Hi everyone,
Sorry if this seems like a very basic question, but I've read that there's an 8.375% sales tax on all items for sale in NY apart from clothing under USD110. In the UK we pay an extortionate 17.5%, but this is always already included in the price quoted on the menu or price tag.

For our trip to NYC, should I budget to add the tax on top of all prices I see quoted in restaurants and shops or will it already be included?

Thanks

The exemption on clothing tax that you mention is not in effect all year long. There are certain "no-tax" weeks; I do not have info on when these are. Yes, you have to budget for the added tax in shops and restaurants, as it is added to the price marked on the tag or on the bill.

Great - thanks for clarifying that for me.

Bloomingdales and Macy's both offer out of town tourists an 11% discount on most purchases (not cosmetics). Go to the customer service desk with proof of residence (drivers license/passport etc.) and get a discount card which you show when making a purchase. It defrays the cost of tax and then some.

Thanks mclaurie - I'll defintely do that! Although I'm not sure hubby will be too keen on me having the extra incentive to shop!

Yes, quiUK, you will need to allow to add on the tax for purchases. And I hope you are also aware that you will need to be adding that tax to all your restaurant bills as well. But your hotel will be adding nearly double that amount for tax (I forget the current exact percentage). We're always so pleasantly surprised traveling in Europe when taxes are almost always "hidden" in the quoted prices.

mclaurie, really, Macy's and Bloomie's do that?? I must tell my S&BIL this!

Really, mclaurie? Bloomingdales and Macy's do that? I had no idea. I need to tell my friend who is coming from Anchorage. Any other stores? Any other tips like the one above?
Thanks

Well what-da-ya-know...

http://tinyurl.com/poswb

Here's the visitors link for Bloomingdales...

http://tinyurl.com/ouh98

Everything you ever wanted to know about NYC taxes but were afraid to ask:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/bus...ys_sales.shtml

If you have your purchases shipped home to a state that does not have a branch of the store in question (not sure how this works for foreign countries, assume it is the same) they do not charge you tax. I find that the cost of shipping approximately offsets the tax saved...but you don't have to shlepp your purchases on the plane. And if the things you buy are expensive, you may save money on the deal.

Yes, you need to add in/ budget the amount of tax to virtually everything except most supermarket food and some drugstore items. That's true of all places in the US that have sales tax. Prices are almost never quoted with tax included
Just to confuse you a tiny bit, while sales tax on clothing under $110 has not been totally repealed, NY CITY did do away with it (rather quietly, I might add) last September right after one of our tax-free weeks. The STATE still levies the tax, so when you are in NYC, you pay only about 4% sales tax(the state part) on clothing items under $110...

If you plan to buy a lot and will be doing a little travelling, check out Philadelphia. There is no sales tax on clothes in PA. There is a very large outlet mall (Franklin Mills) in NE Phila. They even have bus trips to the mall from NYC and surrounding areas.

And in addition to having to add taxes onto all your purchases, please don't forget the tip when visiting a restaurant. It is not included (even partially).
I mention this because I live in Central Florida and used to work as a manager at a luxury convention hotel. Lots of our UK visitors are not aware of that, or believe that their tip is just a exemplary add-on to a tip that is already built into the price of the meal.

No need to trek all the way to Philly. There are discount malls in Secaucus - about 30 minutes outside the city assuming non rush hours - and bus from Port Authority - and Jerse doesn;t have sales tax on clothes either.