The scariest thing about Halloween might be how much money Canadians fork over for it.
Close to $400 million was spent across the country a couple of years ago — on Halloween candy alone. The figure may be less surprising when you consider how many trick-or-treaters there are.
Last year, Statistics Canada estimated roughly 3,816,018 kids aged five to 14 knocked on doors.
Costumes tend to be the priciest part of Halloween, according to a RetailMeNot survey, which broke down our spending last year:
- $52 for costumes
- $43 for decorations
- $42 for candy
“Halloween can be an expensive time of year for many Canadians, especially if you are trying to play catch up with your summer time credit card bills,” warned Jeffrey Schwartz, executive director of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada.
“It can put you in debt if you are not careful.”
READ MORE: 6 tips for making your own Halloween costume
Aside from resurrecting old accessories and costumes, hit up a consignment shop if you still need a last-minute creation.
A trip to the dollar store, where you can finds loads of Halloween stuff including makeup, can also help.
READ MORE: 5 things you should buy at the dollar store
Or do what one Global News employee (who wishes to remain anonymous) plans to:
“I’ll be in my house drawing the blinds and trying to cook in the dark so I don’t get any trick-or-treaters.”
Let us know how much Halloween has cost you this year in the comments section below.
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