This is the time of year when we begin to load up on candy for all the Trick or Treaters on Halloween. Our neighborhood gets a ton of traffic on Halloween. My dad and stepmother, who live just one street over, host a Halloween party ever year. We take all the kids to trick or treat, take turns handing out candy on the front porch, roast marshmallows around the fire pit, and enjoy conversation with friends and family. Guests chip in with a bag of candy or two to help fill the plastic pumpkins of the masses who come to the door. This is a great help because, let's face it, candy ain't cheap!
Yesterday, I decided to bite the bullet and buy my contribution for the festivities. I went to two places armed with coupons.
First, I went to CVS. Now, you might think this an odd choice, but let me tell you that I can get quite a bit of stuff on the cheap at CVS. I had two coupons for packages of chocolate candy--one for $1 off two and another for $1.50 off off three. I also had some Extra Bucks. Extra Bucks are the bomb! It's just like having money in your pocket! If you are not using your Extra Bucks, you are throwing money away! I wound up buying 6 bags of candy. At the original, non-sale price, I would have paid $25.94 (pre-tax). I only paid $14.11 (pre-tax).
Next, I went to Big Lots. I had a coupon for $5 off of $15. I bought three $5 bags of candy and only paid $10 (pre-tax).
All said and done, I bought 10.25 lbs. of candy for $24.11 (pre-tax). Originally, that would have cost $40.94 (pre-tax). I saved $16.83! That's a 41% savings.
If you are planning to buy your Halloween candy soon, here are a few tips:
1) Look for coupons (even ones that aren't specifically for candy, like Extra Bucks).
2) Look for sales. All the stores are running sales on candy right now. Look for the best deals.
3) Look for bags of candy with the most pieces for the least amount of money. Those $5 bags I bought at Big Lots, have about 70 pieces of assorted candy in them. Some small bags can cost $4-5, but only have 25-30 pieces of candy.
No one should have to break the bank to buy Halloween candy. Be smart about what you buy and don't buy what you can't afford. If you want to stretch your candy a little further, it's okay to only give one or two pieces, rather than 3 or 4. When you run out, you run out. Most importantly, enjoy the fun of the evening and don't let it be a burden.