by Jeff Kaplan, CEO of LOZO, a website devoted to helping people find ways to save money.
On Halloween you’ll hand out goodies to all sorts of adorable trick-or-treaters at your door. LOZO is here to make sure you get the most bang for your buck when you purchase those treats, no matter what kind you choose to buy (even my favorites: dark chocolate Snickers bars).
Classic Money-Saving Tips
Whether you’re shopping for Halloween or doing your weekly grocery trip, here are some tried and true money-saving tactics that will lower your bill:
- Compare Prices: Comparison shopping is one of the best ways to find the lowest price whether you’re shopping for groceries, a computer, a car or just about anything at all. Halloween candy is seemingly on sale everywhere, so compare prices from your local circulars (including drugstores, supermarkets, and department stores) and be sure to check online too—we’ve even included a list of some of our favorite spots below. (If you’d like to learn more, read one of our tips on comparison shopping).
- Focus on Price-per-Unit: As any savvy grocery shopper knows, you want to look at the unit price (e.g., how much it costs per ounce)—not the actual price marked on the shelf—to determine the value you’re getting. The lower the unit price, the better the deal. For example, you may find two bags of candy each marked $3.49, but if the first one contains 22oz of candy and the second has 30oz, the second is a better deal (same price, more units). If the unit price isn’t readily listed, just divide the actual cost ($4.00 for example) by the # of units (20 ounces, for example) to figure it out (20 cents per ounce, in this example). You can also use LOZO’s handy unit price calculator which will also let you factor in any coupons you may have.
One twist to consider for Halloween if you are trying to save money: the “cost per trick-or-treater.” For example, if a $2.00 bag of candy has 20 pieces inside and you plan to give out 1 piece per kid, that’s $2.00 for 20 kids (10 cents per kid). If a different bag has smaller pieces, such that you feel you’ll need 2 pieces per kid (or else get eggs thrown at your house), you’ll need twice as much on hand. In that case a $2 bag with 20 pieces only covers 10 kids, so you are spending 20 cents per kid!
- Don’t Limit Yourself to Grocery Stores: It’s convenient to buy something at the supermarket, but you won’t necessarily get the best deal. Check out local drug stores like CVS and Walgreens, big retailers like Target, Walmart and Kmart, and even the dollar store. You can check their online stores as well, plus favorites like Amazon and Drugstore.com. Look to add on to an existing order to avoid any additional shipping charges, but remember to compare to the deals you can find locally.
- Look for Deals & Coupons: A good price can become great with the right deal or coupon. Check all your local circulars as well as LOZO’s coupon section, which has a page devoted to snack and candy coupons. You can print $7.50 in candy coupons, $5.00 in snacks coupons, or both right now. Print them a second time so that you’re fully armed for the best deals. I like the $2.50 off two Nestle Variety bags coupon best: if you can find a local 2 for $4.00 sale, use your coupon to get the cost down to just 75 cents per bag!
- Buy in Bulk: Halloween is a great time to team up with family, friends and neighbors to buy a warehouse club size bags of candy from a place like Costco. To make sure you’re getting the best price though, be sure to comparison shop and to check cost per unit. Generally buying in bulk will get you a good deal, but a great sale at a supermarket or drugstore usually is a little better.
Any of these tips will lower your costs on Halloween candy, but they’re also good to keep in mind year-round as you try to save money on groceries.
More Ways to Save for Halloween
OK, we’ve covered some classic money-saving tips, now here are a few that are particularly geared toward Halloween shopping.
- Buy What You Like, But Avoid Halloween-Themed Candy: If you stick with candy your family (or friends or colleagues) enjoy, then you can get good use out of any “leftovers”. And if you avoid the special Halloween wrappers you can feel comfortable using extras for upcoming holidays and birthday parties as well. However, if you really want to buy Halloween-themed candy, then be sure to…
- Buy Last-Minute, with a Backup Plan: Any candy that’s got Halloween-specific packaging is going to be marked WAY down as soon as the holiday’s over (75% off is pretty common by Mid-November). Knowing this, most stores will start their discounts early in hopes that they can sell it at 25-50% off just before Halloween. Worried that you might forget, or not have a chance to get to the store at the last minute? Buy “backup” candy ahead of time but keep the packages unopened so that you can return them later on, if you are able to get a cheaper replacement in time. You can also stock up on post-Halloween sales (with next year in mind) for candy with generous expiration dates.
- Skip the Usual Candy: There are plenty of non-candy bar options to consider if you like the idea of doing something a little different.
- For example, knock-offs of the ubiquitously popular Silly Bandz can be found for around $1 per 12-pack at many stores, or 8.5 cents each. Hand out one per kid and you’ll be a hero, while keeping your “cost per trick-or-treater” at a reasonable level.
- Halloween coupons for McDonald’s, Wendy’s and other fast food restaurants can be found for $1-2 per 10-12 coupons, or around 10-15 cents each, and can be used for free food or treats. You can use leftover coupons for your own family (a bargain for drinks and snacks that usually cost $1-2 each), or give them away to neighbors.
- Expecting a big crowd, and want to try something a little less unhealthy? Amazon has a 325-pack of Organic Lollipops for $17.50 after discounts and while supplies last (that’s about 5 cents per lollipop). The other parents might thank you for it.
So then what’s the overall secret to being a hero Halloween house, and doing it on a budget? Use a coupon on top of a great sale, to buy candy you like at the last minute. Then you’ll be able to offer the best treats at the lowest cost per kid.
That’s the LOZO on how to save money on Halloween treats. Did we miss something? We’d love to hear from you, so feel free to leave a comment below! And, be sure to visit us at LOZO if you’re looking for more ways to save money. In the meantime, Happy Halloween!
Author Note
Jeff is the CEO of LOZO, a free website that provides money saving tips on everything, from the things you buy to the bills you pay!
In addition to checking out LOZO’s site, you can also find them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter or sign up for their free money-saving tip of the day newsletter.
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