How to Have Scary Cheap (and Safe) Halloween
October 26, 2020
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While big Halloween parties are on hold for this year, there are still many fun reasons to break out your spooky threads and stay safe and healthy.
Here are some of our favorite ways to have a little fun that won’t scare your doctor or your wallet.
New Orleans psychic and medium Cari Roy, whose ability to speak with those in the afterlife has been featured on the Travel Channel and the Discovery Channel, offers her services by phone from one of America’s most haunted cities.
“As a medium, I open myself to the spirits that wish to speak and to aid in bringing solace from our loved ones who have passed,” she promises on her website.
Roy’s rates are $100 for a half-hour reading or $150 for one hour.
Megan Benanti of Tarot Dallas took her psychic abilities online after COVID-19 made in-person readings risky.
She offers solo or group rates, ranging from $100 per person and up, for her Tarot card readings, which she says will help provide clarity and information for your future.
Budget option: Buy a Ouija board for about $20 and try it out…if you dare.
Many companies now offer virtual escape rooms that can be done from your computers or escape room kits you set up at home.
Ryptic Team Building, based in San Mateo, California, offers live online challenges, including Escape the Mad Hatter and Escape the Aliens for about $30 per person with teams of four to 12 people.
Mystery Escape Room offers in-person experiences in Utah and Arizona, but you can play anywhere with their friends and family online experiences which use video conferencing software to solve puzzles like The Super Hero Escape Adventure and Return to Treasure Island.
Their escape rooms, for four to eight people, run between $75 to $85 per experience.
If you’d rather go at it in analog, Escape the Crate is a subscription-based service that delivers an escape room-type challenge right to your front door. Challenges include real life experiences such as escaping one of Houdini’s tricks or the heists of Bonnie and Clyde. Crate prices range from $30 for two months to $84 for six months.
Budget option: Hit up Pinterest for DIY escape rooms you can set up on your own.
A pandemic is no reason not to get dressed up in your Halloween finest. Whether you are going for laughs or letting your Halloween freak flag fly, there are plenty of opportunities to show off your costume creativity.
Costume Works will continue to host its annual virtual costume contest with prizes ranging from $25 to $100 in several categories. Keep an eye on your local town festivities also.
You can throw your own costume contest on Zoom or FaceTime by appointing one person the judge and having each person kick in a few dollars for prize money.
Budget option: Make up your own rules and create a costume from items you already have in your house. Wackiest creation wins!
Going door-to-door and sticking your hand in a pot of germy candy is so 2019. This year, make the candy grab for the adults as well as the kids.
The National Confectioners Association has declared that “Halloween is Happening” and that 80 percent of adults say they will find a way to celebrate this year.
They have several fun ways to get your candy fix without risking your health.
Trick or treat around your house, with the bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry room, kitchen and office spaces serving as its own location with a bowl of treats.
If you are celebrating with adults only, you can booze it up by hiding little bottles of nips to keep warm on a cool, fall night.
And if you’d rather work up an appetite before your snacks, head to Amazon, Walmart or Party City to grab a pinata you can fill with your favorite candy and bash until it rains sweets.
Budget option: Pick up a bulk bag of your favorite candy and call it a night.
Still looking for other ways to celebrate from the comfort of your own home? We’ve got you covered!
Opinions, advice, services, or other information or content expressed or contributed here by customers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of Varo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC (“Bank”). Bank is not responsible for the accuracy of any content provided by author(s) or contributor(s).
While big Halloween parties are on hold for this year, there are still many fun reasons to break out your spooky threads and stay safe and healthy.
Here are some of our favorite ways to have a little fun that won’t scare your doctor or your wallet.
Hire a Medium or Psychic
New Orleans psychic and medium Cari Roy, whose ability to speak with those in the afterlife has been featured on the Travel Channel and the Discovery Channel, offers her services by phone from one of America’s most haunted cities.
“As a medium, I open myself to the spirits that wish to speak and to aid in bringing solace from our loved ones who have passed,” she promises on her website.
Roy’s rates are $100 for a half-hour reading or $150 for one hour.
Megan Benanti of Tarot Dallas took her psychic abilities online after COVID-19 made in-person readings risky.
She offers solo or group rates, ranging from $100 per person and up, for her Tarot card readings, which she says will help provide clarity and information for your future.
Budget option: Buy a Ouija board for about $20 and try it out…if you dare.
Survive an At-Home Escape Room
Many companies now offer virtual escape rooms that can be done from your computers or escape room kits you set up at home.
Ryptic Team Building, based in San Mateo, California, offers live online challenges, including Escape the Mad Hatter and Escape the Aliens for about $30 per person with teams of four to 12 people.
Mystery Escape Room offers in-person experiences in Utah and Arizona, but you can play anywhere with their friends and family online experiences which use video conferencing software to solve puzzles like The Super Hero Escape Adventure and Return to Treasure Island.
Their escape rooms, for four to eight people, run between $75 to $85 per experience.
If you’d rather go at it in analog, Escape the Crate is a subscription-based service that delivers an escape room-type challenge right to your front door. Challenges include real life experiences such as escaping one of Houdini’s tricks or the heists of Bonnie and Clyde. Crate prices range from $30 for two months to $84 for six months.
Budget option: Hit up Pinterest for DIY escape rooms you can set up on your own.
Compete in a Virtual Costume Contest
A pandemic is no reason not to get dressed up in your Halloween finest. Whether you are going for laughs or letting your Halloween freak flag fly, there are plenty of opportunities to show off your costume creativity.
Costume Works will continue to host its annual virtual costume contest with prizes ranging from $25 to $100 in several categories. Keep an eye on your local town festivities also.
You can throw your own costume contest on Zoom or FaceTime by appointing one person the judge and having each person kick in a few dollars for prize money.
Budget option: Make up your own rules and create a costume from items you already have in your house. Wackiest creation wins!
Feed Your Sweet Tooth with Trick or Treating Alternatives
Going door-to-door and sticking your hand in a pot of germy candy is so 2019. This year, make the candy grab for the adults as well as the kids.
The National Confectioners Association has declared that “Halloween is Happening” and that 80 percent of adults say they will find a way to celebrate this year.
They have several fun ways to get your candy fix without risking your health.
Trick or treat around your house, with the bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry room, kitchen and office spaces serving as its own location with a bowl of treats.
If you are celebrating with adults only, you can booze it up by hiding little bottles of nips to keep warm on a cool, fall night.
And if you’d rather work up an appetite before your snacks, head to Amazon, Walmart or Party City to grab a pinata you can fill with your favorite candy and bash until it rains sweets.
Budget option: Pick up a bulk bag of your favorite candy and call it a night.
Other Delicious and Spooky, and Deliciously Spooky, Halloween Activities
Still looking for other ways to celebrate from the comfort of your own home? We’ve got you covered!
- Have a Halloween bake-off with these recipes from the Food Network.
- Netflix and thrill with a Halloween movie marathon.
- Have a throwback Halloween with carved pumpkins, bobbing for apples and cider donuts.
- Look up the most haunted places in your state, hop in the car and go ghost hunting. Boo!
Opinions, advice, services, or other information or content expressed or contributed here by customers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of Varo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC (“Bank”). Bank is not responsible for the accuracy of any content provided by author(s) or contributor(s).
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Writer Bio
Sarah Netter
Sarah Netter is a freelance writer based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, ABC News and RollingStone.com.