With Halloween fast approaching there are plenty of horror stories, costumes and events out there to keep you entertained. However, with the growing commercialisation of Halloween, it’s also another expense which can cripple an already limited budget and set you on a downward spiral to Christmas.
Halloween events have started to become more extravagant and varied, and last longer than we’ve seen previously. With the temptations of pumpkin picking, light trails, themed days and nights out you can suddenly find yourself with a very packed (and very expensive!) diary.
Before you dive head first into Halloween events or succumb to some A-grade Pester Power check out these stats below to see how large Halloween spending has become.
- Halloween spending in the UK is up a staggering £87million from previous years, with total spending to be around £687m*
- In 2022 we spent almost £30million on pumpkins alone
- The average household spends over £100 on Halloween decorations
- The biggest spenders are parents with children under 5
- Less than 15% of costumes are homemade as we opt to buy costumes and replace them each year.
Obviously, we aren’t advocating doing (and spending) nothing this Halloween, especially if you have children who seem to love it more than Christmas, however, the stats above do show how easy it is to blow a budget or rack up debt for an event you hadn’t previously considered to be an expense.
If you’re booking some Halloween activities here are some top tips for staying in control of that budget:
Make second-hand your best friend
The reality is most costumes are worn once or twice and then thrown/given away. Charity shops and sites like Vinted have some brilliant Halloween costumes for the whole family that don’t break the bank – plus it’s better for the environment too.
Plan your activities
The temptation to book everything is real but sitting down with a good old-fashioned pen and paper helps you decide what you’re going to do, and know upfront what it’s going to cost.
Get creative
It’s not for everyone we know, but Halloween is a great time to practice some craft skills, YouTube and TikTok have some great easy (ish) craft activities. Bin bags, used toilet roll tubes and old clothing can all be turned into something spooky.
Free activities
While the temptation to book expensive events is real, there are often some brilliant free local events happening which are as (if not more) enjoyable than the paid versions. City Centre parades, local libraries and shopping centres all have events advertised which are usually free, or very low cost.
Don’t panic.
And if your Halloween does turn into a debt horror story, don’t panic. Speak to someone who can help. Debt can make you feel incredibly alone but our advisors are always here to help.
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