Halloween 2010: The Year of the Costume says the National Retail Foundation

 
Although most discretionary spending ( think vacations, dinning out, theater tickets) has been on the decline in the current economy, there is one surprising uptick in spending.  People are spending on their  Halloween costumes. The average consumer spends $65.00 on their Halloween costume.  I just read in Forbes that the “NRF (National Retail Foundation)  said more people plan to dress up for the holiday than ever before – 40.1 percent compared with 33.4 percent last year and the highest percentage since the group started tracking Halloween trends in 2003.”

“We expect 2010 to be the year of the costume,” said NRF spokeswoman Kathy Grannis, who cites the poor economy as a possible reason people are investing in some fun.  “It’s relatively affordable, purely discretionary spending and a great way to kick back and forget about what lies around the corner,” she said. “We saw a rise like this in 2008 as well as in 2002 after 9-11.”

What about you dear reader?  Are you ready for some fun? If so, remember Halloween costumes can be purchased at relatively low cost at your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or even department stores like Kohl’s, Sears, Kmart and others.  Look for coupon codes for discounts at CouponMountain.com and Smarter.com.  The Daily Beast reports that sexy Halloween costumes are more popular than ever, so remember to shop your own closet for a costume, and save yourself that average $65.00 most revelers will spend.  Witches are still the number one costume pick, but Lady Gaga, Avatar and Jersey Shore are also popular choices.

If you plan to dine out with the kids for Halloween, here’s a little deal from Chili’s that turned up on my radar.  On Halloween, Sunday, Oct.31, from 3 p.m. until close, participating Chili’s locations will offer a free Pepper Pal’s kid’s meal for children 12 years and under, with a purchase of an adult entrée. The best part about this offer is there’s no limit on the number of kids per table and kids aren’t required to dress in costumes. To take advantage of this ‘hauntingly’ good deal, simply click on this link to open and print the free kid’s meal coupon.