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Where to Splurge and Save Money on Halloween Candy

Written by

Rubina Ahmed-Haq is a Journalist and Personal Finance Expert. She regularly appears on CBC Radio, CBC News Network, CTV Your Morning and Global Toronto. She writes for Homes Publishing group,

Rubina Ahmed-Haq
Halloween decorations of poison and chemical bottles

It’s a good idea to save money on Halloween candy if you plan on participating at all this year. Halloween has become big business in Canada, but job losses due to COVID-19 may stifle the traditional celebration methods. What was once a holiday exclusively for kids has now reached into offices, adult costume parties, and themed events at nightclubs. A survey conducted in 2018 by Value Village found that the average Canadian plans to spend about $45 on bags of candy for trick or treaters.

An older survey by RetailMeNot relays the average Canadian adult can spend $169 on hosting a spooky party. But the spending doesn’t end there. Here are some more budget-gobbling expenses, according to the survey done by retailmenot.com

  • Attending a party: $77
  • Alcohol: $55
  • Costumes: $52
  • Entertainment (performers, music, bar cover, etc.): $48
  • Decorations: $43
  • Candy: $42

68 percent of Canadian adults now celebrate Halloween. It also found 33 percent expected to attend a Halloween party. Part of this is due to social media and the Instagram craze to get the best shot on Halloween. Whatever the reason Canadians are spending more on this one-day-a-year event. Although not as expensive as the Holidays it does come right before this most expensive time of the year.

If you’re looking for ways to have a fabulous Halloween without breaking the budget here’s where to save and where to splurge on this spooky time of year.

Where Save Money on Halloween Candy and More

Costumes

When looking for a costume start at second-hand stores. Not just for creative ideas of what you can make into a costume but for used costumes as well. The thrift stores are full of costumes worn only once that have been donated. They’re selling them at a fraction of what they would cost new.

Decorations

The decoration in front of some of the homes can be really over the top and so are the costs of those. This is another place where you can save by checking the second-hand market. Try sites like Kijiji and Craigslist to see what Halloween decorations people are selling. Also, inquire about rental costs, this can save you a lot of money.

However, you spend Halloween with your kids or at a late-night party. Don’t let your spending get frighteningly out of control.

Candy

Kids get a lot of candy when they trick or treat on Halloween. Many children can’t finish eating through their haul. In fact, from a health perspective, they shouldn’t. Don’t go overboard on the candy you expect to hand out. The fun size chocolates and candy are perfect. If you’re handing out full-size candy packages, you will blow your budget quickly. Buying candy at the dollar store can maximize your savings while allowing you to hand out candy (from a distance).

Items to Spend a Little More On

Makeup

To make your costume really pop applying ghoulish makeup can be all the difference. Not all of us have fake blood and vampire teeth lying around. Spend the extra money on the small accessories and makeup to bring your costume to a new level.

Entertainment

If you’re throwing a Halloween party spend on entertainment. It could be hiring a D.J. for the night, or maybe a magician to come in to do some scary tricks. A good entertainer can add value to any party.

Final Thoughts

If you want to save money on Halloween candy and other expenses this year, you may have to go without. Otherwise, you can reuse old decorations and costumes. Another idea is to swap costumes with a group of friends. Of course, having a holiday section in your budget can provide enough for the season ahead of time.

Image Credit: Marie’s Shots

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