Americans Shop for Halloween Costumes at Thrift Stores as Inflation Bites into Budgets

Halloween trick-or-treaters
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Inflation is pushing many families to find cheaper options for Halloween costumes this year in the Biden-Harris economy.

A Goodwill shopper in the Nashville, Tennessee, area told WSVM it is important for families to consider essentials over things such as costumes, the outlet reported on Wednesday.

“There’s no sense in us parents stressing, getting the kids the best of the top, when they would be okay with something lower, and you don’t have to worry about what to feed your child,” Tiffany Hunt said.

Families in Las Vegas are also feeling the pinch when it comes to high prices. They too are looking to make the holiday season more affordable by shopping for Halloween costumes at thrift stores, KTNV reported October 14.

A mother of two children told the outlet, “With the economy being what it is right now and Halloween costumes being worn usually once, maybe twice, I’d much rather buy something used than brand new.”

According to the WSMV article:

Goodwill offers a variety of Halloween costumes and accessories at significantly lower prices than retail stores. For example, WSMV found a children’s turtle costume priced at $50 online at Goodwill for $7.99, while a Princess Peach dress, retailing for $70, sold for just $5.99 at the Bellevue store.

Goodwill’s 2024 Halloween survey highlights shifting consumer behavior, with nearly three-quarters of shoppers reporting that inflation has affected their Halloween spending. In response, about 60% of participants said they are more likely to buy materials from thrift stores this year.

It is important to note that the rising cost of chocolate could also affect people looking to have fun on Halloween, according to Breitbart News.

The outlet noted that retailers are offering more non-chocolate candies for shoppers. There has been a shortage of cocoa beans, from which chocolate is made, which has resulted in higher prices. Seventy percent of the beans are produced in West Africa, where various factors have contributed to the shortage.

Reuters reported, “More than 20 farmers, experts and industry insiders told Reuters that a perfect storm of rampant illegal gold mining, climate change, sector mismanagement, and rapidly spreading disease is to blame” for the cocoa bean shortage.

On Monday Breitbart News reported, “The cost of handing out candy to trick-or-treaters rose more rapidly under the Biden-Harris administration than they have in decades, a reminder of the steep toll of the inflationary policies of the Democrat White House.”

Related — WATCH: “I’m Going to Leave Some Candy” — Trick-or-Treater Fills Up Empty Bowl for Others on Halloween

Irma Hamblin/LIFESTYLOGY /TMX

 

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