lit candles an plastic jack-o-lanterns sitting in front of a chalkboard that says Halloween

Shop Early and Save Money This Halloween With These Tips!

As the summer season starts to wind down and kids everywhere start preparing to head to school, telltale signs of Halloween quickly approaching begins to pop up our favourite stores. That’s right, Halloween is around the corner! With a little preplanning and strategic shopping, you can save money this Halloween!


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I know, I know, many of you are probably thinking that I’m crazy to start talking about Halloween this early, but you can’t deny that the Halloween shopping season is officially starting. Spirit Halloween stores are opening up across Canada and the US while a sea of black and orange floods our favourite stores and online retailers. There is no point in fighting it, Halloween shopping season is starting!

Confession, I feel NO need to fight this shift. While I love the opportunity to camp, hike, kayak, etc. during the summer months, Halloween is my favourite time of year! I am a card-carrying member of the #HalloweenEveryday club where we celebrate all things spooky and creepy 365 days of the year! I don’t see Halloween decorations; I see home décor…

For the rest of the world, however, Halloween can come at a high price for a short timeframe. From Halloween decorations and trick-or-treat candy to elaborate costumes and make-up, it all adds up! In fact, the National Retail Federation (NRF) recorded a record high in US Halloween spending in 2017, with Americans shelling out $9.1 billion on the holiday!

I have good news! Your Halloween shopping doesn’t have to break the bank, even if you’re a Halloween addict. Avoid last-minute or impulse shopping. A little extra planning and preparation is all you need to stretch that all-important dollar without sacrificing your spooky dreams. That’s right, you can have the best haunted house in town on a little creepy shack budget.

Check Out These Tips and Tricks to Save Money This Halloween:

#1 – Check Thrift Shops

Many of your local thrift shops will carry Halloween decorations and costumes. The catch is that the supply is super limited and with their low, low pricing, all the best stuff is usually snatched up pretty quickly! Start searching local shops in August and September both for items specifically marketed towards Halloween as well as other non-Halloween items that could easily be customized for your purposes.


Related: ‘7 Important Tips For Choosing The Perfect Halloween Costume’


#2 – Pick Up and Store Bulk Candy

Okay, this one is going to require a little self-restraint and willpower, do you have it in you? Rather than waiting for the overpriced Halloween candy marketed closer to the holiday, pick up some bulk candy in advance. This time of year, bulk candy is typically cheaper per-unit. Just make sure you store it properly! Summer heat can melt a package of mini chocolate bars quickly!

lit jack-o-lanterns in the dark with the title shop early and save money this Halloween with these tips#3- Do It Yourself

Starting early means that you have the time necessary to take on some DIY projects for Halloween this year. Don’t settle for an overpriced, mass-produced holiday. Instead, add a unique and personal touch to your decorations and Halloween costumes. Pinterest is a great place for DIY inspiration.

#4 – Online Shopping

Another big perk to starting early is that you don’t have to worry about shipping times associated with online shopping. While some online retailers, like Amazon, offer free or cheap two-day shipping, this isn’t true for all retailers. Paying to expedite shipping when you find that ‘perfect item’ can be incredibly costly! Shopping early means that you have plenty of time for all of your purchases to arrive before the holiday, even if you experience unexpected delays.

Better still, many larger retailers will continue to offer seasonal items throughout the year for online purchase as it is sitting in their warehouse. Purchasing these items in the off-season means you can snag a good deal before it’s peak Halloween shopping season and their prices are adjusted to reflect it.

#5 – Post-Halloween Clearance

While this isn’t going to help you out this year, I can’t leave the incredible deals starting November 1st off this list! As soon as the holiday is behind us, retailers will do their best to sell off all stock by offering some incredible discounts. Take advantage of these sales by stocking up for next year.

For my fellow Halloween lovers and alternative types, this is the PERFECT home decorating season! Pick up all your favourite spooky décor and apparel on the cheap. I quickly become a kid in a candy shop as I snap up all my favourites up to 80% off. You can’t go wrong!

Are you a last-minute shopper or do you plan in advance for the Halloween season? Do you have any fool-proof tricks to save money this Halloween? I would love to hear all about your spooky tips and tricks in the comments below!


28 thoughts on “Shop Early and Save Money This Halloween With These Tips!”

  1. Nooooooooo, I refuse to think about Hallowe’en already, it’s not even September yet! I’m such a summer girl, I don’t even mind the heatwaves we’ve been having. Autumn is my least favourite month, I hate all the rain and mist. Seriously though, these are great tips, Britt, I’ve never thought about looking in second hand shops but that makes perfect sense, I’ll remember that for this year, thank you! X

    Lisa | http://www.lisasnotebook.com

    1. I live for this season hahaha – It is hands down my favourite time of year
      You will be surprised at some of the incredible finds you’ll stumble across thrifting for Halloween!

  2. Wow, Halloween already! Soon it will be Christmas. These are all great ideas to follow up on when planning for Halloween. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Love this! You certainly have put me in the halloween mood! I love shopping for halloween because, to me, it’s not just decoration; It’s staying up all year!

    1. Exactly! This is the time of year I get to purchase new decorations for the house – I’m like a kid in a candy shop! lol

  4. Luckily, it’s easy to get cheap decorations and costumes where I live, but I always try to get my students to make their own stuff as a fun class activity.

    1. Yes! We have a Dollar Tree here in the little town I live in and they are just starting to bring in some great Halloween options.

  5. Oh I love Halloween so much !! Especially decorating. Even though I don’t live in the US anymore, I love Halloween and enjoyed this post ! Great tips.

    1. Don’t let the distance keeping your from embracing your love of Halloween! Just help a new area start a tradition

  6. I do some of these same things but for Christmas. I love Christmas and the sales they have post holiday are awesome. I love that tip about buying the candy ahead of time but I already know it won’t last in this house unless I lock it up..lol

    1. We definitely decorate for the Christmas holidays as well, but not to the level we do Halloween lol
      I’m surprised with how well candy can last in our house (if I hide it lol) My husband has a sweet tooth…

  7. Like you I begin planning for Halloween as soon as possible! So I’m glad I’m not the only one Britt. 😉 These are some great tips! Sadly the UK don’t do Halloween as well as “over the pond” and shops don’t tend to stock up until October. 🙁 Also some have their Christmas stock out… first! It annoys me somewhat. I’ll definitely give Amazon a look though and look for items that could be Halloween decor – like skulls.

    1. There are some great deals online! Most of the Halloween pop up shops here are great to visit, but they charge a lot more than the online counterparts, so we do a lot of our holiday shopping online.

  8. I’m also a member of the Halloween everyday club, I can’t wait to move out and live like Morticia Addams because right now I just have Halloween stuff hoarded in my room! I normally buy a few new things, but this year I’ll be trying thrift & charity shops.

    Ash | thisdreamsalive.wordpress.com

    1. My husband is more of a Christmas guy, but I’m slowly rubbing off on him and he’s embracing the Halloween everyday spirit more and more hahaha!

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