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Point Breeze Credit Union Blog

Have a Happy Halloween Without Scaring Your Budget

You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to have fun this Halloween

Halloween is a beloved holiday. What other night can you dress up like an inflatable T-Rex and eat all your favorite sweets? But the problem is, Halloween may leave your wallet screaming. According to a new report from the National Retail Federation, Americans are projected to spend up to a record $12.2billion–that’s billion with a B–on Halloween.

Spending that much money might sound scary if you’re tight on cash. But the good news is: You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to have fun this year.

Costumes

Costumes are one of the best parts about Halloween–from seeing cute babies dressed up as lions, to entire families decked out as characters from their favorite movies. When you add up the cost of costume items, you realize how expensive it can be to buy them for your whole family. However, that isn’t the only option.

It has become very popular to DIY costumes, and even easier to find the items you’d need. Head on over to a consignment store or thrift store and start gathering your costume elements. There’s nothing like a happy homemade Halloween!

Decorations

Halloween decorations are a huge deal for some people–where a single pumpkin on the porch won’t cut it. Decorating for Halloween can be very fun, but buying Halloween decorations year after year can take a huge bite out of your budget. Finding budget friendly Halloween decorations is easier than you think!

Making your own decorations is something you can do with the whole family at a fraction of the cost of purchasing decorations. While stores like craft and hobby stores have a lot of options and inspiration to offer, they also tend to range on the higher end of pricing. Places like dollar stores have many Halloween décor elements for way less. Look up some decorations you wouldn’t mind trying to make and get to crafting!

Candy

With inflation, the cost of candy has skyrocketed over the years. But living in a popular trick-or-treating neighborhood doesn’t mean you need to buy barrels of candy. If you know you’re going to be visited by 50+ kids on Halloween, skip the gourmet candy and go right for the bulk candy bags. Also be on the lookout for coupons and deals like 2-for-1 bags. Don’t feel like you need to get name brand stuff either. Buy what you can afford, even if that means it’s store brand.

One more tip when it comes to candy – keep track of how much you go through this year so you can better prepare for next year. There’s no need to over-buy and get stuck with loads of extra candy (unless that’s what you were hoping for).

It is 100% possible to have an amazing Halloween on a budget. Don’t let Halloween haunt your budget – you’ll have more fun knowing you’re not wrecking your money goals to celebrate. We hope you have a safe and spooktacular Halloween!

For more financial tips, visit our blog page.