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7 money-saving Halloween hacks

By WTOP Staff

Every year, Americans spend a ton preparing to celebrate Halloween and the costs associated with the spooky holiday continue to go up. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2014 Halloween Consumer Spending Survey, the average person will spend $77.52 this Halloween, up from $75.03 last year.

The good news, however, is that there are a number of ways to join in on the October 31 festivities without breaking the bank. Here are seven easy hacks that can help you celebrate Halloween for less.

Go for free DIY candy collection containers. Many retailers sell special bags and buckets designed just for collecting candy during Halloween trick-or-treating. However, some of the elaborate designs (think plush buckets) can run you upwards of $10, and even the cheaper, less durable plastic bag styles require that you shell out cash, even if just 99 cents.

So, instead of buying these pre-made Halloween buckets and bags, save your money by repurposing old pillow cases or bags you have around the house into candy collection containers. You could even give your child an old brown grocery bag (as long as it has handles) and encourage him or her to make it festive with the help of some crayons, markers and other art supplies you have around the house.

Print out free decorations. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are planning to spend $2 billion on Halloween decorations this year, with money going toward décor ranging from life-size ghosts to pumpkins. But before you shell out money on such items, check out all the free printables available online. It’s easy to find free Halloween banners, posters, signs and more, and all you’ll have to pay for is the paper to print them on. Just search the Internet with terms like “free Halloween decorations printables” and a wealth of options come up.

Be a smart pumpkin shopper. If you want to invest in a pumpkin or two, visiting the local pumpkin patch can be a ton of fun and a great way to spend a weekend afternoon (especially considering that many patches offer free admission), but think twice before you buy your pumpkins there.

As I learned the hard way last Halloween season, pumpkins are often much more expensive at pumpkin patches than they are at local grocery stores. Case in point: Last year, my husband and I bought an $18 pumpkin at a patch only to later see a similar-sized $7 pumpkin at our local Safeway.

And here’s another pumpkin shopping tip: Instead of buying a pumpkin each year, you could save even more money by making a one-time purchase of an inexpensive fake pumpkin, or other similar decoration, that you could bring out year after year.

Get a head start on the holiday season. Another way to cut the cost of Halloween decorations is to opt for décor that can work for both Halloween and the coming holiday season this year, and in years to come. For instance, white and orange Christmas lights and fall-themed wreaths with orange or gold balls could do double duty for both holidays.

Know how to dress up for less. Here at The Frugal Shopper blog, we’ve covered a number of tricks lately for saving on Halloween costumes, including costume exchanges with friends, online comparison shopping, reusing last year’s looks, repurposing baby pajamas into easy DIY costumes, hitting thrift stores and thinking ahead now to next year. So, make sure to read our recent posts on dressing up for less.

Give out candy you don’t like. I love this tip, which I came across at About.com. The gist is that by buying candy that you don’t like, you’ll be less likely to eat the candy before it’s time to give it out to trick-or-treaters, ultimately saving yourself from having to buy more Halloween candy at the last minute to pass out. And along the same lines, since it shouldn’t matter if you like the candy you’ll be passing or not, make sure to opt for whatever sweets are on sale for the cheapest price when you’re making your candy purchases.

Hand out your candy. Finally, don’t buy enough to candy to account for trick-or-treaters grabbing handfuls of your treats. Instead, plan to give out one piece to each trick-or-treater, so you don’t need to invest in as big of a candy stash.

What money-saving Halloween hacks did I miss? Share your best tips below for cutting the costs associated with celebrating Halloween.

More from U.S. News

10 Frugal Ways to Save This Fall

10 Ways to Cut Your Costs This Week

12 Habits of Phenomenally Frugal Families

7 Money-Saving Halloween Hacks originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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