Question...do you set a budget for Halloween or just go with

[johnsoneliza52]

the flow, as you find things on sale?
I'm curious because we build ours out of recycled stuff as much as possible ( money is always an object), but I wondered if that is the norm across the board? Or if some go all out, as one of their big expenses for the year and have it budgeted in?

[MacPhantom]

I tax people who earn over $250,000 per year, and then use the increase in revenue to buy Halloween props. Sometimes I also cut my prescription meds in half, and eat cat food for dinner, just to scrape up a few extra pennies.

[witchy]

I have 15 totes of Halloween stuff, so if I buys something new my hubby say's I have to get rid of one of my other items, so I don't buy much any more, bummer huh!!!

[Murfreesboro]

I don't exactly "budget" for Halloween, although I do generally spend somewhat more than they say the national average is each year--but that's counting the candy I buy, too.

I do save items from year to year, and I try to wait to buy for next year on November 1. I've been collecting long enough that I really don't "need" anything. It's more about what I want.

I also do a few things with "trash"--like, making the ghost lights out of plastic milk jugs (you know, painting faces on with a Sharpie, filling them with white Christmas lights). And I have a "ghost dance" made of dowel rods and milk jugs (for the heads) covered with whatever white stuff I can find, plastic garbage bags, old sheets, whatever. I tie the white "sheets" with black & orange Halloween ribbon around their "necks." I stick the dowels into the ground in a circle so it looks like the little ghosts are dancing with each other.

You don't have to spend a lot to decorate. It really is possible to do a fair amount using your imagination and some cheap stuff. The main thing, I think, is to do it early enough so that potential TOTers will see your display and come to your house on the big night.

[jadewik]

I used to have an October "budget" of $400... That included candy and things for the ToT's, prop generation... of course, I never really checked to see if I stayed within budget-- the budget was more "guidelines". Though, I haven't had that sort of money to burn since 2009... so... my budget is whatever we can afford, whenever we can afford it spread throughout the year.

My husband and I splurged during a big February sale and bought $300 worth of fabric, buttons and zippers for costume-making for $115... of course, that was before the cat's eye got punctured, the water main broke in the "hard freeze" and my husband's motorcycle was run over, etc, etc... so... the current budget is "no chance in hell". SOOOOoooOooo glad I bought fabric when I did or I wouldn't have wanted to spend anything on Halloween 2011. Gah!

[johnsoneliza52]

With us, it's more of a challenge to do everything as cheaply as possible. So it becomes a game.
Because we never do any theme twice (rule #1...never repeat)..we donate all of our home made props after halloween to a friend of ours who runs a charity haunted house (If he wants them)..so the next year, except for mannequins and little stuff, it all starts again from scratch..and.... I keep track of everything I spend

[Pumpkin_Man]

I usualy don't set a 'budget' per se, but I do have to watch money some times, especialy when I realy get into the Halloween spirit. This year, I am going to have a little less to spend on Halloween decorations because of my recent purchase.

Mike

[QueenAutumn31]

Hi everyone! New here though I joined awhile back. I don't set a budget but tend to buy a few things each year. Usually I buy stuff after Halloween but I love the stuff TJ Maxx carries, more of the vintage looking decorations. I don't do big displays outside like a lot of you but I do put up enough or so my family and friends tell me. Hope to get to know you all and glad I finally got around to posting.

[jengraves86]

I try to put back a couple hundred in the summer time provided nothing serious comes up. When I was younger I used to volunteer at our local thrift shop and I would get store credit for free stuff. I would save all my vouchers up and buy out all the Halloween stuff when they'd put it out in September. For me it really all depends on what the selection is like each given year. Sometimes I'm not impressed with what I see in stores. Last year was pretty good. I'm an avid collector of SFX tapes and CDs. It's always surprising to see where the best stuff comes from. My favorite SFX tape "Thriller Chiller" came from the Dollar Store. And of course nothing beats your own homemade decor.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I have to be extra careful with money this year, so I think what I'll end up doing is putting everything I have to spend into pumpkins, and make due with the other Halloween decorations I already have. Oh, but I will take part in the "grim reaper" exchange if we have it again this year. I got some really neat things, including a little "wearwolf" flash light which at this very moment is on my key chain, and is regularly used when I need a little light to see the lock that I'm trying to un lock, or just need a little light on the subject.

Mike

[QueenAutumn31]

OK, I have to know, what is the grim reaper exchange? Sounds very interesting and fun.

[Pumpkin_Man]

It's Halloween's answer to a "Kris Kringle" gift exchange that are common during the Christmas season. Everyone who wants to participate e-mails their name to the person who heads up the whole shin digs. Then each person in it is given the name of another person who's in it via e-mail. When the participants receives the name of his gift recipient, he goes out and purchases him a gift and sends it to him. In turn, the person who picked the participants name will send him a gife.

For instance, say I get your name, You get Jo Smoe's name, and Joe Smoe gets my name. I buy a gift for you, you buy one for Joe Smoe, and Joe Smoe buys one for me. It's simple, really. In Real Life, everyoen just places their name in a hat, and then picks one ouf of that same hat at random.

In the case of our "Grim Reaper" exchange, however, the gift is supposed to have something to do with Halloween. Last year, I sent my "grim reaper buddy" two 8x10 prints in a frame from the photos I shot at Bachelors Grove and at the Bartonville Insane Asylum. Another person sent me a really nice basket of some Halloween Candy, a few other 'do-dads' and a really nice little flish light with a wear wolf on it.

Mike

Mike