How to avoid a financial fright at Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner, and so too is the pressure to buy pumpkins, costumes, decorations and sweets for trick-or-treaters.

And with costs rising all over the place, many of us expect to spend more this time round than we did last year.

In fact, a new survey by Nationwide has found that nearly one in ten people (9%) expect to spend more on Halloween this year.

And nearly one in five (18%) say cost-of-living pressures will make them cut back.

But if you want to celebrate Halloween in style, you don't have to pay over the odds.

Ten ways to save money at Halloween

With just a bit of planning, creativity and initiative, you can enjoy the spooky season without any financial scares.

1.    Set a spending limit

It’s easy to buy on impulse when the shops are packed with Halloween goodies.

So decide in advance how much you’re willing to spend on marking the occasion - and once you’ve set a limit, stick to it.

2.    Create your own costumes

According to the Nationwide survey, people planning to buy Halloween costumes and accessories expect to spend about £38.

But you don’t have to spend this much to dress up for a party or trick-or-treating.

With just a little bit of make-up, you could make your face look like a skull, or go subtle with some cat whiskers.

And if you want to go a bit further, just rip up an old t-shirt and add fake blood and there you go, you look like a zombie.

Or wrap yourself in toilet roll and you’ve got a mummy costume, and then there’s the old classic - an old bedsheet for a ghost costume.

3.    Buy own brand treats

Kids knocking on your door on Halloween night won’t care if they’re getting pricy, well-known sweets and chocolate brands.

So if you want to have some treats by the doorstep, just get bags of unbranded options that are just as tasty.

4.    Make your own decorations

If you’ve got people coming round for a Halloween party, get crafty instead of forking out for expensive decorations.

For example, you could cut up paper plates to make a skeleton, make bedsheet ghosts to hang up and create spider webs out of shredded black bin bags.

5.    Check the second-hand market

If you’re on the lookout for a Halloween costume, you don’t need to buy new.

Just take a look in your local charity shops or on online marketplaces like Vinted to see what bargains are on offer.

You may also find items like old t-shirts or bedsheets available at bargain prices, just waiting to be transformed into a homemade costume.

6.    Swap with other parents

Ask other mums and dads if they have old Halloween costumes that their kids have grown out of.

7.    Host a shared celebration

Instead of going out to the pub, have a Halloween celebration in the comfort of your own home.

You can keep costs down further by asking guests to contribute, perhaps by bringing a Halloween-themed dish and a bottle.

8.    Look for deals on nights out

If you’d rather go out, search for early-bird or midweek deals on sites like Groupon, Skiddle, or DesignMyNight. 

And many bars and clubs offer cheaper entry or free tickets if you book ahead.

9.    Eat your pumpkins

Don’t treat pumpkins just as a Halloween decoration. 

The insides can be used to create a delicious spicy pumpkin soup or pumpkin cake, so you’ll be making it go a bit further.

10.    Look for affordable days out

Instead of spending a fortune on an expensive Halloween event, look for free days out, cheap activities and family-friendly activities in your area.

We’ve rounded up some of the best free or nearly free things to do with the kids this October half-term.

Just remember that the school holidays are a busy time of year.

Even when something is free, places can get booked up quickly, so it’s always worth checking the details and booking ahead where you can.