Aug. 8--After filling her shopping cart with 10 60-cent, multicolored notebooks in the back-to-school aisle of Target, Sarah Johnson tossed in one last red one for good measure.

Johnson had vowed not to return to her Raleigh home without school supplies and first-day dresses for her two 8-year-old daughters.

She was one of many shoppers out Friday taking advantage of North Carolina's annual tax-free weekend, which ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday. For shoppers, saving the state's sales tax on many goods is a blessing.

"So far I've gotten binders, notebooks and pencil boxes, but I need a lot more," Johnson said, crossing out items on her list and penciling in a few more. "My daughter would kill me if I forgot her Hannah Montana lunchbox."

Those items eligible for the tax savings include clothing that is $100 or less, sport or recreational equipment $50 or less, school supplies $100 or less and computers $3,500 or less.

More than school supplies

Laptops were selling quickly, leaving Crabtree Valley Mall shoppers stuck in a long line stretching outside the Apple Store's glass doors before noon Friday.

"I've been waiting until now to buy my laptop for college," said Matt Williams of Raleigh. "I need to save all the money I can to pay for school."

He browsed the store for 20 minutes, carefully examining MacBooks, before finally choosing a black one for just under $1,000.

Computers at Best Buy's location in Cary also were the object of affection for many shoppers. The checkout line almost stretched the length of the store at 11 a.m.

"People are definitely buying," said Phillip Jones, assistant manager of the store. "I'm not surprised with the traffic, though. ... We thought there would be the same amount of people, if not more, than last year."

Christy Brown, a Fuquay-Varina Elementary School teacher, was focused on pencil boxes and folders for her future students.

"I was on the computer last night looking for coupons," she said as she loaded a handful of bright yellow pocket folders into her shopping cart at Office Max. "As a teacher, it's a wonderful time for me to get supplies."

Brown also planned on hitting a nearby mall and Stride Rite Shoes in Raleigh to browse for clothes for her 9- and 5-year-old children.

Michelle Dawson shopped with her three children for lime green binders in Target. Her next stops included Kohl's, Old Navy and Dick's Sporting Goods. From crayons to desktop computers, shorts to soccer cleats, there's a little something for everyone on sale this weekend.

jennifer.klahre@newsobserver.com or 919-829-8938

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