# Do you think the ecomomy this year, will effect TOT's?



## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

So does everyone think the economy this year will effect whether or not people give out candy this year? I started wondering this as I have been driving around and have noticed that homes that are normally decorated by this time are not. So I started wondering if the economy has affected anyone and they won't be giving out candy, and because of this they aren't putting out any decorations either as they have in the past Halloweens? 

Back in 2009 Anthony Z posted a thread about "How's the economy effecting your Haunt?" This is somewhat similar and I guess, it can effect someones haunt as well. But what I'm asking is a little different (I hope) in more so if someone can't afford to get candy to pass out to kids, then do you think it's because it's more of the way the economy is? I guess if someone would not pass out candy then it would affect one's haunt. Not as many people turning on their porch lights this year????


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

To answer your question, It's still too early to get a read on who will participate and who won't. Although I am not seeing a lot of "Early birds" setting up this year. I can only go from what I am experiancing, and that is It's tougher this year than the past 4. We are buying a few bags of candy each week just to defray the cost.

Personally I've not experianced anything like this since I started my business in 1987. In the past 40 days I've only worked 6 days, and that is making it tough to complete my haunt both Financially and emotionally. We will have our normal "Good candy" for this year but will supliment our supply with those cheap Blister bags of sugar candy. We have noticed in the last few years that the candy that the TOT's have in thier sacks are much smaller pieces and a lot less chocolate (IMore sugery stuff) than ever before.


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## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

I don't think the economy has affected HAUNTS at all, people still go out to them in droves and often go to more than one. But as far as buying candy for Halloween, that's an interesting question... I could see that being affected before haunts being affected. I've also noticed less houses decorated early this year.


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

Not in my area. I think the St.Louis area and metro IL area of St.louis thrive around Halloween. We have the annual Transworld haunted attractions & Halloween convention,The darkness, creepyworld,Lemp brewery/mansion haunt, cobb factory haunt, Spirit Halloween, Halloween express, Johnnie Brock's dungeon and Party city all over the place. It seems that our local big box stores are doing fairly well with candy purchases. I live in a very small town about 45 minutes from downtown St.louis (on the Illinois side) and last year i got about 125 tot's that came to my very first garage haunt. This year we bumped it up to include a corn maze in my back yard a evil circus tent and a mad lab so i hope more come. Also we got a flyer hanging in almost all the business's in my town (which isn't that many lol) but we are hoping as long as weather is good Halloween night we get everyone in town coming. Candy has been expensive but wal-mart & dollar general are good places to get a deal.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

When I first saw this thread's title, I thought "I didn't care about the economy when i was trick or treating, and I doubt kids have changed much in 30 years." After reading the first post i realize that it's about the people giving out the candy, not the kids getting it.

Truthfully, kids don't care how big the candy is, as long as they get some candy. I personally have been bargain shopping since June, so as to have enough candy to cover what will be an exponential growth of trick or treaters as opposed to years past. Plus, in my never ending quest to grow up to be a deliriously happy fat kid, I occasionally sneak a few pieces of candy when the wife isn't watching, so I have to constantly replenish the supply, so she doesn't notice missing pieces. So far, I think I have gotten away with it.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

BioHazardCustoms said:


> When I first saw this thread's title, I thought "I didn't care about the economy when i was trick or treating, and I doubt kids have changed much in 30 years." After reading the first post i realize that it's about the people giving out the candy, not the kids getting it.
> 
> Truthfully, kids don't care how big the candy is, as long as they get some candy. I personally have been bargain shopping since June, so as to have enough candy to cover what will be an exponential growth of trick or treaters as opposed to years past. Plus, in my never ending quest to grow up to be a deliriously happy fat kid, I occasionally sneak a few pieces of candy when the wife isn't watching, so I have to constantly replenish the supply, so she doesn't notice missing pieces. So far, I think I have gotten away with it.


Well, I guess what I was trying to ask from this thread was "Does anyone think that because of how the economy is right now that people won't be giving out candy to TOT's as they have in past years. Lots of people are on limited incomes right now and they might see this as a non essential expense. Or will people buck up and still get candy to give out because of tradition?

In my situation, I haven't worked for over 2 years now, but I'm am still going to set up my haunt and still give out candy. Again, mine comes from traditions with my family and I just do it, even though it might cause a strain on my budget! :jol:


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## epoweredrc (Aug 6, 2012)

1st yr in my new town but i know what yku mean there is only two other houses i know of in my town other then mine that has anything decorated and they only have like two small things my yard looks so awesome compared to them... really hope to see more but maybe noone into it now


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## zombastic (Aug 27, 2012)

I don't think the economy will affect Halloween. 
You could say the economy's been bad for years. 
Seems like Halloween only gets bigger every year in my area.
It's my favorite holiday and I wouldn't let it.


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## tortured_serenity (Sep 25, 2012)

Ky. has added a ton of jobs over the last few years. Major companies moving their head offices here, google coming here and hiring hundreds and yet people still bitch about not being able to get a job here...
Anyway i think the economy has affected stores, they seem to be carrying a lot less Halloween items than usual.


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## MorbidFun (May 8, 2012)

zombastic said:


> I don't think the economy will affect Halloween.
> You could say the economy's been bad for years.
> Seems like Halloween only gets bigger every year in my area.
> It's my favorite holiday and I wouldn't let it.


I agree with you seems Halloween keeps getting bigger and bigger every year


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## MorbidFun (May 8, 2012)

http://www.blscourierherald.com/business/173383891.html

*Did you know?: Halloween 2012 expected to be biggest spending year since 2005*

Halloween 2012 is anticipated to be a record retail spending year.
According to the results of a survey conducted on behalf of the National Retail Federation by BIGinsight, seven of 10 Americans will celebrate the holiday, for an estimated 170 million. Consumers are expected to spend an average of $79.82 on costumes candy, decorations and greeting cards, up from $72.31 in 2011.
In 2005, the earliest year directly compatible data was available, only 52.5 percent of responders said they would celebrate Halloween. Those people estimated they would spend an average $48.48.
That makes for a combined spending total of $8 billion in 2012 compared against $3.29 billion in 2005.
An average $28.65 of the average 2012 amount will be spent on a costume. Most respondents -35.7 percent-said they would pick their costume while browsing a store.
More than half of surveyed consumers will decorate their home.
Despite the estimated increase in spending, more than a quarter of respondents said the economy would impact their Halloween plans. That portion is down from 32.1 percent in 2011, and 29.6 percent in 2009, the first year BIGinsight asked.


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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

Guys, keep the political discussion off the forum. Our rules clearly state that no religious or political discussions are allowed here. This is a forum for the discussion of HALLOWEEN. Political and religious topics are very polarizing and often lead to flame wars.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

tortured_serenity said:


> I think the economy has affected stores, they seem to be carrying a lot less Halloween items than usual.


Well I agree with you on this one. The stores were I live all seem to be carrying the same things or mostly stuff they had left over from last years Halloween. And the selections are getting smaller. I'm also finding that stores aren't carrying as much candy as in the past as well. I wonder if the stores knew something that we haven't? Did they figure that because of the way the economy is right now, that less people would purchase candy and decorations for Halloween? I don't know and that's why I asked this question! :jol:


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## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

I've deleted the posts that went political. Economy related discussion is okey dokey


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

It may be a combination of factors.

For me, I re-use essentially the same decorations, so the cost for that is zero. I add a few each year, but usually home-made or clearance items...not more than $20-30 bucks worth, so that is a pretty minor factor.

Candy, I could possibly see some moving away from chocolate to hard/cheaper candy.

The biggest factors for me:

1) Weather - it's been a warm year and that has carried over to fall. I have to keep looking at the calendar and reminding myself there are just a few short weeks to Halloween, then 3 weeks to Thanksgiving and less than 4 to Christmas.

2) Stores - I haven't been shopping a lot, but it seems where stores used to be decorated to the max and have huge aisles of Halloween goodies, now I have to search for the Halloween stash and it's a few party favors and 'Halloween' themed candies. [case in point: Had to make a run to Ace Hardware (admittedly not a huge Halloween mecca)for gluesticks...$9.00, BTW! - But the total 'seasonal' decorations consist of a few pumpkins, corn stalks and straw bales in the parking lot, a banner with 'harvest fruit' hanging in the store, and two signs warning of 'Paranormal Activity' and cautioning of 'Ectoplasmic Slime'. The 'seasonal' section was BBQ grills, pool chemicals, garden oddities - which were being shoved into one corner to make room for Christmas stuff to hit the shelves in a couple of weeks.

3) Time - the older I get, the faster it goes! As a kid, it seemed to take 'for ever' to get to the next holiday. Now I wonder where the time goes. I get up around 5:30 am, go to work, get home, have dinner...suddenly it's 9pm...work on a few things around the house, suddenly it's 11:30pm, so I call it a day and the cycle repeats!

4) It really seems to me, we're loosing all our holidays. Everyone is afraid to say 'Halloween', schools are having 'Fall Festivals' if anything at all. You hardly hear of 'Christmas'...exchanged for 'Happy Holidays' Though stores still love the 'Cha Ching' of gift giving. (and I'm not trying to make this a religious outcry...we've always celebrated in more of a secular form - It's just my observation)


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## Death Wraith (Mar 23, 2006)

I've noticed the same trends here in my town, no big yard displays out yet, even from the usual sources. Store stock for Halloween continues to shrink and gets more 'cutsie' every season. Enuff with the glitter pumpkins and Scream masks! Prices at Big Lots continue to climb even above Walmart prices. But it seems the creative and quality of more 'pro' level props and masks is expanding.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

OK, long story, (as if I tell any other kind). The thrift stores I go to bundle like items together in bags if they don't sell. So, often, if I want something, I have to get a lot of cutesy things to get what I want. I usally just throw these things in a box and send them back to Goodwill or where ever. I don't usally decorate until Halloween because I don't want to get my scary props stolen. I was reading on this thread, about how noone is decorating this year and I felt bad. So I went out to the cutesy box, because I figured if someone steals this stuff I won't care. I went out this morning and put up 15 cutesy wind socks and flags in my yard. After I finished I was sitting on the front porch, looking over the yard, thinking how it looked like someone threw up cutesy Halloween all over the yard. When a van from a day care full of kids pulled up and stopped in front of the house. The kids were all excited and pointing to everything in the yard, and the driver rolled down the window and yelled, "Thank you for decorating." Now I'm going back out in the garage to see what else I can find. Thanks you guys, for pushing me into decorating early. Ya bunch of lugs ya.


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## SeaHoCaptain (Sep 20, 2009)

I think being a Wednesday this year will have the most effect on TOTing. And on the East Coast Ms Sandy's visit surely wont help....


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