Boo-dget Breakdown

Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween in 2026, about $115 per person, with costumes ($4.4 billion), decorations ($4.3 billion), and candy ($4.1 billion) leading the way. But your money isn’t stretching as far as it used to. Economists say a candy budget in 2026 buys about 40% less candy by weight than it did in 2020!

Your Task: Imagine you are the treasurer for your school’s haunted house fundraiser, and the club has $300 to spend before opening night on Saturday, October 31.

• How will you split the $300 across decorations, candy, costumes, and anything else you need?

• What will you charge for a ticket, and how many tickets do you need to sell to earn back the $300

• Where can you cut costs or find deals without making the haunted house less scary?

Write an 8-10 sentence budget memo to the club president explaining your spending plan and how the club will turn a profit.