New Jersey’s Sales Tax Drops — How Will You Spend Your Big Savings?!

You probably didn't realize it, but when the calendar changed from 2017 to 2018 the other night, New Jersey's sales tax rate went down.

Now, before you get over-excited and rush out to buy everything in a Black Friday-like frenzy, know this: the sales tax rate went from 6.875% to 6.625%.

Let's say you buy something that's a $100. Last year, with sales tax, that purchase would have set you back $106.88. That same purchase in 2018 will now cost you $106.62.

You just saved about a quarter.

Woo hoo!

But wait -- if you shop in one of the state's 27 Urban Enterprise Zones (locally in Pleasantville, Vineland, Millville, and the Wildwoods), the sales tax rate is half of what it is everywhere else. So there, the sales tax has gone from 3.4375% to 3.3125%, which means that same $100 purchase that saved you a quarter on was also cut in half to 12.5 cents.

So what will you do with your quarter or 12.5 cents after you spent $100?

In the long run, probably nothing.

The whole reason the sales tax rate was cut in the first place was because of the 23-cent-per-gallon gas tax hike that we all got to enjoy about a year ago.

Happy new year, New Jersey.