Looking to celebrate Halloween in bloodcurdling high style at a low price? You need not pay a sawed-off arm or a leg, or have a wooden stake driven through your financial heart. Here are a variety of ways you can save and still have a werewolf-like “howling-at-the-moon” good time.
No Screaming Because of Prices
First, you’ll get a price break with your Halloween celebration purchases this year. In some doubly devilishly good news, Bankrate.com’s third annual Price of Fright index found Halloween prices have slipped slightly over the past year. A sample of items, specifically two 40-ounce bags of Halloween chocolates, one children’s pirate costume, one pumpkin and three decorations (a light-up tombstone, a life-size hanging skeleton and a spooky lantern), cost 0.7 percent less than a year ago. That’s if you are paying full-price. We’ve found some ways to avoid that and save even more …
‘Boo’ to Beginning Without a Budget
Only a free-spending ghoul goes shopping without a list and a budget. We suggest that you map out some financial constraints for your Halloween celebration, and try to stick with them. The National Retail Federation found that Americans plan to spend $6.9 billion on Halloween this year, and the average person will spend over $74 on holiday decorations, candy and costumes.
By following these cost-savings strategies, you can cut that amount by more than half.
1. Thrift for scary cheap costumes.
If you’re hooked on saving money like Dracula is addicted to blood, think about checking out a thrift store as you put your costume together. Goodwill Industries reports that October generates its largest monthly sales of the year, and Halloween is a big reason why. New costumes purchased elsewhere at retail can cost $50 or more. There is also large inventory of items online, but there’s nothing like seeing the goods up close, says Evette Rios, lifestyle expert and Goodwill spokeswoman.
“Goodwill stores will have the most selection of Halloween costumes and accessories, such as witches hats, as well as items like face paint, bow ties and suspenders,” Rios says, adding that the Internet auction site, Shopgoodwill.com, has a growing selection of Halloween costumes.
2. Go on a witch hunt for coupons and cash-back offers.
If you are shopping online or in traditional brick-and-mortar stores for your Halloween goods, don’t forget about printed or electronic coupons. Sunday newspaper circulars have been offering coupons for Halloween candy the past few weeks.
In addition, smartphone and Web-browser-based apps like Coupons.com and RetailMeNot use GPS to alert consumers about special offers nearby. A quick check of RetailMeNot.com also yielded a deal for up to 50 percent off Halloween items sold on eBay. Another new trend involves giving customers cash back, or rebates, on purchases. You can look for these from the retailers themselves as well as from CouponCabin.com and ibotta.com.
Don’t forget to ask at the checkout counter if there’s an additional coupon or savings you may have overlooked.
3. Throw a phantasmal potluck party.
The National Retail Federation found that nearly one-third of consumers plan to throw or attend a party with friends and family this year. Talk about scary: Think about cooking food or paying for catering for a large group of people. Here’s where a good, old-fashioned potluck dinner could fly to your rescue like a caped superhero.
Andrew Housser, co-CEO of Freedom Financial Network, suggests that by asking each of your guests to bring food and/or drinks to your Halloween party, you could save as much as 50 to 80 percent on what you’d otherwise pay. “Focus parties on the people,” Housser adds. “Most of the fun with Halloween parties is in … seeing all the costumes.”
By following all of these steps, you can wake up Nov. 1, look at your bank account and avoid zombie debts.
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Don’t Get Scared Off By Halloween Prices originally appeared on usnews.com
