Money Saving Tips for this Halloween

Tuesday, October 25th, 2022 -- 10:00 AM

(WMTV) Halloween is just under a week away, and the BBB is offering some money saving tips as consumers gear up to celebrate.

According to the National Retail Federation, people are expected to spend up to $10.6 billion on Halloween. Of the respondents in the survey, 67% planned to buy candy, 51% planned to buy decorations and 47% will get costumes to wear.

The BBB said those watching a family budget shouldn’t be intimidated by spending and that there are ways to save money on the holiday. The BBB recommends you look around your house and closet. There are sometimes materials for the perfect costume or decoration right under your nose.

Rent a costume. If you’re only going to wear it once, the idea of a costume can be wasteful, renting a costume will save money and space. BBB recommends that those renting carefully inspect rental agreements.

Always check the return policies. Seasonal items can carry a shorter shelf life than other purchases, the BBB recommends checking how long you have to return the item to get the full refund online or in person. The BBB said buying a bunch of things with the intent to return them after October 31 is fraud.

Be smart shopping online. Make sure you are using a secure browser for shopping with HTTPS at the beginning. Look up the website’s privacy policy and contact information. If information is not clearly listed, or they only have an email as the point of contact, look elsewhere. Use your credit card when ordering online.

Inquire seasonal stores. If you plan to shop at a seasonal store, make sure they will still be open and accepting returns Nov. 1. The BBB also recommends you ask the owner if there is a website in case you have to contact them later.

Save every receipt; use a credit card to dispute problem charges with the card’s issuer; and make sure you are clear on what items are FINAL SALE. Also, check events before you purchase tickets.

Before you buy tickets the BBB recommends you research the group offering the experience and make sure that there are no complaints about the company hosting the event. Check out the company at BBB.org.

Read what previous customers have to say, and see how the business responds to complaints. Check BBB Scam Tracker and see if other consumers have filed a report about the event host. Search the business online by adding the word “Complaint,” “Reviews” or “Scam” after their name for different search results.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.