3 Ways to Enjoy Halloween 2023 on the Cheap

In my house, Halloween is a big deal. And it's also not just a one-day event.

Rather, my kids spend weeks planning for Halloween. And we routinely decorate our front porch and lawn with spooky stuff during the weeks leading up to Oct. 31. We also commonly attend our share of pre-Halloween events, from town-sponsored trunk-or-treat gatherings to parties and pop-up experiences.

But last year, I spent more money than I intended to on Halloween, and I don't want to make the same mistake again. And the reality is that a lot of people really can't afford to go overboard on Halloween.

A recent SecureSave survey found that 63% of Americans don't have the cash reserves to cover an unplanned $500 expense. Meanwhile, data from the National Retail Federation reveals that Americans are planning to spend a whopping $12.2 billion on Halloween this year. On a per-person basis, that's $108.24.

Now, $108.24 may be a reasonable sum for anyone with a solid emergency fund to spend on the holiday. But if your savings account is almost empty, then you may want to do what you can to pull off a fun Halloween as inexpensively as possible.

Heck, even if you're doing fine savings-wise, you may not want to blow half of your paycheck on Halloween this year. And that's understandable, too. With that in mind, here are a few ways you can enjoy Halloween without spending a fortune.

1. Make your own costume

Most years, I end up spending between $25 and $40 on kids' costumes. And that's $25 to $40 each.

Clearly, that's a large amount of money for something your kids might only wear once or twice. So if you're willing to get creative, you might manage to whittle your costume spending down to $0 by utilizing items you already have at home.

If you have a bunch of black clothing and an old black t-shirt you're willing to part with, voila -- you've got yourself a Grim Reaper costume. Just have your kids wear all black and use scissors to convert an old black t-shirt into some sort of face mask. It doesn't have to be perfect -- your kids will get their candy regardless when they knock on doors.

Want a costume that's more upbeat? Any frilly dress can serve as a princess costume. And you may be able to find a super-cheap tiara at your local dollar store to complete the look.

2. Buy low-cost candy at Costco

Have a Costco membership? Halloween is a great time to put it to good use by buying your candy in bulk.

A 90-ounce bag of assorted chocolate miniatures costs $22.99 online. That's just $0.26 per ounce. And in-store prices tend to be even cheaper.

By contrast, a 29.5-ounce bag of candy at my local supermarket is $12.99 right now, which translates to $0.44 per ounce. Chances are, buying your candy at Costco will be less expensive than buying it at your local grocery store, too.

3. Skip the expensive pre-Halloween events

In my area, you'll see a bunch of Halloween events and activities pop up in the weeks leading up to the holiday -- things like haunted hayrides and so forth. These activities are no doubt cute. But they're also horrendously expensive.

In fact, I remember once paying $40 per person -- including kids -- to walk through an outdoor area with ghosts and lights and a bounce house. Yes, my kids got to trick or treat and bring home a bag of candy. But at $40 a pop, that was a one-time splurge for my family.

If you're looking to cut down your costs this Halloween, skip those overpriced events and focus on actual Halloween. You can also see if there are free or low-cost events in your area.

My town, for example, sponsors a trunk-or-treat event the weekend before Halloween. Residents volunteer to set up their cars and give out candy. Participants are asked to donate candy to residents who sit there in their cars all afternoon. I commonly donate a couple of small bags of candy for $3 to $4 each, and my kids have a great time walking around and checking out the different trunks.

Halloween has the potential to be a very expensive holiday. But you don't have to resign yourself to spending a ton of money, especially if you don't have a whole lot of it to go around.