Memorial Day state sales tax holidays for shoppers in Virginia, Texas and Louisiana

Shoppers in Virginia, Texas and Louisiana will be able to save a few bucks thanks to those states' Memorial Day sales tax holidays.

The events in Virginia and Louisiana offer tax-free deals hurricane preparedness items. Texas' sales tax savings are tied to energy efficient home appliances.

Holiday dates: Virginia kicks things off early and gives shoppers the most time to save. The Old Dominion's tax-free holiday began today, May 25, and runs for seven days, through Monday, May 31.

Texas is offering three days of tax-free shopping, starting Saturday, May 29, and ending on Memorial Day Monday, May 31.

Louisiana's 2010  Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday takes also begins Saturday, May 29, but it wraps up Sunday, May 30.

Items exempted: A wide variety of purchases will be tax-free in the three states during the holidays.

For the seven-day tax holiday in Virginia, buyers of certain supplies and equipment needed for hurricane preparedness won't have to pay the usual 5 percent sales tax (4 percent goes to the state; 1 percent to local taxing jurisdictions).

In general, generators costing $1,000 or less and other supplies costing $60 or less will be exempt from the taxes during the holiday period.More details on Virginia's holiday, including guidelines, a list of eligible purchases and FAQ, can be found at the state's special hurricane sales tax holiday website.

Louisiana shoppers will escape the Pelican State's 4 percent state sales tax on the first $1,500 of the sales price of each eligible storm prep product. Local sales taxes, however, will still apply unless the taxing authorities specifically exempt them.

State tax-free items in Louisiana include such things as generators, flashlights and candles, radios, tarpaulins or other flexible waterproof sheeting, gas or diesel fuel tanks, batteries, food storage coolers and storm shutter materials and products.

Louisiana's tax holiday website contains a full list of tax-free items.

Although Texas has a large coastline that's often the target of tropical storms, my home state's Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday this coming weekend provides shoppers a three-day break from state (6.25 percent) and local sales taxes (up to 2 percent more) on purchases of certain energy efficient products.

The most notable products are air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less and refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less.

The timing is perfect since we're already recording 90 degree days! Now we Lone Star State residents can chill our Shiner and then enjoy the icy brew in air conditioned comfort.

Texas tax officials have posted a list of tax-free purchases and other details on a special website.

More tax holidays to come: Although states are scrambling for revenue, these three sales tax holidays are just the official beginning of the 2010 sales tax holiday season.

Later in the year, primarily in August and pegged to back-to-school sales events, more states will be holding sales tax holidays with savings on clothing, school supplies and even computers.

I'll bring you the schedule as the dates near, so stay tuned!

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