Cost of living bites this Halloween with less Aussies trick or treating
While some Aussies are spending more on Halloween dress-ups, nearly half a million have decided to avoid trick or treating this year to save money. But there is an eco-friendly way to budget
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Spooky season began well before October 31 this year, with Aussies spending lots of money on costumes and decorations ahead of Halloween.
A festival made popular by countless American books, movies and other pop cultural* art forms, Halloween has become an annual fixture* on the Australian calendar.
And it’s clearly more than just scary outfits and lollies for the estimated 4.4 million Aussies who are refusing to give it up this year despite the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Yet despite the several millions getting ready to celebrate the spooky season’s main event on Saturday, participation has decreased slightly, with around 400,000 less people expected to go trick or treating this year.
If your neighbourhood celebrates Halloween, you would have already seen funny and frightening skeletons, witches and ghouls hanging out in the front yards or peeking out of windows likely covered in giant spider webs and little creepy-crawlies.
On shopping trips with parents and guardians, you may have spotted supermarkets and stores with stacked aisles of themed lollies and other treats, not to mention both real and decorative pumpkins and plenty of fun costumes.
“Halloween remains a popular community celebration, bringing neighbours and families with children together through costumes, decorations and trick-or-treating,” Australian Retail Council chief industry engagement officer Fleur Brown said.
“Those taking part plan to spend more on average, but fewer Australians are joining in this year,” Ms Brown said.
“Whilst the event has risen in popularity over recent years, cost of living pressures, including RBA rate rises*, are clearly taking a bite out of this year’s celebrations.”
A recent survey, by Australia’s largest independent research company Roy Morgan, found Victorians would be spending the most money this year, followed by Queenslanders, with New South Wales residents coming in third.
Including the parents of little Halloween enthusiasts, this year’s total spend on Halloween by Australians may reach a jaw-dropping $510 million, which is $10 million more than last year.
Those who decided to spend more made up 16 per cent of respondents, while some 22 per cent pledged to spend less.
The majority of Australians (62 per cent) plan to spend or have already spent the same amount as last year.
“Whether it be a bowl of lollies at the front door or going all out and dressing up with the kids, Australians can still enjoy Halloween without a big outlay*,” Ms Brown said.
BUDGET-BUSTING HALLOWEEN IDEAS
You may have heard your parents talk more than once about money being tight at the moment – and for good reason. Inflation*, where the cost of goods and services rises over time, has been much higher than normal recently, which is why all those Halloween costumes, decorations and lollies are mostly more expensive than they used to be.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) tries to bring inflation down by raising interest rates, thus making borrowing money more expensive. The idea is to slow down people’s spending, which is meant to slow the price growth of inflation by reducing demand. However, four interest rate rises this year have increased mortgage repayments quite a bit for the many Australians with home loans. And another rate rise has been tipped for November.
So how can you do Halloween on a budget?
As it turns out, the best way to save money at Halloween is also the best way to do your part for the environment.
Recycling or reusing past costumes doesn’t necessarily mean dressing up as the same thing every year. In fact, you could swap old costumes with friends and family members or mix and match different items to create something entirely new.
Another idea is to take old, unwanted items of ordinary clothing and get creative with paint, food dye, scissors and other items (as well as your parents’ permission).
Old bandages and tea towels can be repurposed into mummy costumes, scrap fabric or old sheets make good capes and your mum might even have some old makeup you could use instead of face paint.
As for decorations, just like Christmas, it can be fun to get out the same traditional items year after year, not least because of the annual nostalgia boost because they bring back happy memories of past Halloweens. To keep things fresh, come up with new and creative ways to place them. It’s also easy and cheap to make decorations like fake tomb stones and paper lanterns.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Waste from Halloween has become a major problem over time. Every individually wrapped lolly or chocolate leaves rubbish behind, while every costume and decoration that comes in plastic packaging also creates non-recyclable garbage.
Single-use polyester costumes cause a major environmental impact, with the majority not made from recycled polyester. Binning these costumes after wearing them once significantly adds to the plastic waste problem plaguing our planet.
Then there’s the issue of fake spider webs. These fine strands of polyester are sticky and so convincing as real spider webs that lizards, birds and vitally important insects like bees get stuck in them. Unlike real spider webs, however, the fakes don’t break down easily in the environment, creating another source of plastic pollution. In fact, some local councils have even banned them.
So let’s all think twice before decorating the house for Halloween this year and choose items that won’t hurt our beautiful Earth or break the bank – or we might be haunted by more than just the spirits when October 31 comes around. Brrr … can you feel a chill?!
Happy Halloween!
POLL
GLOSSARY
- pop cultural: pop culture is the set of ideas, attitudes and cultural products, such as TV shows, Movies, music, memes, etc, consumed by the majority of society at any given time
- fixture: regular event
- RBA rate rises: when the central bank, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raises the official cash rate, causing banks and other lenders (who issue home loans) to increase the interest rates charged on their home loans and other credit products
- outlay: spend of money
- inflation: when the cost of goods and services increases over time or the value of money decreases over time, meaning your money doesn’t buy you the same amount of things as it used to
EXTRA READING
Hardware horror with Scarehouse!
Halloween’s hidden history
Is this Oz’s most haunted house?
QUICK QUIZ
1. How many Australians are participating in Halloween celebrations this year?
2. How many are opting out of trick or treating?
3. What is the main reason for opting out?
4. Why is cost of living so tough at the moment?
5. What are two eco-friendly ways you can save money this Halloween?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Spooky and sustainable
Design a Halloween costume with a design brief or detailed description. Your costume must be super fun and spooky. You are only allowed to use recycled, reused and eco friendly materials.
Time: Spend at least 30 minutes on this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Design and Technology
2. Extension
Why do you think surveys, like the one described in the story, are useful or important? Write a detailed paragraph explaining your ideas. Use information from the story to help you.
Time: Spend at least 30 minutes on this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Economics
VCOP ACTIVITY
To sum it up
After reading the article, use your comprehension skills to summarise in a maximum of three sentences what the article is about.
Think about:
- What is the main topic or idea?
- What is an important or interesting fact?
- Who was involved (people or places)?
Use your VCOP skills to re-read your summary to make sure it is clear, specific and well punctuated.