At All Free Stuff we just love Halloween. After all, how often does a person get to dress like a hot dog while eating their favorite childhood sweets, without other people judging them? The only problem with Halloween may be that we love it a little too much.
Americans will spend about '1.1 billion on Halloween, according to a consumer spending survey. That's 'billion' with a 'b'. Based on these numbers, we can estimate the average person will spend about '26 on the holiday.
If you don't have much cash, that number may sound scary. However, the good news is that you don't have to spend that much. You can spend less if you wish and still have a good time. Here are five tips and tricks that can help you stay on budget.
1. The Costume Game
You don't have to spend £40 on the new Ninja Turtle costume for your three boys, or sewing a rough-looking version of the costume from scratch. Instead, you can turn costume buying into a family game. Think Supermarket Sweep meets Project Runway.
Go to a thrift store or consignment shop with your family and give each child an envelope containing five or ten bucks. Split into teams. Pick out costumes or materials to make costumes.
When the time is up, make the final purchases and head home. Then, have the kids dig through their closets to finish off their costume. Finally, let them hit the runway. May the best designer win.
2. DIY Decorations
Your basement, attic, and coat closets may be overflowing with ski gear and Christmas wreaths. Even if you could afford to buy a giant inflatable cat stuffed in a pumpkin, where would put it? There's no need to go all out for Halloween since you'll be reusing decorations from last year.
Instead, take a trip to your local pumpkin patch on a sunny afternoon. Let each child choose one small pumpkin. Then, spend the rest of day enjoying a hayride and walking around the farm.
When you arrive home, paint or carve your pumpkin. You can display the pumpkin on your porch. Make a few homemade signs. This will be a welcome sight for trick-or-treaters. When Halloween is over, you don't need to worry about storage.
3. Sweet Control
Even if you know carloads of kids invade your neighborhood every year, that doesn't mean you need to buy carloads of candy. If you know 50 to 100 superheroes and princesses will visit your home, you can skip the gourmet candy bars and grab bulk bags of assorted candy.
And don't worry about getting the brand name stuff either. Buy what you can afford and when the candy's all gone, it's gone. Most kids are going to get a lot of sugar on Halloween, so the late comers won't be deprived. It's the early birds that get the gummy worms.
4. Free Fall Activities
You'll find many Halloween and harvest festivals this time of year. Many of them are free. So, take advantage of what's available in your community or church and put a little extra in your budget for crafts, kiddie rides, or special games.
Since fair food can add up, you must be careful. Save cash by packing a picnic lunch, and a cozy quilt. Even if you bring food with you, be sure to budget for a funnel cake, which is a fall festival essential.
5. Family Traditions
Carve out quality time together, for a weekend or two. You don't need to dress up or paint pumpkins, however, it can be fun to create a few fall traditions.
Why not have a harvest-themed cooking day? You can try pumpkin pie, jack-o-lantern pizzas (using veggies and pepperonis to make a face) and caramel apples.
You can let everyone vote for their favorite fall-themed movie. Then you can all hunker down and snuggle on the couch (or build a fort), and spend the day munching away on your favorite snacks.
If you'd rather spend your time outdoors, you can head over to the local park and have a scavenger hunt. You can enjoy the search and look at the scenery.
You can check out some of our Halloween freebies below:
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