RAYTOWN, Mo. — Missouri's tax-free weekend runs from Aug. 1 through Aug. 3, but one mom says beating the rush of the budget-friendly weekend is just as important as saving.
"I prefer to come when things are calm, take my time, she (her daughter) and I can have a conversation, and I'm not worried about the crowds," Katrina Stoddard said while shopping at the Raytown Walmart on Wednesday.
Stoddard, a mom of three, is not the only one shopping early this year.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that 67% of consumers started their back-to-school shopping by early July, which is the highest amount since NRF began tracking the trend in 2018. NRF says consumers are shopping with the impacts of tariffs and inflation in mind.
"I try to take a look at some of the other stores, what's happening online," Stoddard said.
At Walmart, some back-to-school supply prices are down from last year, according to Jamie Rhoden, the store manager of the Raytown Walmart.
"Our top 14 items are lower than they were last year," Rhoden said.
The NRF said the average family with Kindergarten through 12th-grade students plans to spend less this year than last — around $858 compared to $874.68 in 2024.
Stoddard said she's utilized Missouri's tax-free weekend before, but this year, she prefers to comparison shop and beat the rush.
"It's really handy if I want to get a computer or if I want to get a larger purchase to go for the tax-free weekend and do it that way," Stoddard said. "While I'm in the store, I would like a little bit more peace and quiet."
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KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
