Halloween Freebies And Promotional Offers For Us Consumers In 2024

Halloween represents a significant spending period for U.S. consumers, with retail expenditures estimated at $8.8 billion in 2019 according to the National Retail Federation. As families plan budgets surrounding this holiday and the subsequent Thanksgiving season, many seek opportunities to reduce costs through free samples, promotional events, and no-cost activities. The availability of free items and experiences ranges from restaurant promotions and retail events to printable decorations and digital media. This article provides a comprehensive overview of verified freebies and offers available during the Halloween season, based on current promotional data.

Retail and In-Store Halloween Events

Major retailers and shopping centers frequently host free events to attract families during the Halloween season. These events often include trick-or-treating, crafts, and photo opportunities.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s host free in-store Halloween events. Activities typically include free costume parades, free crafts, and free photo opportunities. These events are available at Bass Pro Shop locations and Cabela’s locations across the country.

Mall-Based Halloween Events Various shopping malls host community Halloween events, often at no cost to attendees. Specific examples from recent years include: * Cary Towne Center: Hosted a Halloween Mall Crawl on Saturday, October 26, 2019, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Activities included trick-or-treating throughout the mall, pumpkin weight and candy guessing contests, storytelling, and comedy magic performances. * Crabtree Valley Mall: Hosted a trick-or-treating event on October 31st from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., offering free treats and photo opportunities. * Downtown Apex (North Carolina): Hosted "Witches’ Night Out" on Friday, October 25, 2019, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and a "Trick or Treat" event on Sunday, October 27, 2019, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Community and Municipal Events Local governments and community organizations often organize safe Halloween alternatives. * Durham Police Department: Hosted a Trunk or Treat event and safety fair on Saturday, October 27, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. * White Deer Park: Held "Trick-or-Treat the Trails" on Halloween day from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. * North Carolina Museum of History: Held a "Halloween Safe Night" event.

Craft and Hobby Retailers * Michael’s: Hosted a "Kids Club Monster Bash" on Saturday, October 27th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This event was free, and supplies were included for participants.

Finding Local Events Consumers are advised to check local malls, community calendars, and local government websites to find free Halloween events in their specific areas. A Google search using terms such as "free Halloween events near me" or "free kid friendly Halloween events near me" can yield localized results.

Restaurant and Food Promotions

Several restaurant chains offer free food items or special promotions on and around Halloween. These offers typically target children.

IHOP Participating IHOP locations offer free Scary Face Pancakes to children. This promotion is available to kids aged 12 and under on Wednesday, October 31, between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. offers a "kids eat free" promotion. Children receive a free meal with the purchase of an adult entrée.

General Restaurant Offers Other restaurants may offer free kids' meals or specific Halloween-themed items. Consumers should verify participation at local locations, as offers can vary by franchise.

Free Comics and Media

Halloween ComicFest Comic book enthusiasts can participate in the annual Halloween ComicFest event. On October 27, participating comic book stores distribute free comic books to attendees. To locate participating stores, consumers can use the official website, HalloweenComicFest.com.

Free Horror Movies While traditional magazine subscriptions were not found to be free in the provided data, there are digital alternatives for horror entertainment. * YouTube: Users can search for full-length horror movies using phrases like "full horror movies" or specific movie titles followed by "full movie." * Big Five Glories: This site offers free classic black and white horror movies, including George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, Horror Express starring Christopher Lee, and Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney. * BnWMovies.com (Black and White Movies): Features classic horror films such as Nosferatu, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Frankenstein.

Free Ebooks on Amazon Digital marketplaces like Amazon frequently feature limited-time free ebook downloads related to Halloween. * Halloween Party Ideas: A free ebook by Chef Goodies has been promoted for party planning. * Scary Halloween Stories for Kids: Free books containing spooky stories for children are often available during the season.

Costumes and Decorations

Costume Savings Strategies While the source material indicates that no entities are currently giving away free costumes, there are methods to acquire them for minimal cost or "practically free." * Classifieds: Platforms like HauntedClassifieds function as a marketplace for Halloween-related items, where users can find deals on costumes and accessories. * Thrift Stores: Checking local Goodwill or Salvation Army locations is recommended, as second-hand stores are described as a "goldmine" for Halloween costumes.

Free Printable Decorations Consumers can download and print Halloween decorations at no cost. Examples include: * Spider Doilies: Creepy spider-themed doilies suitable for hanging or table placement. * Other Printables: The data references a variety of printable decorations, including garlands and candle holders, though specific names for all items were not listed in the chunks.

Free Printable Games and Activities

To provide entertainment without cost, printable games are available online.

Crosswords Halloween-themed crosswords are available, featuring both traditional text-based clues and picture crosswords where clues are images rather than words.

Halloween Fortune Teller Printable fortune tellers (paper fortune tellers) are available to keep children entertained.

Halloween Sudoku Halloween-themed Sudoku puzzles are available for download.

Halloween Mazes Printable mazes with Halloween themes are available for children.

Candy Sorting Game A described game involves sorting candies by type. The first person to collect all candies of a specific kind wins.

Online Earning Opportunities and Trials

Subscription Trials The source material mentions that while some paid services (such as streaming or specific content platforms) are not free, there are ways to access them at no cost. A free 30-day trial is often available for sign-up. Additionally, coupon codes for these services may be found on deal aggregation sites like RetailMeNot, Brad’s Deals, and Groupon.

Paid Surveys and App Testing Several platforms are mentioned that allow users to earn money or gift cards, which can be utilized to offset Halloween spending. These are not direct "free samples" but rather methods to earn funds. * FreeCash: Allows users to earn money by testing games, using apps, and taking surveys. * Earn Haus: Pays up to $25 per survey with same-day payouts via PayPal, Venmo, or check. * KingOpinion: Offers payments up to $210 per survey. * Swagbucks: Pays users for watching videos and taking surveys; new users can receive a $10 sign-up bonus. * HealthyWage: Pays up to $10,000 for meeting weight loss goals.

Conclusion

Halloween offers a variety of cost-saving opportunities for U.S. consumers, ranging from in-store events at major retailers like Bass Pro Shops and Michael's to restaurant promotions from IHOP and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Families can access free entertainment through comic book giveaways, printable games, and digital media sources like Big Five Glories. While free costumes are not directly distributed, thrift stores and online classifieds provide affordable alternatives. For those looking to fund their holiday spending, platforms like Swagbucks and Earn Haus offer ways to earn supplemental income. Consumers are encouraged to verify event dates and availability with local retailers and official websites, as promotions may vary by location and year.

Sources

1. MoneyPantry: Halloween Freebies
2. Freebfinder: Halloween Freebies