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With another school year just a couple of weeks away, parents everywhere are in back-to-school mode.

That means new clothes and classroom supplies...and the hunt for bargains. It also means another sales tax holiday in Missouri.

The aisles in the school supply section at the Jefferson City Target store were jammed with kids, their moms and lists of what to buy.

Tara Nilges, a shopper, said, "This is my first time, ever, on this weekend. Normally, I have it knocked out. But we've had vacations and traveling and things, so we haven't."

This is the ninth year for the back-to-school state sales tax holiday. Over a three-day period, consumers pay no state sales tax on school supplies, clothing, even computers.

Another shopper, Desiree Franken, said, "We try to make it every year..every penny counts."

Ted Farnen, a Missouri Revenue Department spokesman, said, "I think we've learned that the holiday is very popular."

The state has never been able to calculate the impact of the tax holiday because there's no way to tell which purchases might have happened anyways at some other time.

Jimmy Stanz, a Target floor leader, said, "We do see a spike in our sales. The parents and students are definitely out in numbers."

In mid-Missouri, very few cities or counties participate by forgiving their own sales tax. State officials say it's a different story along the state borders.

"They do participate and they use that as a lure to bring customers in from out of state," Farnen said. "Because you don't have to be a Missouri citizen to benefit from the savings."

Shopper Colette Wilhelm, said, "I just found out this morning on the news, so that's why we came...Any money you can save right now is worth it."

The sale tax holiday continues through Sunday night at midnight.