‘Tis the season for fake spiders, light-up ghosts, tiny candy bars, and tacky costumes. All that Halloween stuff can make your bank account balance look downright scary! So, let’s talk about three simple tips for saving money on Halloween.

Don’t buy name-brand candy

There was a time in my life when I was overly concerned with being the “cool” house on the block. You know, the one with the really legit, exciting candy at Halloween — maybe even some full-size candy bars.

But when I saw the price tag at the store, that need to impress the neighbors left quick. I thought, Nope! Sorry, cute neighbor kids. You’re getting the generic brand. I can buy a huge bag of it for half the price!

If you’re on a tight budget, don’t feel pressured to splurge and get the expensive candy. The kids will get plenty, and they’ll all be on sugar highs anyway, so they’ll never know the difference.

Scale back on Halloween parties

Halloween parties are pretty elaborate these days with huge spreads of food, amazing costumes, and even signature cocktails. If you’re hosting or attending one, just be wise with what you spend. After all, Halloween is just one day! If you’re hosting, ask your guests to bring a dish to share. Set a budget for yourself on party supplies and decorations, and stick to it!

If you’re attending someone else’s party, don’t feel pressured to bring the fanciest bottle of wine or go overboard with buying the most impressive costume. You don’t want to go into November stressed out about overspending on this one day.

You can decide not to celebrate Halloween

OK, I honestly don’t love Halloween. Not for any spiritual or moral reason, it’s simply because I’m not creative. And I’m terrible at coming up with costumes! Thankfully, my girls usually want to be princesses. That’s something Amazon can fix. But I dread the day when they want something more imaginative. I’m not the mom who just whips up a costume out of odds and ends in my craft closet.

But guess what? No one says we must celebrate Halloween. There’s no shame or guilt in a graceful no if Halloween doesn’t fit your budget this year.

If you sit this holiday out, you’ll save so much money on candy, costumes and ugly plastic partywear. Plus, you’ll save time and energy! You can always jump back in next year, when you have room in your budget.