Autumn is finally here, and that means we’re in one of the most expensive seasons of the calendar year. From Halloween to New Year’s Eve, the final quarter of the year has consumers consistently opening their wallets.
American Shoppers Are Projected to Spend $13.5 Billion for Halloween 2026
Here at McCoy Federal Credit Union, we believe you should enjoy the season’s holidays, while being deliberate and money savvy. Keeping your budget on track through the end of the year starts with Halloween. Continue reading to learn how to keep your finances low-cost this spooky season.
Keep it Simple For the sake of costume contests and pressure from influencers, the norm for Halloween costumes has shifted. The expectation is to have two to three costumes for a holiday that falls on just one day. There’s nothing wrong with wearing the same extraordinary costume on Halloween and at your neighbor’s party a few days earlier. Other people’s perception of you should not dictate your financial decisions.
Thrifting and Secondhand Retailers such as Goodwill or The Salvation Army are great resources for Halloween costumes. You can find items that are in pretty good condition at a fraction of the price. These community retailers offer costumes in a variety of sizes during the Halloween season. It’s also worth asking your siblings, friends, or neighbors what they may have tucked away in storage.
Use What You Have Before you start raiding other people’s closets, what do YOU have? Sometimes we don’t need everything to be entirely brand-new – just a couple of new items will suffice. Try working backwards. Create a costume using things you already own rather than starting from scratch.
Do It Yourself Crafting According to CapitalOne Shopping Research, Americans will spend $950 million on Halloween costumes for their pets this year. That’s a lot of money for a temporary item. The wonders that come from a simple cardboard box and glue can make for an award-winning costume. Shopping at your local craft store or Walmart can help bring characters to life with face paint or fabric paint. If you can sew, put that trade skill to work for a costume that’s tailored and customized to you.
Reuse Old Costumes Can’t resist having multiple costumes? Choose costumes within the same theme so you’re not buying so many new accessories. You can borrow from each costume to create different looks. For example, you could dress as different types of princesses or different sea-themed characters. If you buy a brand-new costume for the year, reuse former costumes for other occasions. It creates less waste and is just really ghoul.
How you approach your Halloween costume shopping is up to you. Just be sure to keep your finances top of mind so your dollar stretches across the entire final quarter.
