Tips to save for the holiday season

Halloween doesn’t have to be financially frightening, even if you go all out for some of our favorite holidays.

For many of us, there is nothing scarier than being broke before the big gift-giving season.

Halloween can be the start of a very scary season for our budgets.

“Oh my goodness, that is when we spend the most, especially during the Christmas season,” said Carmen Moreno of Idaho Falls. “So it is very important that I spend the least possible during the other holidays so that I have money for Christmas.”

As an avid saver, she can calm some of those fears.

“Well, I like to compare prices no matter where I go shopping,” Moreno said. “I always compare prices, and I went around town and I was comparing Halloween stuff.”

Carmen found that thrift stores offered some of the same items found at retail stores, but at a much lower cost.

“I like to decorate,” she said. “So I was comparing how much things at other stores and I found that they are way less at St. Vincent De Paul Society.”

Stephanie Brody is assistant manager of St. Vincent De Paul Society.

She says that shopping at her store does a lot more than save money.

“It’s always important to save money, and we like the fact that we are always recycling. We help the community with everything. We have helped the community with over 1,000 meals last year,” said Brody.

She said the store already has all of its Halloween products out on the floor, ready for shoppers, and it is also getting a head start on Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Their holiday products have been sitting in a basement all year, and are ready to have someone take them home.