Thread: How much do you spend for Halloween?

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I'm trying to set a reasonable limit for what I will let myself spend for Halloween and was wondering if anyone else does that and how they decide the limit every year. Does it vary from year to year? (I don't include my costume in the budget cause that is a whole different category.) How do you stick to your budget if you see something you have to have? I have never had a yard to decorate or a party that would require inside decorating. What I spend my money on is mostly household goods. Things that I could get in non Halloween form like mixing bowls, picture frames, towels, welcome mats, cookie jars. Things that I will use all year round but are Halloween themed. I'm not sure what to set my budget at. It's hard because some years the goods are better than other years. I don't want to limit myself too much this year if next year's goods aren't as awesome. I'm thinking about breaking out the credit card if things look good this year. I should set my limit BEFORE I start shopping though!

my budget is whatever my wife allows me.

Budget?????

We've been doing this so long and have built up so much stuff that it doesn't break the bank like it used to. We just plan our projects for the year and whatever it takes to get them done, is what we spend.

I'll point out that while we do some really nice interior decorating, we are not the hardcore folks who maintain large yard displays. Our budget might look better to someone in a small house, a condo, or an apartment.

Costuming we generally make ourselves, but fabric and accessories usually clear the $40 mark.
We buy music, maybe two CD's a year, so there's $30
We buy materials every year. One year it may be paints, brushes and sealant, another year it may be sculpting material, or bones and skulls from ACC, and the next it may be sheets of foam and a nice woodburning tool.
This is usually anywhere from $30-$70
We buy food for the party, $40
We buy a nice couple of pumpkins, $20

So anywhere from $160 - $230, not counting candy or dollar store last minute grabs.

And does get easier. The house soon fills with leftover paint, hot glue sticks, brushes and saws and extra fabric and spare light bulbs. Eventually you maintain a Halloween craft box, which becomes a closet and soon a room.
For some folks, it's the entire attic, the basement and the garage, as well as a storage facility.

Last years budget was around $700 but that is highly unusual... I try to budget at least half on the after halloween sales and 2/3 of what is left of my budget on raw building materials, so any given year whatever budget I do make, only a small fraction is for actual store bought props while in season... that usually is my rule-of-thumb

Like hearts, budgets are made to be broken

Well, I've worked out a little deal with my wife this year.

For every minute I give her a massage (foot, back, etc) I get $1 towards Halloween with a minimum 10 minutes. This works out for both of us. She's a super stressed person and I'm a Halloween fool. The massages usually come in 15-30 minute increments for me and I do them while watching TV or something. Good deal.

I do have to remember sometimes though, that I'm trying to build up my Halloween display - not create it all for this year. It takes some discipline to say to myself, "Ok... I've got to scrap this project for this year."

Originally Posted by DeadTed

Well, I've worked out a little deal with my wife this year.

For every minute I give her a massage (foot, back, etc) I get $1 towards Halloween with a minimum 10 minutes.

Had to LOL at this!!!! Love it!

I don't really have a set budget as such. Last year I only spend a couple hundred dollars on supplies and a few small props and such. This year I've already spend quite a bit more, but that includes acquiring a fair portion of another local haunt. I was sad to see it go, but am happy I might be able to do some part to help keep it alive. At least in spirit. We made a special exception for that.

Generally speaking, I pretty much spend what I can when I want or need something. So it's often $50 here, $30 there, that sort of thing. But as any good haunter knows that adds up over time to more than you want to think about.

No doubt my spending will slow down substantially once cooler weather sets in and we have to cough up for heating oil again.

My husband gave me our stimulus check this year for Halloween. Sometimes it pays to have 5 kids.