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Halloween creeping up earlier than ever: Shop now or wait for lower prices?

Stores already filled with Halloween merchandise
Halloween Candy
Posted at 5:00 AM, Aug 18, 2023
and last updated 2023-08-18 05:15:03-04

The fall vibes are back, and we're not just talking about children being back in school and pumpkin spice everything, everywhere.

It's not even September, but stores are already stocked with Halloween decorations.

So we wanted to know if you should shop now, what you should look for, or whether you should wait a few weeks for lower prices.

Hottest decor trends this year

Check out a home goods store like At Home, and you'll hear scary sounds, see animated animals, and will feel small next to all the 15 and 20 foot inflatable monsters.

Julie Rocchio of At Home says these are the biggest decor trends this Halloween.

She says inflatables for the yard-- from $44 to over $200 - are all the rage.

"They are plug and play, you can decorate real fast and easy," she said, "and when they disinflate, they are easy to pack away and store for next year."

Rocchio suggests completing your yard with skeletons and tombstones, as low as $19 each.

But we wanted to know: did Halloween creep into stores sooner than usual?

Julie Ramhold with DealNews.com says "it's still August, right? I didn't lose time somewhere?"

She says "we're getting this fall vibe a little bit earlier this year."

So just like with the excitement around pumpkin spice lattes, stores are getting on board much earlier now.

That means you can spread out your spending, rather than buying everything all at once.

Shop now or wait?

So should you stock up now? Ramhold says it depends where you shop.

"Discount stores like Home Goods, or TJ Maxx, and places like that, you're probably not gonna wanna wait," she said, because their inventory disappears fast.

She says at big chains like Walmart and Target, that are very well stocked, prices will likely come down the closer we get to Halloween.

The best deals, of course, come on November 1, after the holiday.

But if you want those trendy, big inflatables, At Home's Julie Rocchio says don't wait till October.

"They'll probably be gone," she said, "They are selling out as soon as we put them on the shelf."

So shop early if you want the scariest home on the block, and you don't want to waste your money.

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