It looks like Canadians are not scared to spend this Halloween season.
According to a poll conducted by digital coupon website, RetailMeNot, almost 70 per cent of Canadians plan to celebrate Halloween this year. With the big night landing on a Friday this year, interests will peak as both children and adults plan on purchasing costumes and decorations for parties. No doubt there will be several parties hosted this weekend.
About one-third of respondents said they planned to spend more than $50, with spending the highest in Ontario and Alberta.
An Angus Reid Forum poll conducted in early October showed adults aged 18 to 34 as the biggest spenders this Halloween, expecting to spend an average $75 including costumes. Pressure to have the best candy and costume is the cause for spending as much.
The poll also showed only about half of respondents planned to hand out candy to eager trick-or-treaters while 56 per cent said they would buy candy for themselves. One quarter confessed to having taken candy from a child’s stash.
Statistics Canada said that Canadians spent $381 million on candy, confectionery and snacks last year. That’s a lot of sweet dough and the spending comes in just behind Canada’s other favorite holiday, the Christmas season. Retailers are going to cash in as much as they can over the next 3 months so Canadians should be setting a budget now to control overspending.
;Aside from budgeting what you can afford to spend this Halloween, we want to be sure everyone enjoys a safe Halloween; so we have a few safety tips for you:
1. For the trick-or-treating children, try to avoid costumes that are dark and have excessive fabric, capes or fancy footwear. A child can trip on draping clothing and may get sore feet from all the walking. Don’t forget, the open flames in all those pumpkins can be a hazard to oversized costumes. If the costume has to be a dark colour, fasten glow in the dark or reflective tape markers/stickers on the costume so drivers can spot the child easily.
2. Masks can obstruct a child’s vision. If one needs to be worn, fit the mask securely and cut the eye holes large enough for full vision.
3. Make a rule with your child that no treats are to be consumed until a parent does a complete inspection. This can be especially dangerous if a child has any allergies. Any treats with no or loose wrappers should be discarded to be on the safe side.
4. Supervision is a must for any child under the age of 13. Older children should trick-or-treat in a group and a curfew must be established. Agree on a route for the group to take. It’s always a good idea to have a parent supervise the group.
5. Tell your child to go only to well-lit homes and remain on the porch to collect treats in view of others. NEVER go into a home. Advise your child not to run, venture into parks, but to remain on sidewalks where possible and cross streets at crosswalks.
6. Drivers should be mindful of trick-or-treating children from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Drive slowly.
7. If you are attending a party, don’t drink and drive. Plan your transportation home ahead of time.
OCCA Consumer Debt Relief wishes all Canadians a happy and safe Halloween!.
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