to 20% | Qualifying unlimited plans, after verification. | Eligible educators |
| T-Mobile | 15% | Several plans. Usually verified with a work email address or recent pay stub. | Teachers and educators |
| Verizon | 10% per line | After employment verification. Worth re-checking your bill at the 12-month mark — it can quietly drop off. | Teachers and educators |
Verified July 25, 2026 against retailer program pages and ConsumerAffairs’ July 2026 educator-discount roundup. Terms change often — confirm before you shop.
Worth knowing. “Teacher” is usually defined generously: Adidas counts classroom teachers, principals, school employees and college professors, and several programs extend to homeschool teachers, librarians and paraprofessionals. If you work in a school in any capacity, verify and find out. Joann, long a staple of classroom craft shopping, closed all of its stores permanently in 2025 — Michaels and Hobby Lobby are the practical replacements, and Michaels has the stronger educator program of the two.
First responder programs are usually run through the same verification platform as the military ones, and several retailers use a single combined program. That means the military table below is worth scanning too — a number of those retailers cover police, fire and EMS under the same offer.
| Retailer | Discount | How and when it applies | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing & shoes | |||
| Adidas | 30% | ID.me “Heroes” program. Online and in store; 15% at factory outlets. Max 2 online and 1 in-store discount per month. | Active or retired police, firefighters, EMTs and 911 dispatchers |
| Under Armour | 20% | Through ID.me, online and in store. Drops to 10% at UA Factory House. | Active police, fire, EMT, nurses and doctors |
| Skechers | 20% | Community heroes program via ID.me. First responders may also get a stackable extra 10% on promotions. | Verified first responders |
| Crocs | 15% | Online, full-price styles, after verification. | Verified first responders |
| Nike | 10% | Most items on nike.com, after SheerID verification. | First responders and medical professionals |
| Columbia | 10% | Online, after ID.me verification. | ID.me-verified first responders |
Verified July 25, 2026 against retailer program pages and ID.me storefronts. Terms change often — confirm before you shop.
Worth knowing. Eligibility is typically broad — police, firefighters, EMTs and 911 dispatchers, and often retired responders as well. Several programs also fold in nurses, doctors and hospital employees, so a household with one responder and one healthcare worker may qualify twice over. One to skip: Kohl’s has ended its first responder discount, though its 15% military Monday discount still runs.
If anyone in your household is serving, has served, or is a military dependent, a standing discount is worth more than a sales tax holiday in most states — and unlike a tax-free weekend, it works every week of the year. Several of these stack with sale prices, which is where the real savings live.
| Retailer | Discount | How and when it applies | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department & general merchandise | |||
| Kohl’s | 15% | Mondays only, in store with a valid military ID. Some exclusions apply. | Active military, veterans, retirees and immediate family |
| Boscov’s | Up to 15% | Year-round in store and online, including during sale events. Annual enrollment required; the code is good for a full year. | Uniformed-service members, veterans and qualifying family |
| Belk | 10% | Year-round online; verify through ID.me and it applies automatically at checkout. Separate in-store military events run periodically at different rates. | Military members, veterans, spouses and dependents |
| JCPenney | 10% | In store with a valid military ID. Terms vary by location. | Active duty, veterans and immediate family |
| Military Exchanges — AAFES, NEX, MCX, Coast Guard Exchange | Tax-free | Year-round. Not a percentage discount — purchases are exempt from sales tax entirely, which beats most state holidays. | Authorized military, veteran and dependent shoppers |
| Clothing — including the brands teens actually ask for | |||
| Adidas | 30% | Online and in store after verification; 15% at factory outlet stores. The largest standing discount on this list. | Military members, veterans, spouses and dependents |
| Under Armour | 20% | All purchases, online and in store, after free ID.me verification. Drops to 10% at UA Factory House outlets. | Military, veterans, spouses and family — also first responders, healthcare workers and teachers |
| Lululemon | 15% | In store with a valid ID; online after verification. | Military members and spouses |
| Abercrombie & Fitch / Hollister | 10–15% | In store only, at manager’s discretion — not a corporate program. Ask before you get to the register. | Varies by store |
| American Eagle / Aerie | 10% | In store with a military ID. Handled at store level, so participation varies by location. No online discount. | Military members and veterans |
| Old Navy | 10% | In store only, at participating locations, with a valid ID. Not available online. | Active duty, veterans, retirees, reservists, Guard and dependents |
| Columbia | 10% | Online only, after verification. | Military members, veterans and family |
| L.L.Bean | 10% | Online after verification; a promo code is issued once eligibility clears. | Active duty, veterans and reservists |
| Shoes & sneakers | |||
| Skechers | 20% | Through ID.me. Excludes sale items, accessories and gift cards, and does not combine with other promo codes. | Verified military members |
| Converse | 15% | Online through SheerID, or in store with a military ID. | Active duty, reservists, veterans, retirees, spouses and dependents |
| Crocs | 15% | Online, full-price styles only. | Active duty and veterans |
| New Balance | Up to 15% | Online, full-price items only, on orders up to $400, after ID.me verification. | Service members and veterans |
| Nike | 10% | Online and in store after SheerID verification. | Active duty, reservists, veterans and family |
| Foot Locker & Champs Sports | 10% | Verify once through ID.me or SheerID and it covers Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker and Champs Sports. | Active duty, veterans and military families |
| Puma | 10% | Footwear, after ID.me verification. | Veterans and active military |
| Vans | 10% | After verification. | Active duty, reservists and veterans |
| Rack Room Shoes | 10% | Every Tuesday, in store only. Rises to 20% on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day. No online discount. | Valid U.S. military ID holders |
| School, craft & office supplies | |||
| Office Depot / OfficeMax | 20% | One qualifying regular- or sale-price purchase; in store with ID or online through ID.me. Excludes ink, toner and technology. | Verified military shoppers |
| Michaels | 15% | Every day, in store and online. One of the few with no day-of-week restriction. | Active duty and retired service members |
Verified July 25, 2026 against retailer policy pages and Military.com’s discount directory. Military discount programs change often and exclusions are common — confirm current terms with the retailer before you shop.
A few worth knowing about ahead of time. Not every brand your kid wants runs a program. Victoria’s Secret and PINK have no standing military discount, though they occasionally run military-only promotions around Memorial Day and Armed Forces Day. Abercrombie, Hollister and American Eagle leave it to individual stores, so the answer genuinely depends on which mall you walk into — ask at the counter rather than assuming. And Target ran 20% from June 21 to July 4 this year, which has closed; its military offers have historically returned around Veterans Day.
If a retailer is not on this list, ask anyway. Plenty of regional chains honor a discount they never advertise, and the worst outcome is a no.
Before you stretch the budget, check whether you qualify for help. A meaningful number of families do and never look — NerdWallet found that 21% of families are turning to free school-supply drives this year. Programs fall into four broad buckets: military, income-based, refugee and newcomer, and Tribal Nation.
Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade runs nationwide and provides eligible military children with free backpacks and school supplies. Registration requires a MyOperationHomefront account and an event profile, and availability at individual events changes quickly — check early and check often.
Income-based back-to-school help usually arrives as free school-supply events, clothing or uniform vouchers, shoe programs, backpack giveaways, and retailer gift cards. Eligibility is commonly based on household income or on participation in programs such as SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, TANF, or free and reduced-price school meals. Families may also qualify through a referral from a school counselor, shelter, church, community-action agency, or social-service organization. Because these programs are administered locally, start with your school district, then check nearby charities and community organizations for requirements and availability.
Some nonprofit and community organizations offer free school supplies, uniforms, backpacks, and educational support to refugee, immigrant, and newcomer families. Eligibility is normally based on participation in a resettlement, newcomer, or community-support program rather than on nationality alone.
Some federally recognized Tribal Nations provide back-to-school allowances, reimbursements, or supply programs for eligible enrolled Tribal citizens and their children. Benefits and eligibility requirements are set independently by each Tribal Nation, so the three below are illustrative rather than exhaustive — check with your own Nation’s education or social services office.
The tables above cover discounts you qualify for by who you are. These are the seasonal sales we are tracking — open to everyone, and worth stacking on top of a tax-free weekend or an occupational discount where the retailer allows it.
Sales-tax holiday dates and price caps — compiled from Tax Foundation, Sales Tax Holidays by State, 2026, and individual state revenue department publications, current as of July 26, 2026.
Discount programs — verified July 25, 2026 against retailer program pages, Military.com’s discount directory, ID.me storefronts, and ConsumerAffairs’ July 2026 educator-discount roundup.
Spending figures — National Retail Federation 2026 Back-to-School Survey and the NerdWallet 2026 Back-to-School Shopping Report.
Dates, eligible products, price caps and discount terms change often. Confirm current rules with the state revenue department or retailer before a major purchase. This page is for general educational purposes only. The author is not a Certified Financial Planner. Read the full disclaimer.