Halloween on a budget
Halloween is quickly becoming one of the most popular holidays in Canada, with expanding opportunities to celebrate. The decorations, costumes, candy, and parties provide more and more temptation, as well as stress on your budget. While having the coolest haunted house on the street may sound fun, it’s not always realistic within your budget. Here are some budget friendly tips to stay on track this Halloween.
Plan ahead. What do you want to do this Halloween? Are you hosting a party? Wearing costumes? Decorating the house? Handing out candy? Make a list of all potential expenses and start doing your research to get a realistic total sum.
Budget. Based on your research, how much do you plan to spend? How does that compare with your current monthly budget? If you plan on going all-out, consider having a Halloween fund in your budget months in advance.
Get creative. Pinterest and other DIY sites are your best friend this time of year. Look around the house and see what you can use and if necessary you can go out and buy cheap supplies. And chances are you’ve got most of what you need to make a simple, DIY Halloween costume for you or your children. For example, garbage bags full of leaves make great dead bodies and giant spiders.
Make it a group event. Get together with friends and family to make and trade decorations, costumes, and treats. The more resources you have, the better.
Shop clearance. Avoid the expensive Halloween stores that pop up every year. Try looking online for cheaper options or check out your local thrift or second-hand store. Take advantage of any sales of coupons you may find. And be realistic about the amount of candy you need for trick-or-treaters. While it may be cool to be the house on the street that gives out full sized chocolate bars and pop, it won’t hurt the kids if you just stick to the miniatures.
Re-use. Re-use costumes, decorations, and whatever you can each year. The only thing you should really have to buy each year should be treats.
While it can be easy to get overly competitive with your Halloween celebrations, it’s always important to consider your budget. Know what you can afford and plan ahead, because Halloween is a great time to get creative and crafty with your friends and family!
About the Author:
Charlie Peet operates the 4 Pillars Kelowna, BC and Vernon, BC Debt Restructuring offices. To contact him directly visit his website or call him directly at : (250) 860-1653.
