VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Now that it's October, more people are leaning into the fall season. With Halloween approaching, shoppers are looking for the best autumnal home decor and costumes that fit their budgets — even with higher prices.
One local costume and vintage clothing shop in Virginia Beach will likely be able to help you find an outfit at a price you can afford.
"We go from biblical to 70s to Renaissance to makeup and prosthetics, wigs and all the accessories that go with it," owner of Echoes of Time, Cathy DeBolt said.
DeBolt says they are gearing up for a busy month, at Echoes of Time in Virginia Beach, as shipment orders are still arriving each week.
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"We're working as hard as we can. We're stocking the shelves," DeBolt said.
DeBolt says the price of rentals hasn't gone up because the clothes have been in stock for years, but new, imported, items have.
"The main thing is, with the tariffs and everything, a lot of stuff has gone up, and we're having to change all the prices where we don't normally have to do that,” DeBolt said. “Some things have doubled, you know, because there was a 30% tariff, so by the time you add in the shipping and all that kind of stuff, it almost doubles the amount.”
That's not just costumes, but home decor and candy as well, retail insights expert with RetailMeNot, Stephanie Carls tells me.
"It is sometimes tough to realize that it all adds up, and it can add up so quickly," Carls said.
The National Retail Federation says people are spending about $114 per person, which is about $11 more than last year. Carls says now is the time to shop.
"This is when Halloween shopping can become a strategy because the earlier you lock in your plan, the more money that you save and the more fun you get to have," Carls said.
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She says compare prices online, stack deals and use the RetailMeNot browser extension.
"As you are browsing online those retailers, [the browser extension is] going to be able to tell you what sales are going on [and] any promo codes that can be added,” she said. “As you are checking out, it is going to run through all of those different promo codes that are available.”
CamelCamelCamel is an Amazon price-tracking tool that allows you see the price history of items, helping you decide if it's a deal or not. Be sure to ask stores about their price-matching policy too as many have changed over the years.
While shopping earlier may be the advice, if you're a procrastinator, DeBolt says there's still hope in her shop.
"People have called here on October 31st and say, 'Do you have anything left?' And I just giggle," DeBolt said.
"I'm like, I'll never run out. I could probably costume all of Virginia Beach at this point," DeBolt said.
Consider secondhand shopping if you're trying to save money on costumes and decor, especially for kids. And for candy, Carls says bulk buying is likely going to be the winning option.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
