[CaliforniaMelanie]

Hey, everybody! It's been a while since I've been on here, but just lately I've started thinking about the Big Day again because it's time to start planting pumpkins and trying again for a mini pumpkin patch.

I wish the neighborhood (and the times) were friendlier, I'd make my entire side yard a pumpkin patch and invite all the neighborhood kids to come pick one out each!

Anyway, I started a Halloween fund this year! I have almost $150 in it so far. Basically, I do freelance work and I get paid several ways. One way is direct payment. I'm forwarding those project payments to PayPal and that's my Halloween fund.

That way the big money I usually spend on this holiday will be less painful, LOL.

Anybody else crazy enough to put aside money for this day in advance?

 

[yardhauntjunkie]

I try to spend as little as possible. This forces me to find free stuff to use or new uses for stuff I already have. But, I think I always end up spending some money in the end.

 

[Halloween Princess]

I get paid milage for my work travel so my milage checks go in a Halloween fund, anywhere from $20-50 a month.

 

[Front Yard Fright]

I try my hardest to set money aside for the haunt every year but always "nickle and dime" my funds to death. Although I'm doing better this year!

I have about $500 saved up so far, and have a LOT more to go! My lumber bill is going to be around $1,500 alone. eek!

I need a different *CHEAPER* hobby!
.

 

[Spookilicious mama]

Well believe it or not I save my change the whole year starting from October. By the time the next October comes around I have about $300-$400 dollars. Not much I know but its money I wouldnt have had if I didnt save those quarters

 

[liuoliveira]

I spend around $600 so far in Halloween props, and have a LOT more to go.


I need a different *CHEAPER* hobby..Too

 

[DaveintheGrave]

I put money aside, but mainly for the AFTER-Halloween sales. It's great when places like K-Mart and Big Lots go down to 90% off. That's when I clean up! I don't really buy much at all before Halloween.

 

[Ween12amEternal]

^^I'm with you DaveintheGrave, I'm a vulture when it comes to the after-Halloween clearance sales. I'll only buy eary if it's something I can't live without or don't think will be left for after-Halloween (thankfully they usually start marking things down within 2 weeks of the big day) ...

I do set a little change aside, but I try to "shop" at curby's (pick up free stuff curbside) or get stuff at garage sales. And dumpster dive if I'm goiing to make something.

 

[CaliforniaMelanie]

Thanks, everybody! Good ideas! I am definitely starting again from October next year.

DaveintheGrave, I totally missed out on the sales because I had already overspent by the time Halloween day came around. So I couldn't justify spending even more, even though it was all at a discount. I mean I seriously spent. And spent..............and the holidays were around the corner at that point. I am absolutely leaving myself a cushion this year for post-holiday sales!

Thanks, guys!

 

[liuoliveira]

I found more good deals all year around.. after Halloween too.

 

[bozz]

I put money aside, but mainly for the AFTER-Halloween sales. It's great when places like K-Mart and Big Lots go down to 90% off. That's when I clean up! I don't really buy much at all before Halloween.

Same here. Last Nov. was the first time I went nutts on clean ups and had a blast, I was a kid in a candy store once Big Lots went to 90% off. I purchased $ 600 worth of stuff for $ 60 and can't wait for Oct. to decorate. I did buy a new fogger in Oct. but I really don't buy much at retail prices unless I find a must have one of a kind item.This year we may not see as much stock in the stores with the economy the way it is......bummer.Hope I'm wronge.

 

[eanderso13]

Anybody else crazy enough to put aside money for this day in advance?

More like crazy enough to NOT put any money aside in advance!

We haven't gotten around to adding up our receipts from last year, but I'm sure its in the $1000-$2000 range...but that includes building supplies like lumber and pink foam which aren't used or found. We generally don't buy many real props...the stored here are SO overpriced! and last year we couldn't hit the after-Halloween sales because we were saving our pennies for our wedding...which was only 9 days later.

So far this year I've spent $25 on Halloween for 5 motors from Surplus Center. Everything else used so far has been reuse from crap I have, which is nice.

There are some great ideas that everyone are posting here, though. we may need to start the "Scare-0-1 K" program...Save for your future, by saving for Halloween!

-EEric

 

[rockplayson]

I take out around $60.00 each pay check if I have the cash to spare.

 

[Scatterbrains]

Save?? HA!! No such thing...it's more or less deciding what your kids can do without so you can buy more and more Halloween supplies.

I didn't get started with Halloween until September last year...I bought some Gargoyles when Big Lots put them out before Labor Day, but that was it....

This year started the day after at the 50% sales. I felt I had to keep up with Bozz at finding stuff at 50%, then 75% then 90% off...got lots of neat stuff and kids were okay with chicken pot pies for Thanksgiving.

At Christmas, I splurged on lights..lotsa flicker candles and other "Christmasy" decor that would work well for Halloween...the kids got a kick outta the drywall mud, burlap and chicken wire I put under the tree for them.

Next was Valentines day....to prove that I had a heart, I got the kids some of these hearts...

Then I joined a haunt group and they want money outta me every month for some cool new prop build..or worse yet, someone comes back from vegas with catalogs and twists my arm really really hard so that I am forced beyond my better judgement to participate in some group buys. They're like the mafia the way they extort money outta ya for pnuematic cylinders and prop controllers... Since I don't want to wake up with a horse's head in bed with me, (although that would be a cool prop to go with the funeral carriage I'm building this year) I aquiess to the demands of these propsters. I figure the kids can do without Easter baskets this year, since I have proof the Easter Bunny is dead.

 

[runmikeyrun]

I have too many expensive hobbies- vintage motorcycles, playing in a band (nothing sounds better than expensive vintage amps) and then halloween. My birthday is in october so i usually get some cash there. A savings fund sounds like a good idea. Even if it's just $100, that's easier to deal with than trying to pull $75 out of your butt at the end of the pay period.

 

[BILLY BOGART]

Well identify your neighbors who appear to put no chemicals on their lawn. Then in the middle of the night(only because it feels better snatch up all his grass clippings! next take clippings and compost them . When they're a little cooked side dress your pumpkins. Look out for slugsif weather turns wet and feed them saucers of beer. If any kid name Sinus I mean Linus tries to get in your yard...chase him away he's bad luck and the great pumpkin wont come!

 

[CaliforniaMelanie]

...OMG. I can NOT stop laughing.

Save?? HA!! No such thing...it's more or less deciding what your kids can do without so you can buy more and more Halloween supplies.

I didn't get started with Halloween until September last year...I bought some Gargoyles when Big Lots put them out before Labor Day, but that was it....

This year started the day after at the 50% sales. I felt I had to keep up with Bozz at finding stuff at 50%, then 75% then 90% off...got lots of neat stuff and kids were okay with chicken pot pies for Thanksgiving.

At Christmas, I splurged on lights..lotsa flicker candles and other "Christmasy" decor that would work well for Halloween...the kids got a kick outta the drywall mud, burlap and chicken wire I put under the tree for them.

Next was Valentines day....to prove that I had a heart, I got the kids some of these hearts...

Then I joined a haunt group and they want money outta me every month for some cool new prop build..or worse yet, someone comes back from vegas with catalogs and twists my arm really really hard so that I am forced beyond my better judgement to participate in some group buys. They're like the mafia the way they extort money outta ya for pnuematic cylinders and prop controllers... Since I don't want to wake up with a horse's head in bed with me, (although that would be a cool prop to go with the funeral carriage I'm building this year) I aquiess to the demands of these propsters. I figure the kids can do without Easter baskets this year, since I have proof the Easter Bunny is dead.

 

[bozz]

I hear ya SB, the Nov. sales were awesome....man I lived at BL's for a week and they were ready to make me punch a clock there because I was in and out there so much.....ha. I musta hit 9 stores to find stuff and once it hit 90% off the baskets were filling up. Still wondering what I'm gonna do with 6 Bubble foggers from Krogers but the price was to good to pass up. We've been playing with one now. The season never ends can't wait to decorate with the new toys now. Would I be too early....lol ???

 

[kprimm]

Halloween is my lifes ambition.I always spend way more money than i have.When i was younger i used to buy alot of decorations and cheaper props and masks, but now i really dont like to buy props as i make my own and am way happier with the results. Me and my brother also had our own mask making business years ago that we are getting ready to start up again. I have been building props seriously for just over a year now, so we want to do some custom pieces for this end.Having a halloween fund would be great but it just seems that there is too much month left over after the money is gone.

 

[scorpio]

good stuff guys. Well I have been the ultimate fund saver when it comes to Halloween, can't save money for anything else though. I have a plastic pumkin, whenever I get change goes in there. Every other paycheck some money goes in there. Birthday money which for me is November. Last two years I saved over $900 which hardly was enough but it did soften the blow.