A holiday that saves you money: disaster preparedness week

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Tax Free
Tax free holiday for disaster preparedness with hurricane season starting June 1. (CREDIT: WINK News)

This year there will be two disaster preparedness sales tax holidays instead of one to help save you cash.

Everything from electronic essentials to pet supplies and toiletries is tax-free starting Saturday, May 27. Items like fuel tanks, smoke detectors, flashlights, and other hurricane essentials are tax-free.

“I have a little kit I put together with a flashlight and some other odds and ends things in case we lose power and that kind of stuff,” customer Rick Scheuer said.

WINK News spoke with Michael Wynn, the President of Sunshine Ace Hardware, about the holiday.

“Detergents, bleach, sunscreen, paper towels, toilet paper, even pet food, pet litter, and even pet medicines and other pet accessories,” Wynn said.

They’re also essential supplies that are so important they’re on Florida’s list of essentials for hurricane preparedness.

“We have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario,” Wynn said.

And starting Saturday, May 27, you can buy a long list of supplies tax-free.

“I think it’s great,” Scheuer said.

And after experiencing Hurricane Ian, expect lots of people to prepare early.

“Some people obviously lost a lot in a hurricane, and it’ll help them also help them also with the tax exemption,” Scheuer said.

The 14-day sales tax holiday starts Saturday, May 27, and ends June 9. The second sales-tax holiday begins in late August.

Sunshine Ace Hardware’s President Michael Wynn says don’t wait. “We have, you know, sometimes logistic issues depending on where a storm is coming through and how fast product can get in so it’s just important why we have so many supplies in stock now to get them and be prepared.”

After all, hurricane season is five days away, and we all need to be prepared.

The state’s freedom summer sales tax holiday also goes into effect Saturday. The holiday runs until Sept. 4.

This exemption applies to boating, water, camping, and other outdoor supplies. Many of which could come in handy during a storm.

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