Halloween might be a night for dress-up, but the biggest disguise of the season won’t be worn by a trick-or-treater.
The holiday isn’t known as a prime opportunity to save on retail shopping. Once consumers peel back the layers of bargains on costumes and spooky decorations, however, they’ll find a number of deals that can be useful beyond just this weekend.
It’s not just vampire teeth and fake cobwebs on sale. Discounted edible treats and home goods for Halloween night can serve a purpose throughout the rest of the year. And with some clever planning, you can make the occasion take care of other purchases you may have had in mind.
5 ways Halloween can save you money on more than just the one-night celebration
Putting that candy surplus to use
Buying candy in bulk is part of the routine to prepare for a Halloween party or trick-or-treaters. Per-ounce prices can vary across packages (chocolate tends to be more expensive than sugar-based candies, for instance), but each bag can include more than 100 individually wrapped pieces – which means… leftovers! And unlike reheating a meal, diving in for seconds can put the “sour” in Sour Patch Kids for your stomach.
Take whatever’s left to the office so you can cross an item off a future supply run. Or you can store the unused candy appropriately for a future occasion — it is less than 60 days to stocking-stuffers, after all.
And the supply surplus, too
The same goes for unused party supplies. A buy one, get one free deal on sleeves of orange party cups looks good even when the leaves turn green again. Taking advantage of good deals in the present when you know you’ll have use for them in the future is a surefire way to use Halloween as a personal coupon.
Read more: How to keep your pets safe this Halloween
When “Halloween” can also mean “fall”
Retailers that advertise Halloween sales often have related seasonal items in stock and marked down. Three examples are Pier 1, Pottery Barn and Home Depot, which list general fall decorations among their Halloween discounts. Disregard the skeleton candles and take advantage of 20% to 40% off sales on more pumpkin-themed décor, which will look good on both your budget and your home when Thanksgiving rolls around.
Make a costume with items you can wear all the time
There are several ways to dress up for Halloween. Buying a costume made for a specific character is one. Assembling an outfit with purchases from a thrift store has become a popular option, too. But there’s a small chance that those clothing items ever come off the hanger again, making them a one-time expenditure with no real use.
Instead, think of a garment you’ve been planning to buy and give yourself an excuse to do it by incorporating it into a costume. The same goes for make-up and accessories that could be used for practical purposes.
Read more: 13 screaming good new car deals for Halloween!
It’s not just the day after Christmas that’s a bargain
Like the day after Christmas or July 5, the day after Halloween is the perfect time to get a jump-start on whatever non-perishable items you might need for next year. Retailers will want to push their unsold inventory off their shelves, so take advantage while you can! Or if it’s just the sweets you’re after, 50% off bags of candy will taste much sweeter for any bargain hunter.
