• Americans to spend more on Halloween this year

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    Americans are planning to spend on average $79.82 on costumes, decorations, and candy. That's up from $72.31 last year, and $66.28 the year prior.

    By Ben Popken, NBC News contributor

    If the pirates look more menacing, the porch decorations more extravagant, and the sexy costumes for poodles a little sexier, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. Consumer spending this Halloween is set to reach $8 billion, a 10-year record high, according to a new survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF).

    Americans are creaking open their wallets a little more this year, saying they're planning on spending on average $79.82 on costumes, decorations, and candy. That's up from $72.31 last year, and $66.28 the year prior. More will be joining in the trick or treating and Halloween party-going and throwing, too, with participation up to 71.5 percent from 68.6 percent last year.

    Driving the trend: Adults. That's right, Halloween isn't just for kids any more. The greatest increase in costume spending comes from adults on their own costumes, up $200 million, while family spending on costumes for kids is only up $100 million.

    Dropping more in a down economy might sound foolhardy, but Halloween is one holiday where you can get more boo for your buck. Individuals on average spend an average of over $100 on both Valentine's and Easter, and over $150 on Mother's Day. The key events of those holidays might last for just a few hours, while the fun of Halloween can go all day and night. Then there's the buildup and preparation, the post-Halloween night story-sharing, and those visits to the trick or treat bag, which, depending on your discipline, can go for weeks (or days, or hours...)

    Ultimately it's as simple as the pleasure in pretending to be someone - or something - else for an evening. “Halloween for consumers has really become a form of escapism,” Pam Goodfellow, Consumer Insights Director for BigInsight, told NBC News. “We're forgetting about the economy for the night.”


    Goodfellow, whose firm conducted the research for the NRF, said that Americans have gotten their finances in shape in the past few years and are deploying their dollars more strategically. “We're waiting for these targeted times to relax a little,” she said.

    However, it's not all candied apples. One quarter of those surveyed said the economy will make them spend less. 18 percent plan on making a costume instead of buying and 36.1 percent will buy less candy. 

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  • Easter spending expected to hop up 11 percent

    Matthew Mead / AP

    A blend of crunchy cereals and noodles, along with chocolate, marshmallow and peanut butter, is used to create edible "nests" for chocolate eggs and jelly beans.

    By Christina Cheddar Berk, cnbc.com

    Retailers will likely have a Happy Easter as Americans are expected to spend more on candy, flowers and little trinkets to celebrate the holiday, according to the results of a recent survey.

    Consumers are expected to spend 11 percent more than they did last year, or about $16.8 billion, based on the results of a survey conducted by BIGinsight for the retail industry trade group National Retail Federation. The average person celebrating Easter will spend about $145.28, up from $131.04 last year.

    That’s no small sum, especially when you consider that most Americans are paying more for gasoline these days.

    “Though the price of gas is on everyone’s mind, Easter is one of the few holidays some consumers are willing to stretch their budgets, especially because many children look forward to treats and new outfits on Easter morning,” said Matthew Shay, NRF President and CEO.

    Buying candy and spring clothes will eat up a good chunk of the budget. Nearly half of those surveyed said they plan to take advantage of spring sales that retailers will have in order to buy new clothes. Total spending on apparel may rise to $3.0 billion, according to the survey.

    And consumers will shell out another $2 billion on chocolate eggs, jelly beans and other treats. About 89.3 percent of consumers surveyed have candy on their shopping lists.

    Another $5.1 billion will be spent on food for an Easter meal, with spending on food by the average person expected to rise to $44.34 this year from $40.05 last year. Others will buy gifts, flowers, decorations and cards to mark the occasion. (Consumer Nation has compiled a list of gift ideas that cost less than $25 for those who are looking to stretch their budget.)

    This year there is also some good news for department stores. Although discount stores continue to be popular places for consumers to shop, four in 10 consumers said they plan to head to a department store for gifts and other holiday merchandise. That’s the highest in the survey’s history.

    However, the biggest boost in traffic will go to online retailers. Nearly two in five plan to shop online, up from 14.8 percent last year.

    BIGinsight polled 9,242 consumers in early March to compile these results.

    This article, "Thank you Easter Bunny! Easter spending to rise 11%," first appeared on cnbc.com.

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