economie

I went Halloween shopping at Five Below with a $50 budget and think the competition should be scared

September 23, 20240
This Five Below is located in Westbury, New York.

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I’ve tried shopping at Party City and Spirit Halloween before, but Spirit mainly sells costumes, and I find Party City a bit overwhelming.

Plus, I’m not shopping for a party yet; I just want some subtle reminders that spooky season is upon us.

I was pleasantly surprised by Five Below when I went holiday shopping there last year, so I decided to give it a chance for Halloween.

As soon as I walked in, I was greeted with wheelbarrows filled with $1 Halloween accessories.
There were two varieties of pumpkins.

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These pumpkins were much more my style. I grabbed a six-pack of velvet ones and threw them in my cart.

Most of the Halloween items were on the right side of the store, which was essentially a medium-sized warehouse.
This was only the Halloween-specific candy.

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As any Five Below fan knows, there’s already a huge candy section at every location, which you can see in the background of this photo.

This section contained just Halloween-themed novelty candy and other treats.

I spotted stacks of Halloween-themed Oreos.
These cost $4.

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I purchased one of these during the holiday season last year, and they’re quite tasty.

Next to the selection of candy were Halloween plushies.
These are adorable.

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I love a succulent, even if it’s fake. They liven up a space, and these orange ones add a pop of color.

There were key rings, patches, buttons, and other small items for anyone looking to sport a subtle Halloween reference.
There were multiple different colors to choose from.

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There were also bat-shaped and cat-shaped pillows right underneath. They felt a little scratchy, so I decided to pass.

As soon as I saw these pastel-pink ghost pajamas, I knew I had to have them.
“Nightmare Before Christmas” is a huge property during the fall and winter.

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In fact, “Nightmare Before Christmas” is all over Hot Topic.

But if Jack Skellington’s not your vibe, there are plenty more shirts to choose from.
“Twilight” will never die.

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I’m glad teens are still into “Twilight” enough that merch is being sold. And with an animated version of “Midnight Sun” on the way, a whole new generation of tweens are going to be introduced to Forks.

Next to the graphic tees was the home decor.
One of the welcome mats.

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I liked this welcome mat, but I’d feel like a fraud if I got this without being a true cat person.

“Harry Potter” accessories were mixed in with Halloween items.
There were plushies, hats, and masks.

Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I was very tempted to buy the orange Jack Skellington plushie, but I just couldn’t justify it.

Another Tim Burton property, “Wednesday,” also had a presence at Five Below.
This was what I was most excited for.

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There were shelves upon shelves of candles.

Among the display, there was an entire shelf filled with pumpkin-shaped candles.
The labels on these candles were doing the most.

Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

This entire aisle smelled heavenly.

A small corner of the Halloween section was dedicated to pets.
The display read “spooky self care.”

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There were also Hello Kitty products here, which I was surprised by.

This Hello Kitty eyeshadow palette was particularly cute.
I was surprised to see this was just $1.

Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

This has a Day of the Dead design.

My haul came to $51 after tax.
My Five Below haul.

Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

For just under $50 (before tax), I purchased:

  • A pair of $5 ghost-covered pajama shorts
  • A $1 pair of skeleton socks
  • A $2.50 keychain
  • A $3.50 Starlight Spell sugar scrub
  • A $2 six-count of velvet pumpkins
  • A $3 Jack-O’-Lantern succulent
  • A $4 dog sweater
  • A $4 novelty ice tray filled with gummy bugs
  • Three fall candles for $5.55 each
  • A $5 pumpkin welcome mat
  • A $1 reusable bag
I was pleased with my purchases, even if my dog didn’t love the sweater. Now, I just need the weather to catch up.
Lily slayed this look, even if she hates wearing sweaters of any kind.

Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

For just over $50, I tricked my brain into thinking that it was no longer 80 degrees in New York City.

This was my first Halloween-themed shopping trip of the fall, but after visiting Five Below during Halloween and the holidays — and enjoying its wide selection of affordable, fun items — I can confidently say it’s one of my favorite stores for this type of shopping.