Before you trick or treat this year, there are nine things you can do to save money on Halloween and reduce stress. Starting now is the most important part to finding deals on Halloween decorations, costumes, and candy.

Decorations

1. Take inventory. Make a list of what you need. This year, I’d really like to find a deal on kitchen towels with pumpkin designs on them. I’m staying away from witches and goblins as I’ll be able to used these until Thanksgiving.
2. Make your decorations multitask. I was gifted a Halloween popcorn bowl a few years back that comes out every October to serve as a fruit bowl when we are not using it to hold our popcorn.
3. Grow pumpkins. If you have a green thumb and live in a warm area, there may still be time for you to grow your own pumpkins for Halloween. Keep in mind that it takes about 3 months to grow, so if they are not ready for Halloween you’ll have fresh pumpkins for your Thanksgiving pie. Seeds will cost less than $2. All you need is a few square feet of dirt and time to take care of them. If this is not an option, pumpkin sales will soon begin to sprout. Keep your pumpkin in a cool, dry place so they last.
4. Do it yourself. Need a center piece? Take your kids to a local park to find branches and pine cones and make your own Halloween centerpiece.

Costumes

1. Shop early and price compare before you commit to buying a costume. Bargain Babe shared Halloween coupons for costumes and will continue to do so. Make sure to check back often for the latest discounts.
2. Swapping costumes. Participate in National Costume Swap Day on October 8. Unless you rented your costume last year, it’s likely somewhere in your closet. Why not swap with a friend or stranger and let him/her enjoy it this year? This works well for small children who are growing, but don’t have sibling hand-me down costumes.
3. Do it yourself costume. If you’re a creative person, brainstorm ideas and start making a costume. You can also make your own bag or grab a pillowcase to hold your candy. In last year’s costume contest, readers suggested get ups for Bargain Babe, who took a reader suggestion and dressed like wild grape Halloween costume.

Candy

1. Hit the dollar store for the lowest prices, but don’t forget to comparison shop. If you live in LA, check out the candy stores downtown, which sell candy at wholesale prices.
2. On Halloween night, avoid greedy fingers and hand out the candy yourself. There’s nothing worse than running out of candy.
3.  You can opt for generic brands, but make sure the candy is as tasty. There’s no point in buying candy no one eats. Maybe this is just me, but I would rather get one really good candy than a bunch that I’ll throw away.

How are you getting ready for Halloween?