Americans are on track to spend about $13.5 billion on candy, costumes and decorations this year, and the average shopper plans to part with $115.14. That is the headline from the National Retail Federation’s forecast, and it makes Halloween spending 2026 a useful test of how far a household dollar stretches. With Halloween landing on Saturday, Oct. 31, the real question is where you can trim without losing the fun.
Below, we break down where the money goes, why the same candy bag costs more than it used to, and eight practical ways to cut your own bill. This is general consumer information, not financial advice.
Halloween Spending 2026: The Numbers at a Glance
According to an NRF survey reported by Talk Business & Politics, total Halloween spending is expected to reach about $13.5 billion, up 3.82%. The figure is not adjusted for inflation, and at least one list shows $13.6 billion, so treat it as roughly $13.5 billion to $13.6 billion.
- Per person: $115.14, compared with $114.45 in 2025.
- Participation: 74% plan to celebrate, up from 73% in 2025 and 68% in 2019.
- Long-run growth: spending is up more than 68% since 2019, again before adjusting for inflation.
The per-person rise is small, just 69 cents. The bigger story is the sheer number of people joining in. For a fuller look at the forecast itself, see our earlier report on the record $13.5 billion Halloween forecast.
Where the Halloween Money Goes
Costumes, decorations and candy are three nearly equal slices of the pie. Here is how the NRF numbers break down.
| Category | Share of shoppers | Expected spending |
|---|---|---|
| Costumes | 71% | $4.4 billion |
| Decorations | 78% | $4.3 billion |
| Candy | 96% | $4.1 billion |
| Greeting cards | 42% (up from 38%) | About $800 million |
Candy is the one category almost everyone buys, at 96%. Costumes cost the most overall, even though fewer people buy them. That gap tells you where a smart budget can make the biggest difference.
Costume Costs: Kids, Adults and Pets
Costumes are the single largest line. Within that, the NRF says children’s costumes account for about $1.5 billion, adult costumes for about $2 billion, and pet costumes for about $920 million.
For kids, the popular picks are superheroes and comic characters, princesses, witches and ghosts. Adults favor witches, vampires, Batman and Spider-Man. Pets are heading out as pumpkins, hot dogs and ghosts. Half of adults say they plan to wear a costume.
If your household is still deciding, our guide to Halloween costume trends and how to save covers the most popular looks.
Why Candy Feels So Expensive
Candy spending of about $4.1 billion sounds modest, but the price tag per bag has climbed. The source cites Yahoo Finance in reporting that candy costs rose more than 78% from 2020 to 2025. Separately, Bankrate economists estimate that a candy budget now buys about 40% less candy by weight than it did in 2020.
We have not independently checked those two figures, and they come from different methods, so use them as a direction rather than an exact measure. The takeaway is simple: the same $30 buys a smaller pile than it once did, which is why buying strategy matters.
How Shoppers Are Planning to Shop
The survey suggests many households are already budget-minded. According to the NRF figures, about half of shoppers start in September or earlier. Discount stores are the top destination, about one-third visit specialty costume shops, and 27% shop online.
Cost-cutting habits are common too:
- One-third compare prices.
- 26% look for coupons or sales.
- 34% look for reusable items.
- Nearly half plan to use AI tools, mainly for brainstorming and party planning.
In other words, a lot of your neighbors are already planning around price. You can join them without feeling like you are skimping.
8 Ways to Cut Your Halloween Spending 2026 Bill
The ideas below are general money-saving advice, not figures from the NRF. Pick the ones that fit your household.
- Make or remix the costume. Witches, ghosts and vampires can often be built from clothes you already own. Costumes are the biggest category, so this is the best place to save.
- Swap with friends and neighbors. Kids outgrow costumes fast. A swap or a hand-me-down costume costs nothing.
- Reuse your decorations. Dig out last year’s box before buying new. About a third of shoppers say they want reusable items for this reason.
- Go natural on decor. Pumpkins, gourds and simple lights look festive and can double as fall decor into November.
- Buy candy early and compare unit prices. Look at price per ounce, not the sticker price. If you buy ahead, store it out of sight so it lasts until Oct. 31.
- Set a firm cap per category. Decide on a costume, decor and candy limit before you walk into the store, and stick to it.
- Use coupons and sale alerts. A quarter of shoppers hunt for deals, and discount stores are the top stop, so check weekly flyers.
- Use AI for ideas, not impulse buys. Nearly half of shoppers plan to use AI tools for brainstorming. Ask for low-cost party games, treats and costume ideas, then buy only what you need.
A Sample Budget You Can Borrow
The NRF average of $115.14 is a useful yardstick, but your household may be different. As an illustration only, here is how a family might split a $115 budget using the category shares above as a rough guide. These are our own example numbers, not NRF data.
- Costumes: about $40, with one new piece and the rest from the closet.
- Decorations: about $35, mostly pumpkins and last year’s lights.
- Candy: about $35, bought early on a unit-price comparison.
- Cushion: about $5 for last-minute needs.
Notice that the split puts the biggest share toward costumes, matching where the national dollars go, but leans on reuse to keep each line low. If your household has no young children, you can shift the candy line down and the party or pet line up.
Why More People Keep Joining In
Participation has crept up from 68% in 2019 to 74% this year, which is a meaningful change for a holiday that was already popular. The survey does not explain why, so we will not guess at a single cause.
What the numbers do show is that Halloween is more than a children’s holiday. Half of adults plan to wear a costume, and 42% plan activities such as yard decorating, pumpkin carving or scary movies. Many of those activities are cheap or free, which may help explain why the holiday holds its appeal when household budgets feel tight.
What We Do Not Know Yet
The NRF forecast is a survey of intentions, not a count of what people actually spend. Real totals can differ, especially if prices shift between now and Oct. 31. The survey results we reviewed do not break spending down by income level or region, so we cannot say which households are cutting back most.
It is also unclear how much of the 3.82% increase reflects higher prices rather than more purchases, since the figure is not inflation-adjusted. Treat the top-line number as a snapshot of the mood rather than a precise measure of demand.
Plan Your Halloween Spending 2026 Before You Shop
The simplest approach is also the most effective. Write down a total, split it across costumes, decor and candy, and leave a small cushion. Then spend your first dollars on the thing your family cares about most, whether that is a great costume or a full candy bowl.
Do not forget safety, which costs little. Our guide to Halloween safety tips for kids is worth a read before trick-or-treat night. For more retail data and consumer research, visit the National Retail Federation.
Your action step: before the weekend, set one total number for Halloween, write it on your shopping list, and check what you already own. Stay tuned to USA One News for more ways to make your money go further this fall.
