Total spending for Halloween is expected to reach $9 billion this year. Personal finance expert and #1 New York Times Best-Selling author Rachel Cruze has 3 tips tips to make sure that you don’t get tricked into overspending this Halloween. You can celebrate and have fun without making it a scary time of year for your bank account.
- Save on sugar
- Don’t feel like you need to buy the top-shelf candy to hand out on Halloween. Candy is candy. Kids will not know the difference between name brand chocolate or generic. Buy the cheapest option or get what’s on sale. Pro-tip—toss some of the candy your kids snagged trick-or-treating into the bowl. They won’t notice it’s missing, and you’ll save on money (and toothaches)!
- Get creative with costumes
- In 2018, consumers plan to spend $3.2 billion on costumes. If you’re outfitting your whole family this Halloween, costumes will add up quickly. Instead, try a “half-homemade” costume. Take a look at what you already have in your closet, and find inexpensive accessories it can be paired with to complete the ensemble. For example, a black dress can easily be paired with a tall, pointy hat and a broom, and you’ve got a witch costume!
- Party on a dime
- Who doesn’t love a good costume party? If you’re hosting, don’t feel like you have to prepare a five-course meal. Host your party in-between meal times, and stick with appetizers and finger foods. Even better, go potluck style! Ask your friends to bring their favorite fall dish, and give them a chance to show off their cooking skills.
As a #1 New York Times best-selling author and host of The Rachel Cruze Show, Rachel helps people learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. She’s authored three best-selling books, includingLove Your Life Not Theirs: 7 Money Habits for Living the Life You Want and Smart Money Smart Kids, which she co-wrote with her father, Dave Ramsey. You can follow Cruze on Twitter and Instagram at @RachelCruze and online at rachelcruze.com , youtube.com/rachelcruze or facebook.com/
