Here's Why Some Candy Is Cheaper In Illinois

All year round, candy puts a sweet accent on life. Valentine's Day graces us with chocolates, Easter has jellybeans, Halloween treats us to candy corn, and minty sweets in December are a breath of fresh air. Still, there is only so much money we have to spend on our favorite candies. Even between holidays, if you are stocking up on treats in Illinois, you may want to double-check what you are buying if you are trying to save as much as possible.

One often overlooked factor that increases the price of our prized store-bought confections is tax. But in Illinois, not all candy is considered equal. There, sweets made with flour fall into the same tax category as everyday groceries like bread and lettuce, whereas candy without flour gets taxed at a higher rate. That means your Snickers bars and Kit Kats — both of which include flour in their makeup — are somewhat cheaper in Illinois than sweets such as Starburst and Skittles.

Other grocery taxes are similar between states (which is why you can buy alcohol at some Costcos without a membership) but others differ. In fact, most states (currently 37) don't apply a tax to groceries at all, but Illinois is not part of that club. The Prairie State levies a 1% tax on all grocery items, but for candy that doesn't contain flour, that rate jumps to 6.25%. So, it would be in the best interests of Illinoisans looking to save to carefully scrutinize the sweets they purchase ... or to look to neighboring states where candy can be bought for a lower price.

With the cost of groceries seemingly always on the rise, everybody is trying to keep those totals at the supermarket as low as possible. If candy is on your shopping list and you reside in Illinois, there are neighboring states where you may be able to exit the store with more money in your pocket compared to your local grocery haunt. Depending on the state, you might be able to spend less on baking ingredients as well.

Nearby Missouri does have a grocery tax, but at least candy is treated no differently than the baking staples that so often create it. Michigan doesn't tax groceries at all and doesn't apply a separate tax to confections. A little farther to the east, Ohio — home of the largest candy store in the U.S. — has similar tax regulations that could make it worth traveling to the Buckeye State to fill your snack drawer with sweet treats on the cheap. Even if you don't stock up on candy, states that don't tax groceries at all would be better places than Illinois to invest in baking necessities so you can make homemade goodies without necessarily breaking the bank.