Save on Hurricane Prep This Week

Get a break during Virginia’s annual Hurricane Preparedness Holiday this week.

The holiday begins on May 25 and ends May 31. No sales tax will be applied for many items used to protect homes during the hurricane and flooding season.

Many items are exempt, including:

• Bottled water of any size, including flavored, carbonated and vitamin water
• Artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs, reusable ice
• Batteries, excluding car or boat batteries
• Battery-powered light sources, including flashlights and lanterns
• First-aid kits
• Cellphone chargers
• Weather Band radios and NOAA Weather Radios
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radios, including radio with electrical power option
• Two-way radios
• Manual can openers
• Tarps, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths
• Duct tape
• Bungee cords and rope
• Ground anchor systems or tie-down kits
• Ratchet straps
• Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, fire extinguishers
• Empty gas, propane or diesel fuel tanks or containers
• Water storage containers such as buckets, barrels, canteens, coolers
• Storm shutter devices made for the prevention of storm damage (not plywood)

Save money on big-ticket items, too, with a sales price of $1,000 or less:

• Portable generators and generator power cords
• Inverters and inverter power cables

For a complete list and more information, go to their website. For information about getting ready for hurricane and flooding season in Virginia, visit the state's preparedness site.