Doing Halloween on a budget

The fall can be a very expensive time of year for families with back-to-school clothing and supplies, as well as fall sports registrations and supplies. With all of the early fall activities, many families may not have planned ahead for Halloween expenses.  Halloween ranks as the third most expensive holiday, following Christmas and Valentine’s Day. This might surprise some people, since typically the holiday does not involve large gift giving or family events. Nonetheless, the price of costumes, candy, and decorations can add up.

Below are some budget saving tips to help you celebrate Halloween in style, without playing a trick on your wallet.

•Shop local consignment or thrift stores for costumes. If you have a local children’s consignment store, call and ask if they have a special costume sale. You may also consider selling some of your children’s costumes from previous years. Often consignment stores will offer buying discounts to their sellers.

•Be creative, search your closets, as well as Grandma’s, for items you can turn into a costume.

•Do an internet search for easy DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Halloween costumes. 

•You certainly do not want to be a Halloween scrooge and not pass out candy. Search your local ads for Halloween candy specials. Try not to buy too much, not only does this cost extra, but you will also be tempted to eat the leftovers. 

•If you can, buy a little candy at a time, to spread the expense over several weeks. However, you may want to hide the candy once you get it home to make certain that it lasts until Trick-or-Treat night.

Source: Jennifer Hunter, Extension Specialist for Family Finance, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture

Jane Proctor is Trimble County’s Cooperative Extension agent for family and consumer services.