Handling Halloween The Frugal Way
We are pleased to provide you with this guest post full of tips on saving money for Halloween. This post was written for us by Niki who blogs at Free 2 Be Frugal. Niki’s blog is full of great tips, freebies, and lots of information similar to what you’ll find below.
**Disclaimer: At Happy to be at Home, we realize that our readers participate in Halloween-related activities to varying degrees, whether it be by attending their church’s alternative to Halloween, taking their children Trick-or-Treating, or not recognizing the holiday at all. The following guest post is simply informational for those who might be able to benefit from the advice given, but we are in no way endorsing Halloween itself.
Have you been to the stores lately? Everywhere you look, there are reminders that Halloween is coming! With the prices of just about everything rising, people are looking for ways to cut corners. Here’s a few ways to avoid overspending without missing out on the fun.
Costumes
Refuse to pay $30-40 for your kid’s trick-or treating garb? I hear you! Check out your local Freecycle board and see who’s giving away last year’s costumes. And don’t forget thrift stores, Goodwill, and yard sales. Every year thousands of disguises are bought, worn once, then ditched! Dollar stores have great accessories, wigs, makeup, etc. and even costumes for little kids. Discount stores like Five Below, Big Lots, Family Dollar, and Christmas Tree Shops have carry a small selection of spooky ensembles this time of year. And you may even think outside the box and buy some simple dress-up apparel, which is sold in toy departments most everywhere for cheaper than elaborate costumes. Or you could always make your own! The library has books with ideas to help you get crafty.
Decorations
The great thing about holiday decorations is that they are an investment. Buy some great ones and store them well and they will serve you nicely year after year. Craft stores like Michael’s, A.C. Moore, and Jo-Anne’s often have coupons for 40 or 50% off an item. This helps keep costs down. The above mentioned discount stores usually have a decent variety of knickknacks and other decor, too. Of course you could always elicit the help of your kiddos to help you haunt your home. A pad of construction paper and some scissors can go a long way! A few nice pumpkins look nice and will make some great pies, breads, muffins, soups, and more once you gut them and carve them into jack-o-lanterns. Plant some mums outside your home and they will come back again and again.
Treats
Whether you are a room mom, scout leader, teacher, or just want to share a treat with some kiddos in your life you might be tempted to indulge in some Halloween loot. Avoid the pricey party stores and check out the dollar stores, Walmart, and Target for better deals on goodie bags, candies, stickers, and little toys and favors. Need a lot? Check out Oriental Trading! Buying in bulk has never been cheaper. Baked goods are always well-received too.
Candy
Not all those specially marked Halloween bags of candy are great deals. Check the weekly sales ads for grocery stores in the weeks before the holiday. Chocolate candy bars are yummy, but candy of the non-chocolate variety, like lollipops, Smarties, and Sweet Tarts are usually much cheaper.
There’s Always Next Year…
In the two to three days after Halloween, stores drastically mark down everything holiday-related. Grab plenty of stuff for next year at 70-90% off regular prices.
Thanks for the great information Niki! If you’ve never visited Free 2 Be Frugal before, I promise you it is a worthwhile stop.
For more Frugal Friday, stop by Biblical Womanhood.
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