How to Calculate a Discount and the Final Sale Price
"30% off" is easy; "extra 20% off sale price" and "buy one, get one 50% off" are where people get tripped up. The formulas for every kind of discount, with examples.
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North Carolina Sales Tax by County: 6.75% to 8.25%
North Carolina's 4.75% state sales tax becomes 6.75% to 8.25% once county and transit taxes are added. Rates for the biggest cities and how to find any county.
Washington Sales Tax by City: Why Rates Run From 7.6% to 10.7%
Washington charges a 6.5% state sales tax, and local taxes push the combined rate to between 7.6% and 10.7%. Rates for major cities, why they differ, and how to find yours.
Federal vs. State Minimum Wage: Which One Applies to You?
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but if your state sets a higher rate, that is usually what you are owed. How the two laws fit together, and where the federal rate still rules.
How Much Does It Cost to Fill Up a Gas Tank?
At October 2026 prices, filling a 15-gallon tank cost about $65 at the U.S. average, $58 in Texas and $93 in California. Here is the math for any tank, plus your monthly fuel cost.
Gas Prices Across the U.S.: Where a Gallon Costs the Most and Least
Regular gas averaged $4.35 a gallon nationwide in early October 2026, but more than $6 in parts of California and under $4 along the Gulf Coast. The EIA numbers for every region, state and city it tracks.
How to Calculate Sales Tax (and Work Back From a Total)
Sales tax is one multiplication, but working backward from a receipt or adding local rates trips people up. The formulas, with real state and city examples.
Which States Have No Sales Tax?
Five states charge no statewide sales tax, but "no sales tax" doesn't always mean no tax at the register. Here is the list, the catches, and the states with the highest rates.
Minimum Wage by State in 2026: Highest, Lowest and What Is Changing
Minimum wages range from the federal $7.25 to $18.40 in Washington, D.C. Here is every state for 2026, what full-time pay works out to, and the changes already scheduled.
Why Is Gas So Much More Expensive in Some States?
In late September 2026 a gallon of regular cost about $6.19 in California and $3.84 in Texas. Taxes, special fuel blends, refinery and pipeline access, and local costs explain most of the gap.
How Do Tariffs Work, and Who Actually Pays Them?
A tariff is a tax on imported goods, paid to U.S. Customs by the company bringing the goods in. Here is how that money moves, how it can reach store prices, and what it means for your budget.