It’s October, and that means my annual Halloween rite of passage is already under way. The first few days are spent wondering where the summer went and bitterly pointing out the depressing fact I can see my breath to anyone within my general area. As my warm weather denial begrudgingly segues into acceptance, excitement begins to build for one of my favorite holidays: Halloween.
Halloween is an extremely fun-filled holiday, but one that can also create unexpected expense between candy, decorations, costumes and parties. For an individual looking to save money, whether because of student loans or a winter trip to a warmer location, there are ways to enjoy the holiday on a budget.
Halloween Horror
One of the greatest parts of Halloween is self-explanatory: horror movies. Every year Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video is played on loop and new tales of gore and fright are released at the theaters. This year’s hot releases for the month of October are “The Thing” and “Paranormal Activity 3”. If you’re looking to avoid twenty-some dollars per visit to the theater, there are great alternatives.
While “The Thing” is a featured movie for this month, one major perk exists: it’s a remake. The 1982 version may not share the brand-spanking new special effects, but the plot is the same. And, truth be told, often times the older horror movies, with their dated special effects, offer a subtle charm missing from the newer counterparts.
The same can be said for “Paranormal Activity 3” – the first two movies of the series can be found at your local video store, often for only a one dollar rental. Even better, many television stations, such as American Movie Classics (AMC), offer twenty-four hour horror movie marathons this month, a free way to enjoy the best Halloween has to offer.
Pool Resources
One of the more costly expenses of Halloween is the candy. In the neighborhood I grew up, which was heavy with young families, it wasn’t unusual for my parents to go through six or more bags. To help combat this expense, I’ve noticed neighbors starting to pool their pocketbooks. Just last year two of my neighbors informed me they combined their money to buy candy. Another alternative could be to take turns with the expense, with neighbors switching off every other year.
Homemade Costumes
Though this method of saving money is tried-and-true, it’s truly an underrated money saver. The stigma often attached to homemade costumes is that they’re not up to par, but that simply isn’t the case. A friend of mine makes his own costume every year, and every year he’s the spotlight of our Halloween party. He’s developed such a reputation that we all eagerly await to see what he comes up with next.
With a bit of creativity and household items, you can be the center of any party, too. One year my friend went as Quail Man from the old Nickelodeon television show Doug. Quail Man, an imaginary superhero, involved putting a belt buckle around his head, a red letter “Q” on his shirt, wearing underwear on the outside of his jeans and a cape. From the moment he arrived he was the life of the party. Another year he went as a cumulus cloud, which only involved cardboard, paper and some string. Yet again he won over everyone at the party, and he did it for nearly nothing.
Pumpkin Alternatives
Due to this year’s pumpkin shortage, pumpkins may cost a little more than in previous years. There are a couple ways to manage on a dime.
One route is to skip the pumpkin and replace it with luminaries. Buying one pack of bags, along with several candles, is a great replacement. Rather than having a lit pumpkin besides your door you can have a fully lit walkway to your driveway, which is always impressive. Or, if a pumpkin is a must, you can purchase a Mr. Potato Head pumpkin kit. This kit will allow you to dress up your pumpkin for Halloween night, yet all the attire can be taken off, a major perk if you love pumpkin pie but only want to purchase one pumpkin.
In summary, there are many ways to enjoy the month of October on a budget so you can keep saving for your trip to Hawaii during the heart of winter. And hopefully you’ll have saved enough money for an extra ticket – I’d love to go with you.
This post was written by staff writer Scott Janssen.
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With Halloween right around the corner, this couldn’t have come at a better time! thanks for the helpful information