5 Tips To Keep Your Halloween Costs Down

Follow these tips to keep those costs down so you can get the most bang for your buck on this fear-filled holiday.

When it comes to expensive holidays, Christmas and other year-end festivities tend to take the spotlight. Halloween, however, is usually overlooked.

What happens if you don’t watch your wallet on Halloween? You could have less cash saved for spending later on.

To keep that from happening, let’s look at ways to make October 31st as affordable as possible.

1. Decorate via discount stores.

Since Halloween tends to be a shorter holiday, spending so much on decorations isn’t really worth it.

Yes, those decorations you’ll find at big box retailers are boo-tiful. They can haunt your bank account, though, so opt for discount stores instead.

Dollar stores are loaded with cheap decorations that will keep your kids happy without breaking your budget. Walk in with just a handful of bucks, and you’ll be surprised at what you can get to make your house feel frightful.

2. Make your costumes.

Specialty Halloween stores will charge you a pretty penny for their costumes, primarily since they rely on one day a year for most of their earnings. Make your costumes out of items sitting and your home, and you can still look spooktacular for a fraction of the cost.

If you have a tough time getting inspired, look online for homemade costume ideas. Doing so will help you put something together in no time.

If a homemade costume is not an option, see what drug stores have in stock. They may have something much cheaper than a specialty store that still gets the job done.

3. Buy candy alternatives.

Chances are, most of your neighbors will be handing out fun-sized chocolate bars and other candy to the kids. You, on the other hand, can hand out similarly-priced alternatives to stand out from the crowd.

Spooky rings, stickers, and glow-in-the-dark bracelets will give trick-or-treaters some variety in their bags. Even better, you can keep any you don’t use for next year, which can lead to savings over candy you’d have to eat or toss out.

Oh, and if you’re not one to toss out candy and would rather eat it, think of those dental costs from cavities and other tooth issues. Those alone can rack up your Halloween-related bills.

4. Find free events.

Haunted houses, amusement parks, and other eerie events can be quite costly. Luckily, they aren’t the only Halloween events you’re likely to find, so look around for free alternatives.

Beyond trick-or-treating in your neighborhood, many local malls offer the same. Many stores also hold Halloween get-togethers, such as costume parties at The Disney Store and pumpkin-themed celebrations at Bass Pro Shops.

Do you have pets you’d like to include too? PetSmart has you covered there with trick-or-treating for dogs and costume contests.

5. Don’t ditch your pumpkin.

Once it’s done serving as a jack-o’-lantern, use your pumpkin in other ways before putting it in the trash.

You can roast its seeds as a snack or make pumpkin puree for pasta. Turn the skin into crispy chips. You can even use its parts for a free face mask to avoid overpaying for beauty products.