Back to school shopping kicks into full gear this week with Florida’s tax free holiday.

It’s one of the easiest ways to save as you get the kids ready to go back to school. Take advantage of no sales tax on several items through Sunday.

“We do love it and appreciate that it happens,” said Tina Velez, a mother of two school-age children, as she shopped at Target in Tampa.

She’s not fond of the crowds, though.

“It’s a little crazy, ‘cause there’s like 100,000 people out shopping,” she said.

Here are the key items you can get tax free, saving roughly 6 to 7 percent on your purchase depending on where you live:

  • Most school supplies: under $15
  • Clothing and shoes: under $100
  • Personal computers and some accessories: the first $750 of your purchase

“The best deals you’re gonna get are on that tax-free week, so get in before it’s over,” said Michael Martinez, manager at a Target store in Tampa.

Most stores have launched major sales to coincide with tax-free week, but no worries if you’re a procrastinator. Martinez says more sales will continue even after the “holiday” is over.

“A lot of people do wait to shop that week before school starts,” he said.

Every little bit helps. Christine Smith is a mom and a teacher.

“It’s not cheap raising children these days,” Smith said.

She’s right. A National Retail Federation survey says the average family with kids in K-12 plans to spend $630.36 on school supplies, clothing, shoes and electronics. That is slightly down from last year, but on average, families have spent 42 percent more on school items over the past 10 years.

Other simple ways to save include checking the ads in your paper or online before you hit the aisles and downloading apps to your favorite stores for access to special deals.

Tisa Pritchard, mother of a 5-year-old and an 11-year-old, downloaded the Target app and uses it all the time.

“When I saw school supplies on sale, (especially) backpacks, we rushed over,” she said.

When it comes to getting the best prices, you don’t always have to drive all over town. Several stores like Target and Walmart have price matching. If you can show proof that a competitor’s price is cheaper with an ad or coupon, they’ll match it.

If you forget something in the store, shopping on the web offers savings, too. Websites like Ebates.com or RetailMeNot can help you get extra savings, while shopping at many of your favorite stores online.

Also, be sure to come armed with your child’s school supply list and stick to the list. Teachers mean what they say when they tell you to get a yellow folder “with” prongs. If you can’t find it, wait or go somewhere else. You might waste your money getting something different.

And don’t forget to take stock of what you already have at home. Go through drawers, closets, and last year’s backpack. You might be surprised at just how many brand new pencils, pens and sticky notes you can find leftover from last year.

The big box stores are great for one stop shopping, but you can also find great savings at thrift stores, on clothes and many other items. The Sunshine Thrift Store in Tampa stockpiles back-to-school items all year long and starts putting them out on the floor in early August.

“We have backpacks, notebooks, binders, pencils, pens, laptop bags, uniforms—things of that nature,” said Doug Becker, vice president of Sunshine Thrift Store.

Some of us enjoy back to school shopping, like 5-year-old Maddie Pritchard, who’s heading into kindergarten this year. She says “getting backpacks and stuff and pushing the cart” are the most fun.

Others, like 11-year-old Brooks Velez, are not so enthusiastic.

“It takes a lot of time and it’s not fun,” he said.

Either way, saving a little money along the way makes it easier on mom and dad.