It Makes Cents – October Column

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I just heard from Papa Bird that my second column is out in our community newspaper. Since it is not online, I will post it here in it’s entirety for anyone who wants to read my tips. This is my column as it appears in the October issue of my community newspaper:

Halloween is such a fun time for kids.

They have the night to dress up and pretend to be anything or anyone they want. They go door to door to see the decorations, scare their friends, family and neighbours and to gather the ultimate collection of the finest Halloween candy this side of the Rockies.

But as fun as it is for kids, Halloween can be equally as daunting for parents and residents.

With any holiday come the costs associated with it. The decorations, the candy and the extras can really add up. Those costs can be enough to make even the scariest ghost, goblin or witch scream and head for cover.

I have a few suggestions and tips to help your wallet make it through Halloween while still being able to give the kids of today the same great thrills and chills you experienced as a child.

1) Buy candy last minute – Save your wallet and your waistline the hassle. Keep an eye on your weekly flyers for sales or go within the last couple of days to benefit from your local store trying to clear their stock to make way for the next holiday. Most people won’t buy candy after Oct. 31 because they have eaten enough, so the sales usually start a couple of days before the big day.

Also, buying closer to the day almost guarantees that you won’t snack on the candy early and need to replace it (again and again).

2) Buy next year’s decorations right after Halloween – After Halloween, like all holidays, everyone goes through a type of withdrawl. The holiday was fun, but they’ve had enough and want to focus on the next holiday.

These are good times to buy decorations for your house and yard for next year. Retailers put these items on sale to make way for other seasonal items. It’s a good time to check out what’s left over and pick up a couple of decorations here and there to start or add to your collection.

3) Buy next year’s costume this year – Like decorations, many costumes go on sale after the Oct. 31. If you have young kids, it’s a good idea to shop around within the week after Halloween for next year’s costume. I have seen them as low as 90% off. If you aren’t sure of the size, buy them slightly larger to be safe and use the extra space for extra layers of clothes.

4) Recycle – You can also build some of your Halloween decorations. If you have some old plywood, it can be cut into stakes, a small rickety fence, gravestones or even a coffin (which is something my husband is considering building).

You can use old paint to paint your gravestones.

Also, if you have old sheets during the year, don’t throw them out. Lighter coloured sheets can be hung over bushes or from trees to resemble ghosts.

If you plant flowers in containers during the summer, you can put the container dirt in a pile near the house or in a flower bed to make it look like a freshly buried grave, and you can add a homemade gravestone to top it off.

5) Lastly, if you carve pumpkins then save those seeds for a special treat while handing out candy on Halloween night.

To make roasted pumpkin seeds, rinse off the excess pulp, spread them on a towel and let them dry over night.

The next day, toss the seeds in a bowl with a small amount of melted butter (enough to just cover the seeds). Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt or another seasoning of your choice.

Preheat your oven to 300° F. Bake the seeds for 30 to 40 minutes while stirring occasionally until they turn a golden brown, then cool them down.

They store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three months or you can refrigerate them for up to one year.

Our family loves Halloween and these are our suggestions for enjoying the
big night — even on a tight budget!

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