Hopefully by now you’ve been preparing and saving for Christmas but what about Halloween? This one always sneaks up on me and if it’s not budgeted out, can really drain the wallet. But I’m here to let you know that doesn’t need to happen! You can still price compare and save money for Halloween when you know your price points and what to look for.

Lets first talk costumes and how you can really save the most. If you’re really planning ahead, the best time to buy your costumes is after Halloween when everything goes on clearance. I have to admit, that’s what we did this year (or technically last year). We headed to Target and snagged this year’s costumes, last year during the clearance sales. While their minds have changed, they’ve actually been ok with the fact that we’ve already selected what they’re wearing and have them ready to go. I ended up spending only $10 for 3 super hero costumes! Score!

But what about last year’s costumes? Did you only wear them once or twice? Do they still look brand new? Still have the packaging? If so, I thought I would remind you that you could actually get this year’s halloween costumes FREE — if you sell last year’s gently used costumes! Or host a Halloween costume SWAP with some friends!

Now that we’ve talked costumes, lets touch on candy. This really depends on what kind you like to hand out but if you’re looking to save the most money you don’t want to pay more than $.18 per ounce. So pull out your phones and calculate it out to make sure you’re getting a deal.

What about pumpkins? Do you guys have the tradition of picking the perfect pumpkin out in the fields or do you just find the best one in the bins at Walmart? While the experience of picking your own pumpkins is fun, it’s not the cheapest way to go about getting pumpkins. So look over your budget, talk it out and decide if the experience it worth it for your family. BUT you want to try and find pumpkins that are priced at or under $.30 per pound. That gets you a 10 pound pumpkin for $3.

Just like in years past, the closer we get to Halloween the more we’ll see the price drop on pumpkins. So if you can hold out and buy your pumpkins later on, I recommend do it! I hope you’re all set and ready for a great Halloween building memories with your family while saving as much money as possible!