True confession: I can handle matching my toddler for a cute Halloween #fampic, but being required to dress up for the office? Hard pass. (More on that in this week’s WTF.) Anyone else, or are ya'll just way more spirited?
And speaking of overdoing it: the first year we lived in our current house we expected a parade of trick-or-treaters, bought $200 worth of candy, and… not a single knock on the door. Don’t be us. Here’s how to make Halloween fun without draining your bank account.
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🎃 How do you really feel about adult Halloween costumes?
💸 Pumpkin Patch Math
👉 The patch is for the photo ops, not the pumpkins.
Snap the pics, let the kids pick a donut or mini gourd for memories, and then grab your actual carving pumpkins from Aldi, Trader Joe’s, or Costco on your next grocery run.
⚖️ $4 vs. $20+, because no one remembers the receipt once it’s lit.
💬 Costume ROI
👉 Make those costumes work harder: trunk-or-treats at libraries, rec centers, or even the mall stretch the use (and cut down on candy needs on the 31st if you're really clever😉).
Plus, kids get to “practice Halloween” (especially littles with an early bedtime) and you get a stress test on whether that dinosaur tail can survive a full evening out.
Did you know? 🧃 JuiceBox is built by a tiny team of working parents just like you. We curate and write this stuff so you don’t have to but we’d LOVE for you to get in on the action.
💬 Got a time-saving tip or a chaos-fighting hack of your own? Hit reply and share it—we all need a village, and we’d love to hear from you.
👯♀️ Know a fellow parent who needs this? Forward away or hit this button:
🍽 Beyond The Candy Panic
👉 Skip the CVS scramble by stocking up now because yes, candy really is more expensive come October 30 (and this year in general).
The cheapest spots for candy: Walmart’s big bags, Aldi seasonal shelves, Dollar Store for small portions, and yes, Costco if you can split with a neighbor or if you have lots of local kiddos.
OR if you’re spending anyway, try this feel-good swap from our favorite optimization queen Jessica Eastman Stewart: hand out milkweed seed packets alongside candy (Save Our Monarchs sells Halloween packs, code HALLOWEEN25 saves a bit). Kids are weirdly delighted and will often even pick this over candy, making it a win for monarch butterflies - and your porch reputation.
💼 This Week’s Work WTF
Inspired by real life events.
Scenario:
Company Slack: “Reminder — costumes required for our Halloween Spirit Day! Can’t wait to see everyone dressed up!”
What We Wish We Could Say:
“Perfect, I’ll come as ‘Parent Who’s Already Spent Too Much on Costumes This Month.’”
Steal This Response:
“I’ll be there. Looks like my toddler’s Paw Patrol cape just got promoted to office wear.”
K that’s all. You’re the best and we love you.
-CK “Candy Overlord” Fuller (Editor) & the JB Crew 🫡
P.S. Need a zero-effort costume for yourself? Two clutch options:
Steve Jobs: black turtleneck, jeans, sneakers, and an apple (extra points if it’s half-eaten). Just say “one more thing” all day.
Error 404: white t-shirt + Sharpie = Error 404: Costume Not Found. Done and done.
P.P.S. Next week: the real nightmare before Christmas…solving for missing gloves, boots that don’t fit, and how to prep now before you’re stuck in a freezing car with a wet sock meltdown.