Last Updated on August 24, 2024 by Rebecca Lake
Halloween brings lots of fun, especially when you have younger kids. But it can also mean spending a ton of money if you’re buying costumes, candy, and home decor.
Here’s a statistic that’ll send a chill down your spine. Americans spent over $12 billion on Halloween in 2023, according to the National Retail Federation.
Frightening, right? If you need to plan a frugal Halloween because money is tight, these tips can help you keep your budget under control.
Want Free Money?
Check out my favorite apps for earning cash fast!
Survey Junkie. Earn up to $50 per survey just for sharing your opinions. Get paid to answer questions in your spare time!
Swagbucks. Make money by playing games and watching videos. Join for free and get a $10 bonus when you sign up!
InboxDollars. Take surveys and get paid for your opinion. An easy way to earn extra cash!
Rakuten. Earn up to 40% cash back at hundreds of retailers, online or in stores. And get $30 for each person you refer, along with a $10 sign up bonus!
CashApp. Need a simple app for sending and receiving money? Get $5 free when you use code ‘VZXRXZN’ to join CashApp.
Table of Contents
Frugal Halloween Tips to Save Money
If you want to save money on Halloween you need a budget. As you plan your budget, it helps to break it down by category. Some of the things you’re likely to spend money on include:
- Costumes
- Candy
- Food, if you’re planning to host a spooky Halloween get-together at home
- Decorations and home decor
- Fun events
These frugal Halloween hacks are designed to help you save the money possible in each area so your budget isn’t gasping for breath once the spooky season rolls around.
1. Shop around for candy
Candy is an essential part of Halloween. And where you buy it matters if you’re trying to save money and be frugal.
For example, you may think a dollar store is a great place to buy your candy, but if you compare the price per ounce, you’ll find that places like Walmart may be cheaper.
Checking out sales flyers to see who has the best candy prices is a simple way to save money on Halloween. And don’t forget to hit the stores on November 1st when you can find Halloween candy at a steep markdown!
2. Try buying candy in bulk
If you’re buying candy to hand out, not just to snack on, buying in bulk could be a smart way to save money at Halloween.
You’ll want to do your research to compare prices and calculate the unit price before buying. And remember: only buy what you think you’ll be able to give out to trick-or-treaters or eat yourself.
Otherwise, you could end up wasting money on your candy purchases which can sabotage your frugal Halloween efforts.
3. Get Halloween decor from the dollar store (or make it yourself!)
Dollar stores are a great place to find savings on Halloween items, including decor, trick-or-treat bags, and greeting cards.
If you’re crafty, you might try making your own DIY Halloween decor using dollar-store finds. This video offers some great ideas on how to decorate for the spooky season without spending a lot of money. (And this is a great fall bucket list idea to keep kids busy!)
4. Make your costumes instead of buying
Buying costumes could add up to a lot of money, especially if you’re trying to get multiple kids (or pets!) ready for Halloween.
Instead of spending money buying costumes, you could try making them instead. And before you get the frights at the thought of having to DIY a Halloween costume, it’s actually a lot of fun!
You (and your kids) can make individual costumes or come up with a fun theme and have everyone in the family dress up. Even pets can get in on the fun if you want to dress up your cat or dog!
Checking out what you already have around the house can help you get inspired to come up with costume ideas. You could also scour thrift stores or consignment shops to find clothes or accessories to complete your Halloween looks.
And of course, if you’re stumped for cheap Halloween costume ideas, there’s always Pinterest.
5. Use cashback apps to buy Halloween supplies
Here’s my favorite tip for having a frugal Halloween: Use an app to earn cash back on what you buy.
Cashback apps offer a simple way to save money on Halloween by allowing you to earn back a percentage of what you spend. That’s an easy way to put money back in your pocket whether you’re shopping for costumes, candy, or ingredients to make homemade Halloween treats!
My favorite cashback app is Rakuten because it’s so easy to earn cash back on purchases.
You just have to sign up for a Rakuten account and download the Rakuten browser extension to earn cash back when you shop online. Or you can get the Rakuten mobile app and link your debit card to earn cash back when you shop in stores!
6. Use debit or cash instead of credit
A simple way to save money on Halloween is to only spend the money that you have on hand. That means using a debit card linked to your checking account or cash to pay for the things you plan to buy.
Using a credit card could make it all too easy to overspend. And while you might miss out on earning credit card rewards, you could still earn cash back if you’re using the Rakuten app to shop with your debit card.
Just remember to keep track of what you spend. And if you’d rather use cash, you can try cash envelopes to manage where your Halloween funds go.
7. Look for free or low-cost ways to have fun
Halloween is more than just one night of trick-or-treating. There are plenty of other ways to have a good time and it helps to know which ones will cost you the least money if you’re on a tight budget.
Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy Halloween frugally while spending little to no money at all:
- Host a spooky movie marathon at home and ask friends to join you with their favorite Halloween snacks.
- Try making fun Halloween recipes at home with the kids (gooey popcorn balls, anyone?)
- Visit a local fall festival or fall farmer’s market in your area.
- Head to a trunk-or-treat event (local churches often put these on as an alternative to door-to-door trick-or-treating).
- Check out a local pumpkin patch but commit to looking only, since those pumpkins can be expensive!
- Host a potluck Halloween party or better yet, attend one that someone else is throwing!
- Get an inexpensive pumpkin from the grocery store and carve it together as a family.
- Make some Halloween placemats with the kids using construction paper, glue, and of course, googly eyes, then serve your homemade treats on them!
- Drive around after dark and check out the neighbors’ Halloween decorations.
- Build a campfire in the backyard and roast marshmallows or make s’mores while sharing spooky stories.
- If you have younger kids who aren’t in school yet, visit your local library to see if any Halloween events are going on.
Bonus tip: Start a Halloween savings account
If you like to make the most of Halloween, planning early can help you get ahead financially.
Setting up a Halloween savings account is a great way to get ready for the holiday season since you can set aside money a little at a time. Online banks are usually the best places to look for savings accounts since they usually pay the highest rates while charging the least amount of fees.
Once you open your Halloween savings account, commit to adding money to it every payday. Even $20 a week can add up over time!
Grow Savings Faster With Current
Current is a digital banking app that makes it easy to grow savings, manage spending and track your goals in one place! You can set up individual savings pods for different goals and earn the same competitive APY for each one.
Aside from making saving a breeze, Current also comes with other great features like fee-free overdraft and access to 40,000+ ATMs!
**View product disclosures
Final thoughts:
Halloween may bring in a lot of cash for retailers, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money to make family memories. There are so many things your family can do to enjoy this time of year that don’t cost much at all. Whether you attend a community event or make your own costumes, you’ll love these low-budget ways to enjoy Halloween!
Need more money tips? Read these posts next:
- Fall Money Tips: 40+ Ways to Save Money in Fall
- 60 Frugal Summer Savings Hacks
- 12 Easy Ways to Drastically Cut Expenses Fast
