Halloween is one of our favorite holidays! The chance to get to dress up again like we did when we were kids, the excuse to eat bad, sugar-filled food, the feeling of fall in the air … it all combines to form a festive holiday that can be enjoyed as much by single adults as by families. But we all also know that Halloween can work against our goals to reduce “stuff” (and to watch our pocketbooks). The expenses (and waste) can add up quickly during October. Here are five easy tips to keep your spending and your consumerism in check.
1. Recycle or Reuse Costumes: The most obvious trick to a sustainable Halloween is “don’t buy new costumes!” Not only are they expensive and often made of non-recyclable plastic, but they’re also something that you will probably never use again. Purchase used costumes, make costumes out of old clothes or abandoned household goods or organize a costume swap with your neighborhood.
2. Traditional Decorations: If you walk into your local drug store or department store for the rest of the month, you’ll certainly be bombarded with potential Halloween decorations to buy. Resist the urge! You most likely have a collection of Halloween decorations already at home (possibly with fond memories already attached), and you don’t need a huge inflatable pumpkin for the front lawn!
3. Buy Only Enough Candy: It’s tempting, particularly given the Halloween candy sales that happen, to purchase much more candy or wholesome giveaways than you’ll need for Trick or Treat. However, chances are that a great deal of candy will end up going to waste. After all, how many mini-Snickers bars can we (or should we) really eat. Just because the price is reduced, it doesn’t mean that you have to buy. Buy only the candy and treats that you need.
4. Party Responsibly: We don’t actually mean “don’t drink and drive,” though we certainly don’t want you to do that, either! By “party responsibly”, we mean that if you have a Halloween party, don’t go overboard buying decorations, food and accessories. We like Halloween parties, just make responsible decisions about what you need and don’t need to buy for those parties.
5. Local Pumpkins: And, last but not least, buy your Halloween pumpkins from a local pumpkin farm. It may cost slightly more than at the grocery store, but you’ll be supporting local business and local farming, and that’s important to all of us.
Enjoy your Halloween! We’re sure that we will! Just remember that a few moments to pause and think as you prepare for Halloween can save you money and help you let go of bad consumer habits. Have an idea on how to have a sustainable Halloween? Friend us on Facebook and tell us about it.
The Get Satisfied Interactive Handbook evaluates where you are on your journey to finding the satisfaction of enough and gives you a personalized how-to plan on beginning to find the satisfaction of enough.
