Trick or treat? Guess how much money we’ll spend on Halloween this year?

Once the first of October comes around, Halloween is on the minds of Americans as surely as the leaves will fall off the trees. The fun of dressing up, gorging on candy, and decorating the house is a long-running tradition that gets our minds off serious matters and into the spirit of, well, spirits!

But fun isn’t free, especially this year. In fact, as per the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend a record amount of money on Halloween in 2017, to a tune of $9.1 billion! The dead must be rolling over in their graves.

From costumes, to candy, to décor and more, Americans will be shelling out substantial cash for the October 31st festivities, up from last year’s still whopping total of $8.4 billion. According to NRF, 7 out of 10 people will celebrate, and money is apparently no object. Costumes can be costly, parties are bigger and better than ever, and neighbors are striving to outdo one another when it comes to lawn and home decorating. Plus, NRF says 95% of Halloween celebrants plan to purchase candy… and lots of it. Treats are better than tricks, after all. Where’s the fun in Halloween if you don’t cap off the night with a stomachache?

NRF notes that men plan to splurge more than women this year, spending $96 on Halloween gear, compared to women who will spend an average of $77. That’s a lot of mini Snickers bars and scarecrows. Perhaps they’re saving elsewhere so Halloween can be as ghoulishly good as possible.

Why the big spending? The Balance suggests, “Shoppers are willing to spend money on something if it provides a lot of value. Halloween does that. Another reason is that consumer confidence is at its highest level in 10 years. People aren’t letting the uncertain state of the global economy scare them away.”

This information is sure to make for a Happy Halloween for seasonal retailers who make most of their yearly money in a short bracket of time. Will you be going all-out this Halloween too? And pumpkin spice lattes don’t count.

Have a safe one!


Get Ready for Halloween!! Find Your Costumes at TIPSY ELVES!

string(3570) "

Once the first of October comes around, Halloween is on the minds of Americans as surely as the leaves will fall off the trees. The fun of dressing up, gorging on candy, and decorating the house is a long-running tradition that gets our minds off serious matters and into the spirit of, well, spirits!

But fun isn't free, especially this year. In fact, as per the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend a record amount of money on Halloween in 2017, to a tune of $9.1 billion! The dead must be rolling over in their graves.

From costumes, to candy, to décor and more, Americans will be shelling out substantial cash for the October 31st festivities, up from last year's still whopping total of $8.4 billion. According to NRF, 7 out of 10 people will celebrate, and money is apparently no object. Costumes can be costly, parties are bigger and better than ever, and neighbors are striving to outdo one another when it comes to lawn and home decorating. Plus, NRF says 95% of Halloween celebrants plan to purchase candy… and lots of it. Treats are better than tricks, after all. Where's the fun in Halloween if you don't cap off the night with a stomachache?

NRF notes that men plan to splurge more than women this year, spending $96 on Halloween gear, compared to women who will spend an average of $77. That's a lot of mini Snickers bars and scarecrows. Perhaps they're saving elsewhere so Halloween can be as ghoulishly good as possible.

Why the big spending? The Balance suggests, "Shoppers are willing to spend money on something if it provides a lot of value. Halloween does that. Another reason is that consumer confidence is at its highest level in 10 years. People aren't letting the uncertain state of the global economy scare them away."

This information is sure to make for a Happy Halloween for seasonal retailers who make most of their yearly money in a short bracket of time. Will you be going all-out this Halloween too? And pumpkin spice lattes don't count.

Have a safe one!


Get Ready for Halloween!! Find Your Costumes at TIPSY ELVES!

"

Creating A Distraction-Free Zone At Work

Photo by Arlington Research (Unsplash)

You’re powering through your morning. You’re in the zone. Getting so much done. But then you get Slacked with an innocent question: “Gotta moment to discuss the Jefferson thing?” “💯!” you answer instantly and get pulled off-task for 15- 20 minutes. And just before you’ve solved the Jefferson issue, your manager’s supervisor’s EA emails you

The Artists Vs. The Machine: The Dark Side Of AI In The Music Industry

Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department

Republic Records

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become overwhelmingly popular in the past few years. The world has leaned full-force into technology and entrusted AI with, well, everything. You can see AI commercials, AI-powered statistics during sports games, and there was even a whole writer’s strike over the AI Invasion of storytelling and Hollywood. As I’ve watched tens

So…The Hybrid Work Model Is Weighing On Your Mental Health

A majority of the population works from home...but are you happy about it?

Resume Genius via Unsplash

Ever since the pandemic popularized (or forced) virtual meetings and, countless companies adopted the hybrid work model or went completely virtual. And once the public health crisis was declared over, we remained confined to our desks in our kitchens and attics working from home. And it’s not just work. Doctor’s TeleHealth appointments, therapy visits on

The TRUTH About The Trad Wife Trend

Nara Smith, Lucky Blue Smith, and daughter Rumble Honey

Matthew Brookes / Oliver Peoples

Imagine this: you marry the man of your dreams. You have two beautiful children with another on the way. You spend your days cooking gorgeous, nutritious meals for your family…. from scratch. You get paid to share your daily life and meals with people around the world. But here’s the catch: half of those people

The Unexpected Emergence of Personal Finance TikTok

When you think of personal finance, what springs to mind? Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank fame? Dave Ramsay yelling into a podcast mic? Finance bros tracking their Bitcoin? Unfortunately, these are the images we’re constantly bombarded by. So they’re the archetypes overwhelmingly represented in personal finance. But it’s not all Chads in down vests and

Can You Afford The Lifestyle You’re Living?

Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast At Tiffany's", shopping at Tiffany & Co.

Paramount

Look, I get it. We live in a social media-driven world, where millions of people log into their multiple accounts daily — even hourly! — to promote the illusion of their ideal life. They share snapshots of the highlights of their days: trips to the cafe, lush travels to islands, shopping trips at luxury fashion

How to Get a Better Job That Pays You More

Jobs don't have to be miserable!

Photo by Charles Deluvio (unsplash)

Though the wave of tech layoffs and the threat of a recession has overshadowed yesteryear’s news of the great recession, everywhere you look, employees are asking for more — and getting it. Though this time of uncertainty could have given employers back the power, it’s still in the hands of the workforce. From Gen-Z’s boundary

6 Things People Spend Too Much Money On

Grocery shopping eating at your budget?

Photo by Boxed Water Is Better on Unsplash

Everyone knows they should probably be saving more money. And while it might seem savvy to skip the occasional impulse buy, don’t be too quick to pat yourself on the back when you refrain from buying yet another pair of ripped blue jeans. In times like these — when the recession is here and a

How AI Is Influencing Home Life

Bedtime stories just got easier

Picsea via Unsplash

Ever since I started working 40 hours a week, I’ve realized that my mother is a superhero. Because, as a single 25-year-old, I don’t want to do…One. Single. Thing after work. Like everyone I know, I resent the monotony of my life from Monday to Friday. There is barely any time after 5 PM to