Making Ends Meet: Saving you from an expensive Halloween

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The Halloween craze is taking over and it’ll cost you. The scariest holiday of the year is bringing in billions. But we’re here to help you make ends meet with ways to save before you tear into that first piece of candy.

How much money we're willing to spend on Halloween is scary. Between costumes, candy, and decorations, the spookiest time of the year is quickly becoming the most expensive. A new survey says the average person will spend about $86 on Halloween and that adds up to around $9 billion nationwide. There are things you can do right now to plan ahead and save.

When it comes to costumes, try making them yourself. Use clothing you already have, then dress it up with accessories. If you go to the store, check in the party section. Normally they have some of the same stuff there that they have in the Halloween section, but it's cheaper.

Experts also say to ditch the pricey mask and use face paint instead. It's also a safer option if you have kids.

As much you might love taking the kids to the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin, you can save money if you buy one at the grocery store.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Halloween without trick or treating. Here’s a money saving trick for you - try using treats that aren’t candy. Go to the dollar store, buy a roll of stickers and hand those out. Or get a bucket of plastic bugs or toys. Kids love that stuff. Another good idea is to hand out glow sticks. They aren’t expensive and they help drivers see our children. Kids are twice as likely to get hit by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year, so it’s a fun and safe option.

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