Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on the holiday, and Fayetteville shoppers are feeling it at the register.

By Jackson Semingson

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — With Halloween on Saturday, shoppers in Fayetteville may have one more thing to worry about besides costumes and candy: the price tag.

The National Retail Federation expects Americans to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year. That works out to about $115 per person on candy, costumes and decorations, according to the federation’s annual consumer survey.

At Target in Fayetteville, a Hermione Granger costume carries a $30 tag, and some shoppers are skipping the full-price racks altogether. A sale costume sits at $25, and the store’s clearance section has drawn steady traffic from people looking to cut costs before the holiday.

Inside the store, shelves of sequined skulls and a wall of wigs line the aisles, and the clearance signs are hard to miss. For many shoppers, the deals are the first stop.

Jeff Evans, a finance professor at the University of Arkansas, said, “The cost of supply and demand. Plus inflation. ”

Candy makes up a large share of that spending. The Retail Federation estimates Americans will spend $4.1 billion on Halloween candy alone.

That candy costs more than it used to. Candy prices have climbed 44% over the last five years, according to The Associated Press. That means treats that cost about $10 five years ago would cost closer to $14.40 today.

At the Target in Fayetteville, a 51-ounce, 165-piece bag of Hershey’s miniatures sells for $24.49.

“These prices are outrageous,” said Carter Beck, a junior at the University of Arkansas, while shopping the candy aisle.

Shoppers are changing how they buy. Nearly a third say they will comparison shop if prices are higher than they expected, according to the NRF, and 34% plan to look for costumes and decorations they can reuse instead of buying new ones.

The extra cost shows up most in the candy aisle, where shoppers buying for a full night of trick-or-treaters can spend $25 or more on a single bag.

For families still stocking up, a few habits can keep costs down:

• Set a spending limit before heading to the store.
• Compare the price per piece, not just the price on the bag. Larger bags usually cost less per piece.
• Check clearance racks, and reuse costumes or decorations from past years.

Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31. With some planning, the price tag doesn’t have to be the scariest part of the holiday.