Save Money on Halloween Decorations

Halloween is just days away and I still don’t know what I’m going to be! I have a party to go to but no idea about what costume I’ll wear. In the meantime — here’s some ideas on ways to save on Halloween decorations if you’re hosting a party. They come from Teri Gault of TheGroceryGame.com — she’s shared some tips on ways to save on your grocery bills in the past.

List of Ways to Save on Halloween Decorations

by Teri Gault

As CEO of www.TheGroceryGame.com, you don’t have to spend a lot of time using creativity to save money at Halloween. Fortunately it’s a time when almost anything goes. So make sure it’s not your money that goes out the window. Please, don’t pay full price for anything!

1. Make Dollar stores your first stop for decorations – Stop and take a look to see if there’s anything you like for decorations, then move on to more expensive stores for what they don’t have. But steer clear of paper plates and cups, as they can be flimsy and leak.

2. Look for limited offers – Keep an eye out for coupons printed in drugstore and supermarket circulars for limited offers on candy sales.

3. Serve only party food that’s on sale – See my “Grocery Savings” list for more on that!

4. Make popcorn balls – It’s traditional Halloween party fare, also festive and cheap.

5. Make Rice Krispie treats – Another traditional Halloween treat, and super cheap to make!

6. Serve apples – Apples are in season so they’re cheap. That’s why candied and caramel apples are popular this time of year. Make some. They’re easy and inexpensive!

7. Decorate with apples – Use a bowl of apples as a centerpiece. Core a hole halfway down into the top of apples to hold tealights. Use apples with a toothpick or colored paper clip to hold name cards for place settings.

8. Decorate with what you have – Full a candle holder with candy corn or gummy worms. Paint ghoulish faces on empty wine bottles. Hang sheets in trees and blow with a fan.

9. Check resale for costumes – Go online, and check Craigslist, Ebay, and your local classifieds for costumes.

10. Search for promo codes – Before purchasing a costume online, search for promo codes to save more at checkout.

11. Get creative with a thrift store costume – Visit a thrift store, and see if you can invent a character costume for only a few dollars. A geeky charlatan in a hideous plaid suit, or an obnoxious “granny” in a loud floral moo-moo.

12. Borrow something for a costume – A woman could borrow a man’s mechanic shirt and be a cute female mechanic with short skirt and a little grease on the face.

13. On November 1st, buy next year’s decorations – Scour the clearance tables at drugstores, supermarkets, dollar stores and anywhere else, and load up for next year at 70% off or better.

Teri Gault is the CEO and founder of TheGroceryGame.com, a website that provides shoppers with a fun and easy way to achieve substantial savings on their grocery and drugstore bills. Members log onto the site to get a weekly shopping list, which helps them to reduce shopping time and money by using coupons at precisely the right time for optimum savings.