Deinfluencing Halloween

10/03/25 - Friday

Hey Friend,

Jill here. 👋

Is anyone else noticing more and more hype around Halloween? And maybe not just noticing, but participating in more spooky season spending? 🥸

No worries - it’s not just you! Halloween spending is at an all-time high and stores are selling themed decor even earlier in the year to prompt more splurges.

Unfortunately, costumes, candy, and decorations don’t just add up in dollars, they also add up in waste.

Every year, Halloween generates around 2,000 tons of plastic waste (the weight of 18 blue whales 🐋).

And most of it? Single-use plastics that stick around for decades.

The good news: celebrating doesn’t have to be wasteful or wildly expensive. This week’s episode is all about keeping the fun, and ditching the excess.

🎙️ Here’s 1 of the 3 categories we unpack & how to reduce consumption while still enjoying the holiday:

👻 Costumes: They’re super fun! BUT about 83% are made from polyester and other plastics. Most end up in landfills.

Instead:

  • Share costumes. Coordinate a swap with friends, neighbors, or a local buy-nothing group. This is especially great for kids!

  • Reuse costumes (yes, even your pet’s taco outfit can make a comeback. 🌮🐶) Be the same thing you were last year OR put a new spin on it.

  • Use what you have. Shop your home first before heading to the store, remember sites like Pinterest are your friend when coming up with creative, low-cost ideas!

  • Don’t feel pressured to have a different costume for every event. You CAN be just 1 character for the entire 2025 holiday season!

Bottom line? Celebrate in a way that’s fun for you, without letting social media (or FOMO) be your shopping guide.

Keep what’s fun, skip what’s wasteful, and celebrate spooky season on your own terms.

Catch the full video to peep the other major Halloween spending categories (and our suggested alternatives). ⬇️

💡 One Action for This Weekend

Before buying, ask: Will this create a lasting memory, or just more trash?

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Next up:

Catch our episode releasing on Tuesday 17 Things That Are a Total Waste of Money for Women (subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss it ☺️)

This Week on Frugal Friends

On Tuesday, we called out the 4 Biggest Mistakes Women Make When Investing so you can save your future self a whole lotta headache.

Tune in wherever you get podcasts and let us know what you thought of the episode over on our latest Instagram post!

Regards,
Jill

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