How Much Money You Spend on Halloween Items

[Fright Zone]

I was looking at how much my DIY fog chillers cost to make and decided to look back in Quicken at anything that I categorized as having been purchased for Halloween inlcuding consumables like candy, pumpkins and fog juice that don't stick around after Halloween, prop construction including tools, costumes, props, accessories, post-Halloween sales etc. I bought a Buccaneer Bones costume in 2004 to pass out candy. I started to read haunt forums online in 2005 and did my first yard haunt. Immediately I got ideas for this year. So the cost increased dramatically. I'm sure that's nothing compared to other haunters who have been doing this for a while. But without the Internet, I know it would be much less for me. I think of it as making up for lost time ; )

1999 = $40
2000 = $0
2001 = $2
2002 = $3
2003 = $35
2004 = $182
2005 = $767
2006 = $957 YTD
Total = $1,986

[HibLaGrande]

I don't want to know how much I spend. :D
I do know that I'm sitting next to a 30 lb pile of candy right now.
I think I'm still under a $1000

[slimy]

I've spent about 2.



















2 damn much. hee hee hee

[BadOleRoss]

I think I have spent about $4000.00 this year. I have $300.00+ worth of candy sitting in my bathtub right now.

[scareme]

If the candy is in the tub, where do you clean yourself. And don't you get pretty ripe by Nov. 1st? Just kidding.
I' not sure how much I spend. Just ask my husband, and divide that figure in half. He exaggerates.

[dynoflyer]

Already spent over $120 on FCG and animated witch stirring a cauldron. More to go yet

[BadOleRoss]

I figure if i dont bathe between now and Halloween the corpse costume wil be that much more effective.

[Eyes_in_the_dark]

I figure I've spent maybe $300-$400 but, I'm sure my display is no where near as good as the ones who've spent $1,000s of dollars on their's.

[Hellrazor]

I have spent probably (with the talking bucky skull class) 500.00 this year... and my hubby is laid off... not good.... next year though....:)

[TearyThunder]

I have spent over $500 this year. This is my biggest year so far on spending. I'm about out of room so things will start being revamped for next year and just a couple few new pieces for next year.

[Lilly]

way way way tooo much

[Beepem]

ive spent in the 450 range id say

[Da Weiner]

So far as of 10/9/06 - $716.00

This amount will definitely change soon because I usually buy $150 - 200 worth of candy, 8-10 pumpkins to carve, a bunch of minature pumpkins to decorate the inside of the house with, booze (gotta see what I have stocked in the liquor cabinet and food for that day. I usually spend approximately $1,000 or more.

I think I need to find that second job soon. :mad:

[Otaku]

I'm up to ~$300, but half of that was a new fogger. If I didn't build almost all of the props, lights, sound recorders etc I could get in really deep.

[wilbret]

Honestly, over the 364 days between the holiday... we probably spent over $1000. Building stuff is expensive, plus we stock up when we see stuff on sale.

This year I actually should include a new digital camera and accessories...my wife's camera showed it's age at Halloween Horror Nights (SLLLOW), so I bought her a new 8mp Sony as a Halloween treat.

[ScareShack]

I dont think I really wanna know. Now you got me thinking, im gonna add it up tonight.

[Front Yard Fright]

i'd say i've spent about 400 to 500 bucks this year, just on the small things... it adds up so quick :faint:

[scareme]

"and just a couple few new pieces for next year"
lol Good one Teary! I say that one every year too. And the next year still tops the previous one.

[hidehoman]

Everyone has a supper power mine is scrounging. I always say I can give you a Million dollar show for a hunderd dollars. I think I am up to about $75.00 for this year and I have been starting from scratch as all my old stuff is in storage in Washington and I'm in SC. In the last two months I have made my corpse, gravedigger (done now) scarecrow, monster in a box, grave markers, borded up windows, grave poper and 5 skulls. I hope to stay at about $100.00. I have no fear of genral scrounging and down and dirty dumster diving.

[NickG]

I was only supposed to spend $200 this year but the big ticket items (fcg motor, foggers and juice) ate up the budget and I was left with tons of little stuff to buy still... and I'm around $500 now... stopped counting.

[ScareySuzie]

Besides the fogger and the pumpkins that dh knows about..

$10 to $15

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[SkullAndBone]

More than she will ever know :D ...

[Frighteners Entertainment]

More than she will ever know :D ...
I have to agree, since most things are ordered to sell..."hey, where did that come from?" is the most common phrase I hear.

[SkullAndBone]

I have to agree, since most things are ordered to sell..."hey, where did that come from?" is the most common phrase I hear.

Haha Jeff,
Yeah, I caught myself putting a jacket over a mig welder yesterday to avoid the "hey, where did that come from?". The problem now, is that the lil'lady does the books for tax season.:ninja:

[Spike_Mangler]

Chauvet F-1250 Fog Machine- $150 (still trying to get a LeMaitre from work)
4- Par38's, (+bulbs,gels)- Free from work :D
Buckey Torso w/ Skull and a 10lb Bag "o Bones- $125
Misc Supplies (PVC,paint, glue,tape,etc) about $150

Having some cool sh*t for your first Haunt - Priceless!

[Hellspawn]

Im easily over a grand this year, the problem is that I build my own props from dumpster diving and scrap wood from construction sites.

Seriously, I dont know where in the world all that money went. :confused:

Would have been way worse if I would have been able to start a couple of projects, my wife is happy that I ran out of time.

If I can stay out of stores untill November ill be safe.

[Wildomar]

I havent kept a real count this year but since I have really worked at keeping costs down this year, I estimate about 200.00.

[wilbret]

Building your own props is expensive. You can look at a prop from Wally World and think... $39 for that crap? Then you buy $20 of pvc and fittings, 30 dollars worth of covering, paint, wigs, masks, lighting, chipcorders... and you have a very nice $200-thirty nine dollar prop.

But it's all about the fun!

[ScareFX]

...

But it's all about the fun!

You're right! It is about the fun wilbret! Hope you get something fun for your birthday tomorrow. :D

[Nightshade]

I don't have a budget for Halloween and purchase stuff all year. That includes tools materials and whatever else is needed to complete this years yard display. I don't even want to think about the money I've spent on this years project. I would probably have a heart attack.

[HauntedHacienda]

We spend about $1,100.00 per year, depending on how large we want to grow our haunt every year.
If it is less, then a max of $300.00 per year.

[Spooky1]

I don't think I should say, my wife reads the forum too.

Really honey it didn't cost much :D.

[joker]

After I nearly quadrupled my proposed budget the first year (last year) I don't really keep up with it. I started way earlier this year (spread out the spending) so it's easier to forget what I've spent:D

[Dark vision]

i think around $300.00. i set a budget every year, and every year its gone like the fog lol

[BoysinBoo]

What's a budget?

[jdubbya]

The offerings from retaillers have been so poor this year that I'm not looking to spend much of anything. I'll buy some lumber and foam board and pvc at HD that might run $100.00 The next biggest expense will come from candy and pumpkins. Doubtful I'll spend more than 50.00 on store bought stuff this year. Maybe hit the day after sales but not sure there will be much worth looking at.

[Spookie]

I figure I've spent maybe $300-$400 but, I'm sure my display is no where near as good as the ones who've spent $1,000s of dollars on their's.


From the ToT's point of view I don't think it's how much money you spend. For some it's the candy, while others love a well thought out yard and some just love the scare of the evening. From a haunter's perspective I think it depends on one's time and talent...and good, well placed lighting above all. I guess I would rate audio high up there too and to a lesser degree foggers. Lighting, sound and foggers can make any yard seem way better IMO.

If I had the time and tools to make props, I'd prefer to be creative and do that. I'm hoping to successfully hack a Boris this year. I bought a kicking legs prop this year because it was easier for me to buy it than make it. I have a fogger but bought an ice cooler to convert it into a low-lying fogger. Personally I love the thought of creating stuff, always have. We only recently bought a house with a yard, so I have spent more money acquiring some props and decorations than in past years. I take advantage of after season sales for future years and try to buy things that will go together or can be converted to fit another theme to save money on props. I've got a decent inventory so purchases will slack off soon. I've probably spent about as much as last year getting the basics and a few special items.

But the answer to the original post question for me would be "I don't keep track, probably don't want to know, and probably will spend some more in the future." If I had to estimate I'd say probably $300-400 so far, which includes another fogger (20), ice chest (25), kicking legs prop (50), hanging pirate prop (25), lots of mice and rats (40), some lighting (15), two boris' (55), 4 cheap mp3s (50) and 3 cheap powered speakers systems (26), a new gargoyle (40), Abyss Jr. (40), music cd (12). Hey that was pretty good guess, just under 400. Although I went earlier in the year and spent probably $50 at Dollar Tree and I still have a DVD I want to get (30), so I'll say my 2008 expenditures will be around $600-650 by Oct 31. Thankfully almost all of this stuff will be reused from here on out over and over each year. I look at it as an investment in our neighborhood!

[HauntCast]

I have probably spent $300 this year and I'm pretty much done except for candy. What ever I make on my voice overs is going into my haunt and daughters party.

[kenny-hauntedweb]

I don't even want to add up how much we spend. I think it will have too many zeros on the end.

[Freakboro]

Sadly, I've moved to an apartment this year and my Halloween budget will be spent on "Decorations" instead of props, effects, and outfitting my actors. :(

Still, I can have fun with my halloween stuff for around $70..........again :(

[DarkShadows]

Wow I dont wanna think about it lol I didnt make a tally sheet but after buying controllers, pneumatic parts, wood, buckys, I'd say a good 1000 this year so far. I still have to buy a shit load of wood for my two masoleums I'm building along with paint and that other good stuff. This shit aint cheap! All together over the years Is prolly around 5-6k.

[Ms. Wicked]

I've spent very little this year. Not much is being added this year, and what is, like the coffin, is made almost entirely from reclaimed materials or materials from an existing stash.

Except for my fabric and patterns... I have thousands of dollars invested in my sewing stash. Most of it is picked up at clearance sales, then I figure out what to make from it. I rarely conceptualize a project THEN go out and buy fabric.

Fabric can get expensive, even at clearance prices of $4 - $5 per yard. When something has 8 - 10 yards, plus the same amount of yardage for lining... then throw in buttons, zippers, trim, etc. It adds up quickly.

[Daddy's Little Corpse]

I tried to keep track last year and got depressed and stopped. Really all I splurge on in non-Halloween life are movies and books and those are mostly second hand, so I tell myself it's ok to splurge come Halloween time. Especially this year because I have a job!!! I dunno what it is but I usually find myself between jobs at Halloween.

If I had to guess for this year, I'd say maybe I'm coming up on the $250 mark, but I've got some big builds and a looooong prop list, which is where most of that has come from. It'd probably be much higher if a big majority of that wasn't from thrifting and the dollar store, coupons and freebies from the curb. Considering how much I've found I think $250 is arguably a good deal. Or at least that's what i'll tell my parents...

[Adam I]

I don't keep track and I know I don't want to ...
A guess about $100 a month so $1200 ish for the year ;)

Candy comes out of the house's budget not the Halloween slush fund.

[Vancouver]

I have spent about $1500 so far....My goal is to keep it below 2 grand this year (gotta keep the blinders up for the next month!)

[mattie]

Big spenders here...I usually spend about 200.00 to 400.00 each year. Its usually wood to build a new prop , but mainly clearance stuff. Since you all know that the 1st is a saturday , so I get to get up early and go shopping.

[Moon00]

I've spent about $275 so far and still have quite a few things to get, mostly spot lights and little things for detail work but that kind of stuff does add up. Plus I still have to buy candy and glow bracelets for the ToT's. So I expect to end up spending somewhere around $450 this year.