Halloween is the first holiday of the upcoming holiday season. Finding ways to manage money and ways to save so that you can enjoy all of the holidays might seem like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be, especially if you think ahead for next year. For the current year, start looking for deals now and remember, it’s never too early to start preparing for the holidays.

Candy
If handing out candy is one of your favorite parts of Halloween, look for deals on candy. Visit the dollar stores in your area. In many cases, even name-brand candy costs less than at grocery stores. Watch for sales and sign up for digital coupons. Many of the dollar stores have a $5 off coupon a couple of times each month. Throughout the year, watch for sales on candy. Put the candy in your freezer—it will keep for over a year if you seal it in air-tight freezer bags. Buy a little candy at a time throughout the year to stock up for Halloween, Easter, Christmas and other holidays. You’ll find that buying it throughout the year is easier on your budget.

Costumes
You can save on costumes throughout the years by creating quality costumes and saving them. If you use an old sheet for a ghost, save it for another year. Look for an old trunk at yard sales or if you are crafty, create a trunk out of an old laundry basket to store costumes. Have fun for less money by creating your costumes.

Look at second-hand stores such as Goodwill for clothing that you can use to create characters. Many times, retail stores send new costumes that did not sell to the Goodwill. You can get brand new costumes for less money if you look through second-hand stores. Throughout the year, add fun things to the costume trunk. The next year, your kids might create a funky costume on their own, such as a clown with a beard or even an elf with a Freddy mask.

Create a Budget
Give each child an envelope with $10 or $20 in it—whatever you can afford. Head out to a second-hand store and let the kids choose what they want for costumes. This way, they learn the value of money, know what they can spend, and will get something they want instead of you wasting money on something the kids might not like.

Local Events
Look for free local events. Many communities have trunk or treat events. Farms have corn mazes and hayrides. Even if the farms charge a fee, younger kids are often admitted for free. Instead of staying in all day, go to one of the local events. When you get home, carve a pumpkin and create Halloween food for dinner and snacks with what you have on hand. You can find many recipes by searching the internet.

Visit a Friend or Relative
Some years are overly tough on finances. If you cannot afford to give out candy this year, visit the kids’ grandparents, an uncle/aunt or a good friend. You might have a little party where the kids can dress up. Homemade cupcakes and other treats will help make up for not being able to hand out candy and decorate your home.

Decorations
If you do want to decorate your home, choose decorations that last from year to year. Instead of wasting money on one-use items such as spider webbing, go for the decorations such as lights, plastic goblins and other things that you can use over and over again. Even if you don’t have much money, you can still make Halloween fun for everyone.