Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half! with Stephanie Nelson, The Coupon Mom
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Five Ways to Save...

On Halloween Décor & Family Fun

by Stephanie Nelson

1. Don’t go overboard. Halloween is now reported to be the 2nd most expensive holiday of the year, right behind Christmas. It is easy to go overboard on spending if you like to decorate your house or yard with plenty of Halloween decorations. One way to save a lot of money is to skip the expensive décor and make your own decorations.
2. Carve a pumpkin. The easiest decoration that is also fun for kids is carving a pumpkin together. For just a few dollars, you can create a memorable annual tradition with your child and decorate your front porch or window at the same time. Save the seeds and find a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds, as well.
3. Get crafty You can find plenty of inexpensive Halloween decorating projects from books in the library, local family magazines distributed free at libraries and schools. Easier projects include making ghosts to hang in the window made out of string, glue and waxed paper. Doing a project with your children will be much less expensive and far more memorable than shelling out $100 for decorations at the local party store.
4. Save on admission. This is the time of year for pumpkin festivals, Halloween fairs, hayrides, haunted house tours and more. Prices for these family events vary widely, from free to as much as $20 a head. Check the local calendar section in community newspapers and magazines to find inexpensive events. Look for admission coupons in the newspapers and magazines as well.
5. Check on-line. Also check the Web sites of Festival sponsoring organizations to find printable coupons for reduced admissions. Check to see if your local grocery store sells discounted tickets for seasonal festivals and events either on their Web site or at their customer service counter in the store. Finally, many schools, churches and places of worship offer free festivals and fairs as family-friendly alternatives on Halloween.

Stephanie Nelson is the Coupon Mom. Her web site, www.CouponMom.com, has 6 million members, and she is established as the nation?s top expert in couponing across the country. Stephanie has been on every major national television talk show and taught millions how to save money for the past 11 years. She has been called "the rock star of the recession" by the Washington Post and her book, The Coupon Mom?s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half, is a New York Times best seller.