Money hacks Halloween tricks that won't frighten your wallet

Sweet prices have gone up as the cost of ingredients and production have risen.

- Aneesa Ahmed

A Haribo Starmix 22-pack from Tesco now costs £3, up from £2.35 last year.

Meanwhile, the price of chocolate on shop shelves climbed by 18.1% in the year to September, according to official figures.

To keep your Halloween outlay low, bulk-buy and check packets. “Choose individually wrapped treats - they last longer, stay hygienic and reduce waste if they’re not all handed out,” says Zoe Morris, a savings expert from VoucherCodes. “Only buy sweets your household enjoys - that way, any leftovers won't go to waste.”

Morris recommends comparing the cost per kilogram, but if you are giving a treat to each person who comes, the number in each bag will be as important.

At the time of writing, the retailer B&M was selling a Tricky Treats Popping Candy multipack of 36 sweets for £1. At Morrisons there is a 16-pack of Swizzels Luscious Lollies for £1.25 - or £1 if you have a More Card - while Asda has the Haribo Share the Happy 22-bag multipack, for £1.98.

DIY your costumes

Raiding your wardrobe and using clothes you already own is one of the best ways to save. A black top paired with some DIY ears made with an old headband and some black card cut into triangles, makes for a mysterious black cat.

While a vampire costume from Amazon costs about £20, your local charity shop may have a cheap white shirt that you can accessorise with a length of black material and makeup. These can also be reused or repurposed.

Get creative with props: stick some googly eyes on a black umbrella and attach dangling thick strands of fabric to make a spooky spider, or add fake blood stains (flour, water and red food colouring) to some damaged old clothes to be a zombie.

Ditch the wasteful decor

British shoppers buy an average of 10 Halloween items every year, a report for Gumtree in 2024 found, with many ending up in landfill.