Your Financial Success Blog

Americans love Halloween! According to the National Confectioners Association (the candy-smart people), 93% of us celebrate this spooky holiday, spending over $10 billion annually. This year, try these tips to scare up some savings.

Watch for Candy Sales and Deals: It’s nice to be known as the best house on the block for Halloween goodies, but there’s no need to spend a fortune.

• Instead of full-size bars, buy bags of fun-size candy.
• Shop the sales. As Halloween gets closer, some options will get discounted.
• Don’t buy too much. Estimate how many visitors you’ll get and buy accordingly.
• Buy in bulk. Even if you buy too much this year, you can save it for next Halloween (as long as it’s not chocolate or some other confection that gets stale).
• Hand out stickers. Sheets or rolls of stickers are inexpensive. Plus, kids love them.

Co-Host a Halloween Party: Also known as a potluck, these events bring people together for a celebration without the financial or time commitment falling on one person.

• Ask everyone attending to bring a Halloween-inspired food item. Be sure someone brings a beverage, dessert, and finger foods.
• Use decorations you already own.
• Buy red or black paper cups, plates, and napkins. They’ll look festive, but without the holiday prices.

Share Decorations and Costumes: Instead of buying new decorations and costumes for the kids, trade with family and friends.

• Ensure the costumes fit your children before swapping.
• Decoration exchanges can really add new life to your Halloween display.

Limit the Pumpkins: The right jack-o-lantern can be the perfect decoration for Halloween. But spending too much can break your holiday budget.

• Limit each child to one pumpkin (and skip the adults).
• Encourage your family to choose smaller pumpkins to save on the per-pound costs.
• Add the pumpkins to your compost pile after Halloween.

Try Free Activities: Your community likely has plenty of fall and Halloween activities that are low- or no-cost for families.

• Visit a pumpkin patch. You’ll spend more for the pumpkins, but you’ll make plenty of memories.
• Go for a drive and enjoy the changing leaves. Stop along the way and take some photos.
• Look for a fall festival or farmer’s market. Halloween is bound to be on display. 
• Host a scary movie night. Invite friends and family over for a fun, scary movie. Save even more by making it a potluck event.

Scare Up the Savings with Mid-Atlantic FCU
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