SEASONAL SPENDING: HALLOWEEN EDITION

It’s that time of year again.

October through December is a three month long annual indulgence.  It starts with the Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes and lingers through the New Years Day hangover.  Columbus Day apple picking, Halloween, Thanksgiving, family reunions, holiday parties, vacation, secret Santa, Christmas, and finally New Years provide excuse after excuse for months of endless eating, partying, and spending.

  

If you’d like to make it to 2013, or even November without depleting your bank account, take a moment to put your seasonal expenditures in perspective.  Let’s just take on October for now.  

According to a new survey released by the National Retail Federation, Americans plan on spending an average of $79.82 on costumes, decorations, and candy this year (up from $72.31 last year).  And it’s the adults (not the kids) who are driving up the average! What?!

If you’re reading this, you’re probably full-grown adult- there is absolutely no reason on earth to be dropping the big bucks on Halloween crap.  This doesn’t mean no fun, no pumpkins, or no parties.  It just means avoiding Ricky’s, Party City, and the seasonal departments of Kmart, Wal-Mart, and Duane Reade till the end of the month.  The good news is, you can raid the stores on November 1^st for cheap candy and, if you must, clearance items for next year.  But dropping $50 to $100 on a costume you’re going to wear once is nonsensical if you’re someone who worries about making monthly rent payments. 

I intend to spend Halloween at home, cooking up some beautiful seasonal squashes and pumpkins from the farmers market and treating myself to home made dessert, hot cocoa, and TBS’ inevitable programming of "Hocus Pocus".  Won’t cost me more than any other Wednesday night.  But if you’re looking for a more rambunctious evening, here are some ideas to help keep your spending under control.

1.     Get creative.  Instead of rushing to the store for costumes and decorations, see what you can make from things you already have at home.  Use pinterest for inspiration. If there’s something you’re missing, consider thrifting first.

2.     Find out if your family members or friends have costumes you can borrow or trade.  GreenHalloween.org is a website that actually specializes in costume swaps. 

3.     If you know you’ll have trick-or-treaters, buy a bulk bag of candy from a discount or dollar store, you know you’ll want the leftovers to hold you over till Thanksgiving anyway.  If you’re afraid you’ll eat all the candy before the day arrives, buy something you don’t like so you won’t be tempted.

4.     If you tend to have an abundance of trick-or-treaters on Halloween, hand the candy out yourself.  One per person.  If they don’t like it, remind them they can trade with friends later.  Remember, there’s a childhood obesity epidemic, no full size candy bars.

5.     Instead of going out and spending at a club or bar, host a Halloween themed game night or an autumn pot luck.

Spending money on Halloween may be the definition of frivolous for adults without children.  While there is no room for frivolity in the broke life there is plenty of room for fun, creativity, imagination, and friendship to make it a beautiful holiday.