Tax-free appliance shopping for weekend

RALEIGH -- Consumers who want to save energy will get a chance to save money as well in North Carolina. The first annual Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday is scheduled for the weekend and is set to begin on Friday. The three-day tax holiday was created to help consumers save energy and money while demonstrating environmental stewardship and increasing consumer awareness about energy efficiency. Appliances eligible under the tax holiday include clothes washers, freezers and refrigerators, central and room air conditioners, air-source heat pumps, ceiling fans and programmable thermostats. During the 2008 session of the General Assembly, lawmakers approved the creation of the appliance tax holiday to encourage the use of more energy efficient products. (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)