Halloween: Scary Good Ways to Save Money This Year

The National Retail Federation estimates that Americans will spend a record $9.1 billion on Halloween this year, an average of $86 per household. Depending on your level of frugality, those numbers may shock you like no movie monster ever could.

Don’t panic, though. It’s not that difficult to celebrate Halloween without a petrifying price tag.

Consider the following advice about how to cut your costs on everything from costumes to candy to jack-o’-lanterns.

Get a discount disguise

According to the National Retail Federation, more than one-third of Halloween spending will be devoted to costumes. (Parents of children who idolize the hottest superhero of the moment can relate.) Fortunately, you do have some alternatives to shelling out big bucks for a brand-new costume, including:

• Make a DIY Halloween costume. You might even be able to transform your child (or yourself) into a favorite character for less than $10.
• Trade or buy gently used. Go online to look for costume swap events in your community or shop a reputable website.
• Check out a thrift shop. You might be surprised at the kind of merchandise you find.

Be a smart sweets shopper

The most practical advice for saving on Halloween candy boils down to three tips:

• Shop early before demand starts to nudge prices upward.
• Shop for generic brands. (When the candy fever hits, will trick-or-treaters really care about packaging?)
• Shop online to see if you can find candy at below retail prices.

Pick a pumpkin yourself

You could save money buying the pumpkin for your jack-o’-lantern at a roadside produce stand or a “you-pick-’em” farm instead of the grocery store.

Also, wait until a day or two before Halloween to start carving that fearsome face. Decomposition can set in quickly, leaving your jack-o’-lantern looking more like a deflated orange volleyball and forcing you to get another pumpkin.

Get crafty with decorations

You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to give your home a charmingly spooky atmosphere inside and out. You could even save on electricity by illuminating your yard with energy-efficient CFL and LED lights.

Save with your cash back card

Some cash back credit cards with rotating bonus categories provide an opportunity to focus your spending on Halloween purchases, including costumes, candy, and decorations.

Not all cash back cards have rotating bonus categories, but in some cases, their fixed categories can still be conducive for Halloween purchases.

So what can you do with your Halloween rewards? Depending on the card, your redemption options may include cash back, statement credits, merchandise, or travel rewards. No matter how you redeem your cash back, it still amounts to a percentage of your spending that goes back into your pocket.

No cash back card? No problem

Just because you don’t have a cash back card doesn’t mean you can’t save money with some plastic tactics.

You can buy partially used or unused gift cards at a discount on marketplace sites such as cardpool.com or raise.com. Go to the website and search for gift cards redeemable at retailers where you plan to do your Halloween shopping. (You can also sell your unwanted gift cards if you want to raise some extra cash for your frightful festivities.)

Shop your card’s online mall

Another place to look for Halloween deals is your credit card’s online shopping portal — Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Deal Center, and so on.

Don’t fear frugality

Your enjoyment of Halloween doesn’t have to be dependent on how much money you invest in it. Visit a corn maze, host a scary movie marathon at home, or brainstorm your own ideas for having fun without turning your checking account into a nightmare.