title: MySQL Varchar to store dates, unsortable at years end?
body: <p>MySQL database has a years worth of records beginning in 2015, but now all queries that need to use an entries date are having an issue crossing 2015 to 2016. Looking in the database, the date has been stored as Varchar. Now, running the query</p>
  
  <pre><code>SELECT SUM( salesPrice ) AS total
  FROM sales
  WHERE salesDate &gt;=  '01-01-2016'
  AND salesDate &lt;=  '02-07-2016'
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The 'total' is incorrect. It correctly queries entries with a salesDate of 01-01-2016 through 01-07-2016 (the current day), but then continues to add to the total using items from last year. </p>
  
  <p><em>What is a reasonable way to convert the column and reword the query to stop this bug?</em></p>