{"id":326,"date":"2017-10-25T16:35:25","date_gmt":"2017-10-25T16:35:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/?p=326"},"modified":"2020-07-30T20:18:14","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T20:18:14","slug":"10-tips-to-spend-less-on-halloween-candy-learn-how-to-make-money-selling-leftover-halloween-candy-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/10-tips-to-spend-less-on-halloween-candy-learn-how-to-make-money-selling-leftover-halloween-candy-too\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips to Spend Less on Halloween Candy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Treat Your Tricksters AND Save Money on Halloween Candy by Utilizing These Scary Smart Shopping Strategies, Plus Learn About Making \u201cCash for Candy\u201d Selling Your Extra Treats.<\/em><\/p>\n

According to the National Retail Federation<\/a>, more than 9 in 10 shoppers shell out for Halloween each year. In fact, 70% of Americans hand out candy to trick or treaters with the average US household spending over $ 44 on sugary goods. Add in costumes, pumpkins, and holiday d\u00e9cor, altogether we spend over $7 billion dollars per year every October making spooky business big business.<\/p>\n

But even people watching their wallet can enjoy themselves to the max this year.  There are ways to slash your candy budget by 50% or more.<\/p>\n \n

1. Buy Candy Late<\/h2>\n\"\"\n

Many savvy parents and thrifters will swear that buying early is the way to go, but I discourage that strategy.<\/p>\n

Retailers begin dragging out the mega bags of Halloween themed candy in September, hoping that we\u2019ll start gnawing on mini Snickers bars early and need to replenish. Unless you plan on indulging all season, there\u2019s no reason not to wait until the 30th.<\/p>\n

Trust me, the stores are not going to run out of snack-size bars.  And if they do, who cares.  Pass out Sweethearts or pop rocks instead. Even if they\u2019re not the most popular, no one will care. Kids get so much candy, unless you\u2019re giving out tofu or king-size bars, they\u2019re not going to remember who gave what.<\/p>\n

Remember you can save a few dollars by buying store-brand candies or knock-off brands.  If this feels too Scrooge-like, keep in mind you can buy a cheap bag of no-name suckers for kids you don\u2019t know and a small bag of the good stuff for the kids you do.<\/p>\n \n

2. Correctly Calculate Your Candy Needs<\/h2>\n

Before you step a foot out of the door to buy your goodies, figure out ahead of time how many pieces you\u2019ll realistically need. Last year was the first year for my husband and me in our new home. We asked one nearest neighbor how many kids there would be and she suggested \u201cthree big bags.\u201d If that sounds vague, that\u2019s because it was. We bought the proscribe \u201cthree big bags\u201d and were left with dozens of extra chocolate bars \u2013 much to my dismay.<\/p>\n\"kids\n

My advice: ask two or three neighbors to get a better estimate, and seek out parents of young children.  They keep better tabs on the neighborhood kids.<\/p>\n

Also make sure to check the weather report, too.  If you\u2019re in for a cold, rainy night, cut your volume estimates in half.  Most kids (or rather parents) aren\u2019t going to venture more than a block or so in unruly weather.  Again, this is where waiting and buying late will come in handy.<\/p>\n \n

3. Candy Budget per Kid<\/h2>\n\"candy\n

A package of fun-size candy bars (think Snickers, Kit-Kats, Reese\u2019s peanut butter cups) costs about $3 with tax and contains 21 pieces of candy.<\/p>\n

If you give out 3 treats per kid, to an average of say, 100 kids, that will run you $ 43 or 43-cents per kid.<\/p>\n

Figure out your budget per kid when calculating how much to buy.<\/p>\n

There is no rule set in stone that you have to give more than 1 treat per kid or keep the store open all night.<\/p>\n

Go ahead and just give 1 treat per kid and turn out the lights at 8 o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n \n

4. Ditch the Chocolate<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s no rule that says you have to give out chocolate candy bars.<\/p>\n

Why not keep the porch lights off and give out gift certificates to select little ghosts and goblins?<\/p>\n

For the past several years, McDonald\u2019s has sold treat booklets for just $1.  For a $1 purchase, you get 12 coupons for 12 FREE menu items: hamburgers, apple slices, ice cream cones, and chocolate milk chugs or juice boxes.  Wendy\u2019s offers a similar deal; for $1 you can get 5 coupons for 5 free junior frosties.<\/p>\n

With the McDonald\u2019s booklet, you\u2019ll be spending 8-cents per kid and with Wendy\u2019s only 20-cents.<\/p>\n \n

5. Ditch the Candy Altogether<\/h2>\n

Also, consider ditching candy altogether.<\/p>\n

This doesn\u2019t mean you have to give out pennies and dental floss (hey, I don\u2019t want you to get egged.)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a ton of genuinely fun, kid-approved, Halloween novelties out there.<\/p>\n\"dogs\n

Oriental Trading Company is a fun source to get novelties in bulk.  They have hundreds of possibilities, like plastic vampire teeth, mini Halloween superhero figurines or glow-in-the-dark spider rings. For just $ 3.98, you can purchase 144 adorable Halloween themed eraser heads.  Keep in mind, you\u2019ll have to pay for shipping too unless you spend at least $ 40.  You may want to stock up for other parties on the horizon, like New Year\u2019s Eve or Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n \n

6. Variety is Not the Spice of Life<\/h2>\n

While variety fun packs are enticing, according to a recent consumer survey, Reese\u2019s Peanut Butter Cups are the most popular candy in America. It places in the top 3 across all 50 states. That makes Reese\u2019s a safe bet to go with \u2013 and the best way to hone your deal-seeking instincts when comparing prices at local supermarkets.<\/p>\n

Or if you\u2019re curious, take a look at the most popular candy in your state<\/a>. (In the Land of 10,000 Lakes \u2013 my neck of the woods \u2013 100 Grand reigns supreme.)<\/p>\n \n

7. Go Homemade \u2013 For the Kids You know<\/h2>\n\"cupcake\n

If you enjoy baking, consider making a hot and ooey, gooey batch of brownies. With eggs, oil, and package mix, you can crank out 24 brownies for just $ 1.69 feeding 24 kids at 7-cents a head. I would only offer baked goods if expecting a decent turnout of kids I personally knew \u2013 otherwise it\u2019s not worth my effort and parents will be leery.<\/p>\n \n

8. Stealing Candy from Your Kids\u2026<\/h2>\n

There are plenty of places where your kids are going to be scoring Halloween candy before the 31st<\/sup>: events at the zoo, malls, nursing homes, school, and more.\nThey are sure to wind up with candy they don't even like, which you can set aside and dole out to trick-or-treaters. (Go ahead and steal some of the candy they do like, too. They\u2019ll be getting plenty later on.)<\/p>\n

One of my girlfriends told me she buys a $3 bag to give out to kids in her neighborhood.  And then when her little ones, ages 2 and 4, come in early from trick-or-treating, she gives away most of their loot.  \u201cThere\u2019s no reason a toddler needs 50 pieces of candy.  I keep back a few pieces for them and everybody\u2019s happy.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

9. Make the Most of Coupon, BOGO, and Loyalty Savings<\/h2>\n\"candy\"\n

Many stores offer fantastic savings on candy in the forms of Buy One Get One (BOGO) deals and limited-time bulk packs.<\/p>\n

Cost-co and Sam\u2019s Club offer fantastic prices for those buying in large quantities (100+ pieces).  And stores like Target offer special savings through their apps and loyalty programs.<\/p>\n

Make sure to check out the coupons<\/a> on InboxDollars\u2019 deal page.  You can save 50-cents to $2 stocking up on candy, and remember: you\u2019ll earn 10-cents for each coupon you redeem.<\/p>\n

These tricks for treats will help you keep your budget in tow. And after you\u2019ve blown out the last jack-o-lantern and your kids are done sorting, trading, and gorging on their favorites, you can make more money yet.<\/p>\n \n

10.  Sell Your Kids\u2019 Halloween Stash to Your Dentist<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re like most parents, come November 1st<\/sup> you want rid of your kids\u2019 huge haul.<\/p>\n

Wondering what to do with the hordes of Skittles and Bazooka - and how to keep your kids\u2019 paws off when you\u2019re not around?<\/p>\n

Check out the Halloween Candy Buy Back<\/a>, a program that offers cash for candy.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

Each year nearly 3,000 dentists and orthodontists across the country participate.  Use the zip code locator<\/a> to find your nearest participating location. (In my zip code, I found four participating dental clinics within a 15-mile radius.)<\/p>\n

The program\u2019s goal is to rid your kid of excess Halloween sugar. Rates per office will vary, but typically dental clinics will buy your candy for about $1 per pound.<\/p>\n

Since 2007, over 5 million pounds of candy have been purchased through this program. If you\u2019re wondering where this glut of candy goes, it\u2019s shipped to US troops overseas<\/a>. Each \u201csoldier angel\u201d participant gets a sweet treat and a toothbrush.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a great way to purge your kids\u2019 extra (unwanted) treats and teach them about a worthy cause.   And after you\u2019ve sold some of the loot, stash away those extra dollars and use them to buy next year's treats.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Don’t break the bank this Halloween. Check out these 10 tips and save more on candy!","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[242,10],"tags":[35,43,42,40,37,31,30,33,41,39,36,34,38],"class_list":["post-326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-deals","category-save-money","tag-candy-discounts","tag-cash-for-candy","tag-donate-halloween-candy","tag-halloween-candy-buyback","tag-halloween-candy-ideas","tag-inbox-dollars","tag-inboxdollars","tag-save-money-on-halloween-candy","tag-sell-candy-to-dentist","tag-sell-halloween-candy","tag-things-to-give-trick-or-treaters","tag-way-save-halloween","tag-what-to-give-trick-or-treaters-besides-candy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inboxdollars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}