Tax on Food (Guys: sales, insurance, house)

[ptnaples]

Thanks Guys for all of your advice!!! This forum has been wonderful and most of you have been very helpful. I notice alot of talk about taxes...sales and property, etc. But I haven't read anything about the tax rate on food. I don't mean restaurant food but on raw foods bought in the grocery stores. Is it the same all over the state? or does each county set it's own rate?

[mbmouse]

Yes, there is tax on groceries. That is a downfall of this state. In East TN, it is average of 9.75%. However, I think the cost of the food is a bit lower here, ie a gallon of milk costs $3.48. A friend in Fl says she pays $4.00 a gallon. So it is kind of a toss up. No state income tax, VERY low property taxes, low insurance policy rates, both homeowners and auto, more house for the money. Good news is gas went down yesterday, running between $2.45 and $2.58 a gallon (depends which station you go to) for unleaded. Correct me if I am wrong, but that is cheaper than Fl and lots of other states for gas...correct?

[chester's]

In Palm Springs CA :
a gal of milk is about $3.50
a gal of gas (reg) about $2.99

[insanesmooch]

Sales tax on food is the same as it is on everything else, except some complicated rule they made a few years ago. I think tax basically runs 9.25% to 9.75% through out the state. Some types of foods are about 1% less though. I'm not sure what all it is exactly. Like packaged food or something. Maybe some one else knows the details.
I can tell you that I have a Walgreens receipt here where I got the Pepsi on rebate. That would be the only 'food' item on there and I have the 8.25% tax on the receipt as well as the 9.25% for the other items.

[swimmersmom]

NE Ohio - no tax on food, paid $1.99 yesterday for a gallon of milk and $2.29 for a gallon of gas. And no, that's not sale price for milk, that's what I always pay, unless it is on sale somewhere else cheaper.

But of course there are trade offs - we have cold and snow for way too long!

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

FYI....Houston Texs milk $2.75 at Walmart, $299 at Kroger, gas varied all over the city, anywhere $229 to $252 today. no tax on food.

[Zeeya]

Im in W.Washington and you can by milk anywhere from 2.49-3.99 a gallon no food tax and gas here can be 2.59 -2.99.

[SPLIT]

Z: As long as you opened a can of worms again. Can pass on some current info. The State Welcome Web site to attract retiree Baby Boomers lists about 6% sales tax, and very small print adds local towns may add. Which means
. about 3 1/2 % more at the grocery store. Here in S.E. Tn food like Milk and Meat will be 8 1/2% and non-food like Soap and detergent will be 9 1/2% , so figure add 9% to your shopping cart before check out clerk. . Other house utilities very low here. Gasoline today about $2.20 after rising last 6 weeks, lowest was $2.02 Oct.

[FL_TN_Nana]

Originally Posted by ptnaples

Thanks Guys for all of your advice!!! This forum has been wonderful and most of you have been very helpful. I notice alot of talk about taxes...sales and property, etc. But I haven't read anything about the tax rate on food. I don't mean restaurant food but on raw foods bought in the grocery stores. Is it the same all over the state? or does each county set it's own rate?

The following is a quote from a good retirement website about taxes in each state:

"TENNESSEE
Sales Taxes
State Sales Tax: 7% on tangible property (prescription drugs exempt); 6% on food and food ingredients. Counties and cities may add another 1.5% to 2.75% to the total of either rate (click here)."

[texasdude]

Milk is $2.45 a gallon no tax and gas now is $2.25 a gallon.BBBBBBBBBBut its Florida.