Four Not-So-Scary Last Minute Halloween Shopping Tips

Waited until the last minute to grab Halloween costumes, decorations or candy? Fear not. You’re not alone… And you might actually have waited until just the right time! Here are some last-minute Halloween shopping tips to make sure you don’t feel the life getting sucked out of you at the checkout counter this week.

Tip #1: Ask Stores to Match Online Prices Many stores, like Target, will match their own online prices or competitor prices if you just ask the Customer Service desk. Often you’ll find lower prices online for seasonal stuff like costumes or decor that you’re grabbing in-store. And now with free shipping from Target.com it’s a good idea to get familiar with their site if you haven’t already.

Tip #2: Look for Deals on Popular Costumes

Recently, Google’s Shopping Team announced that Frozen costumes are the hit of the season. It turns out that the best time to buy the Elsa and Anna costumes is now when they’re listed in the low $20s whereas for most of the year, they've been retailing for between $30-$50. If there are still any in stock grab ‘em!

Tip #3: Consider Clever DIY Combos

Whether you grab bunny ears and a feather duster (Dust Bunny) or some paint and cardboard for a clever DIY costume, many of the stores you frequent will have everything you need to put together a masterpiece in no time. Just remember: it’s getting darker earlier this time of year so you don’t have to fret over details.

Tip #4: Get Reusable Decor and Accessories

From foam headstones to candy bowls, Halloween decorations and accessories never go out of style. So do some bargain-hunting and price-comparison before taking the plunge, but do pick one or two items each year that can be reused, if not more. A few years down the road you may not need to do last-minute shopping at all.

But with all the fun you can have using these handy shopping tips, you might actually look forward to last-minute Halloween shopping from now on.

- Archana Sehgal, Head of User Experience at Smoopa, currently collecting to Halloween Costumes

Smoopa is a free shopping companion app for Android and iOS devices that helps you never overpay. You can compare prices and set alerts for more than 70 million products at major retailers, in-store and online.