//******************************Purchase items******************************

  private void btnPurchaseActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt)
    {
         //---Here is where we are going to calculate the tax and amt. due
        //---We will also format the money correctly so it look like a cash register.
        //---I use two data types to show you how to parse a string
        //  Set the horizontal alignment for textboxes/labels to Right.

        //*************************************************************************

        NumberFormat currency = new DecimalFormat("#.00");   //no $ sign    
        //NumberFormat myFormat = new DecimalFormat("$#.00");   //$ sign    

        //************************************************************************

        float price = Float.parseFloat(txtPrice.getText());


        //---create a constant with the final keyword
        final float taxRate = .08F;

        double salesTax = price * taxRate;

        double balanceDue = price + salesTax;


        txtTax.setText(currency.format(salesTax));
        txtBalanceDue.setText(currency.format(balanceDue));
        txtPrice.setText(currency.format(price));                 //make it look like $ also
        
        //---now display msg about sale
         lblMsg.setText("Thanks for shopping " + txtFirstName.getText() + " you spent " + txtBalanceDue.getText() +
             " today.");
     
      
    }