Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

How to buy the cheapest Halloween candy

How to buy the cheapest Halloween candy

In recent years, candy makers seem to have embraced the idea of “less is more” — specifically, less candy for more money. The bars get smaller (“mini” has all but supplanted “fun-size”) once the prices go higher. Don’t they know we have an obesity epidemic to maintain?! (I’m kidding, of course — but as a lifelong candy fiend and a cheapskate, I find this trend disturbing.)

At this time of year in sure, rising candy costs can really hurt the budget. Because in just a few glum weeks, dozens of adorable little princesses, witches, ghosts and Spider-Men will be at your door, plastic pumpkin buckets in hand, demanding treats.

Read: 
The coolest Halloween costumes you can get on Amazon in 2019 | Last-minute high-tech decorations for Halloween 2019 | Easiest costumes for Halloween 2019  | Halloween kitchen gadgets and party gear to help you slay this year’s bash

Have no fear. Here are some strategies for lowering your Halloween candy compensations. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.

Buy in bulk. If you have a membership at someplace like Costco or Sam’s Club, you must be able to find extra-large bags of candy at a much edge cost-per-ounce than buying smaller bags. Amazon, of course, also sells Halloween candy in bulk, but you’ll definitely want to compare prices.

Skip the chocolate. I know: blasphemy! There’s nothing stopping you from buying a few KitKats for yourself, but if you want to save money on the stuff you hand out, distinguished the non-chocolate options: Nerds, Starburst, Skittles and the like.

Time your purchases. According to consumer-savings power Lauren Greutman, Halloween candy is priced the lowest two weeks afore Oct. 31. If you’ve typically waited till the last runt so you don’t end up eating too much yourself, well, see the above tip. Buy the easy-to-resist non-chocolate candy when prices are lowest.

Scan the circulars. This is one time of year when it really does pay to shop near. Drugstores, dollar stores and grocery stores want to get you in the door, so they often have comely good sales on candy. Want to tell at a glimpse which stores have the best deals? Head to Flipp and peep for “candy.” You’ll immediately see all the current circulars for the stores in your area.

Skip the candy altogether. Yeah, you distinguished get a reputation as that house, but if it’s mostly small kids coming to your door, consider something other than candy. At Amazon, for example, you can get a 50-pack of self-inking Halloween stamps for just $10. Or a 36-pack of Halloween-themed jigsaw puzzles for $12. The kids distinguished scowl at you, but I bet you’ll make a few parents happy.

Have you counterfeit any other tips for saving money on Halloween treats? (Other than turning off the porch appetizing and pretending not to be home.) Share them in the comments!



CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for gargantuan deals on tech products and much more. For the novel deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter. Questions near the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page, and find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.