Candy, Costumes, Pumpkins, candy, Scarecrows, Hayrides…did I mention Candy? What’s not to love about Halloween? It’s a holiday of fun for families, friends, and social gatherings, BUT it can be costly, especially if your hosting. Don’t forget these simple hacks when it comes to spending your Halloween partying and not parting ways with your hard-earned cash.
Costumes
Make your own. You’ve heard it a million times before, making things yourself is often far cheaper than buying something and the reason is simple. When you buy something you’re not just paying for the cost of materials, you’re paying for all the extra fees that are added for production, labor, shipping etc. The more people involved, the more the cost of an item goes up. Cut out the middle men and do the work yourself. Go to a thrift store. You can buy clothes at a discounted rate since most of the items were donated.
Decorations
Make your own. You can spend hundreds of dollars at Spirit Halloween buying a 6-foot-wide spider with glowing eyes for your lawn, OR you can get 10 black garbage bags. Fill each garbage bag with leaves or dirt and arrange them in the shape of a body, head and 8 legs. For glowing eyes use glow sticks from the dollar store and voila. Get creative, not only will you save a ton, but you’ll enjoy spending time making decorations with your kids.
Containers
Make your own. Who says you should buy a theme bucket from the Disney store? What’s wrong with knapsack or a good old fashioned pillow case? You can carry 10 times as much candy so you won’t have to double back to your house/car to empty and refill (Depending on your trick or treating skill)
Too old to trick or treat?
Make your own fun. There are tons of activities taking place all over the GTA. Head out with your friends to one of the many Haunted houses (Castle Loma, Screamers, Canada’s Wonderland) for walking tours. Host/attend a party. A lot of people like to stay inside instead going out on one of the busiest nights of the year and feeling overwhelmed. Potlucks are a great way to enjoy a little bit of everything and save money.
Candy
Unfortunately, making your own candy is out of the question. While you may have the best intentions, most parents won’t allow their children to eat home-made treats because you never know what people have put them. Ill-intentioned or not, allergies never something to risk either. Buy in bulk. Visit the bulk barn or dollar store to make the most of your dollar. As much as you want to have a 1 candy bar limit per child, it’s hard to deny a pint-sized Darth Vader of a few extra, and before you know it you’ll be out of candy.
Halloween is one of the most exciting nights of the year and it shouldn’t be ruined by stressing over costs.
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