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Halloween can end up being scary expensive when you add up the cost of the costume, the decorations, the candy and the parties. The National Retail Federation reports that spending on Halloween is on the rise with an average of $72 per family for costumes, candy and decorations, up 9% from last year. Total Halloween spending is expected to reach almost $7 billion this year. But there are ways to take the BOO! out of the cost of Halloween and make it a little less scary.

Costume
According to the NRF, 44% of those surveyed are planning on dressing up this year, up from 40% last year. Dressing up for Halloween is a highpoint for both children and adult alike and here are a few ideas on finding costumes with prices that won't make you scream:

• Shop early and online to find the costume you want at the best, lowest price. 
• Visit your local thrift store to shop for costumes with a lower price tag. Many people buy costumes for single use and then donate them, so you could come across some great finds. 
• Make a costume by looking for clothes and accessories that no one else will be wearing and will be unique to you. Don't forget to browse your friends' closets too. 
• Swap costumes with friends and family or hold a Halloween costume swap with your neighbors. 
• Research and watch for sales, coupons or daily deals on costumes.

Candy
74% of Americans will be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters this Halloween with the average person expected to spend a little more than $20 on it alone. Candy is among the highest Halloween expenses in the United States, but there are ways you can spend less and still pass out treats to the ghost and goblins that knock on your door:

• Buy candy you don't like so you won't eat it before Halloween night and have to go back out to buy more.
• Compare prices, buy in bulk and get the type of candy that has a better price per piece. Buying hard candy instead of chocolate or generic instead of name brand can help you save on the sweet stuff. 
• Hand out the candy yourself and ration it to one to two pieces per child, so you don't buy more than you need. Rationing will help make the candy last until the last child knocks on your door too. 
• Accept that it's perfectly okay to run out of candy close to the end of the night to reduce the chance of overbuying and wasting money. 
• Research and watch for sales or coupons. ZipList, a grocery pricing site, reports that stores are using candy as a loss leader, so they will be offering coupons and sales hoping that you will stay in the store and buy a few more items.

Decorations
NRF reports that 50% of those surveyed will decorate their homes for Halloween with more people buying life-size skeletons, extra large inflatable pumpkins and fake cob webs at an average just under $20. Spending on Halloween decorations is second only to spending on Christmas decorations. Saving on decorations may be a little hard this year too according to the NRF. Jack-o-lanterns are more expensive this year due to the poor weather and damage from Hurricane Irene with the average farmer's market pumpkin costing 9% more than last year. However, there are still ways to save on your spooky Halloween décor:

• Reuse decorations from last year and only buy new decorations that you can reuse next year. 
• Compare prices online and shop discount stores to find the best price. 
• Research and watch for sales, coupons or daily deals on decorations. 
• Get creative and make your decorations. 
• Once the last trick-or-treater knocks on your door or the party ends, it's time to start thinking about what you need next year. In the weeks after Halloween, you should be able to find decorations and costumes at half the price or more due to massive clearances and markdowns to help you save even more money.

How do you make the cost of Halloween less scary? Let us know by leaving a comment on Facebook or sending us a Tweet to @AlliantCU. We'll add your tip to the list above.

Sources: SmartMoney.com, NRF.com, GoBankingRates.com, ParentingSquad.com