According to data from the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend roughly $7 billion on items for on Halloween this year. That’s a slight decrease from last year’s spending, which reached around $7.5 billion. The majority of that money will be spent on decorations, costumes, candy, and food for parties. Here are some easy ways to keep your Halloween costs under control.
Costumes
The amount spent on costumes for adults, children, and pets is expected to reach $2.5 billion this year. Instead of paying top dollar for a new costume from one of those pop-up specialty Halloween stores, consider purchasing a cheaper costume from a mass retailer like Wal-Mart or Meijers. Better yet, create your own unique costume from items you have in your home or that you find in your local thrift store.
Candy
The National Confectioners Association predicts that Americans will spend at least $2.6 billion this year on candy for Halloween. Roughly 71 percent of consumers report that they will be giving out candy to the trick-or-treaters that come to their door. Kids that live in cities and suburbs can hit a lot of houses in the two hours allowed for trick-or-treating, so save money by buying small treats and limiting it to one or two per child.
Decorations
Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on Halloween decorations that they only display for a couple of weeks. Many of the Halloween standards, like scarecrows, grim reapers, and gravestones, can be made yourself using old clothing, cardboard, and spray paint. Create your own unique Halloween decorations and save yourself some money.
Food
The National Retail Federation survey showed that nearly one-third of consumers plan to throw or attend a party with friends and family this year for Halloween. Instead of cooking a bunch of food or paying for catering for a large group of people, ask each of your guests to bring food and/or drinks to your Halloween party for an old-fashioned potluck dinner. The variety will be better, everyone’s guaranteed to have something they enjoy, and you will save 50 to 80 percent on what you’d otherwise pay for your party.
These tips for keeping your Halloween costs under control will let you have a frightfully fun holiday without breaking the bank.