Praised by retailers, derided as a gimmick by critics, Florida on Friday will start a month-long sales-tax "holiday" for back-to-school shoppers, along with eliminating sales taxes on other types of items.

Summer has almost come to an end, and starting this Friday, Floridians can save big on items like backpacks, computers and even shoes, as they prepare to send their kids back to school.

The Florida Retail Federation said parents of kindergarten through 12th-grade students are projected to spend an average of $858.