There are still inexpensive ways you can put on and enjoy some haunted Halloween fun! Decorations and costume expenses can add up quickly, but here are some candy-pinching ideas while still getting a taste of that dark chocolate for some spook-tacular fun.

Stay local while shopping for decorations, accessories, and costumes. Check out stores such as Fun Services Arizona, Phase II, or Easley’s Costumes and Fun Shop. You may even consider digging through Grandma’s closet for some truly hidden treasures! 

Putting together a unique Halloween costume can be easier than you think. Do some hunting at consignment stores such as Buffalo Exchange or Plato’s Closet. Usually during October, they invite their customers to bring in their old costume(s) and accessories to use toward the purchase of a new one for this year! 

Need costume ideas? Late celebrities, news anchors, movies, music, and TV spark some very popular trends for this year. Spirit Halloween, the seasonal Halloween retail chain, has predicted the following will be best sellers this year:

• Michael Jackson
• Jon and Kate Gosselin
• Sarah Palin
• Bernie Madoff
• Robert Pattinson (from Twilight)
• G.I. Joe
• Pop stars including Britney Spears & Rihanna
• Transformers
• High School Musical 3
• Star Wars and Star Trek

Do you know of any other stores or websites for your one-stop Halloween needs?  Feel free to leave a comment and let us know! 

Stephanie Nishioka is the Marketing Coordinator for Arizona Central Credit Union, where she has worked since March 2008. She is an Arizona native and currently resides in Surprise with her fiancé and Shiba Inu.

Back-to-school season is here. You know the time has come when Staples airs their commercial depicting a gleeful dad jumping for joy with his depressed children slowly following behind him, to the tune of Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”  This time around, many parents are monitoring their budget more closely, so we probably won’t see them happily tossing random glitter pens or a high-end stapler into their shopping cart.  Better yet, taking your child(ren) back-to-school shopping can still be a fun adventure while staying within budget as well.

• Stores such as TJ Maxx or Ross have name brand backpacks, shoes, and clothing for prices lower than retail.  For the college bound, they also carry kitchen utensils, wall décor, bedding, cookbooks, coffee, etcetera.
• Visit locally-owned clothing consignment stores such as Buffalo Exchange to put together trendy outfits for the new school year.  If your teenager has clothing that is still in good condition you may be able to trade them in for cash or store credit.  To find a local consignment store near you, check out Local First Arizona.
• For the tech-savvy who may be looking to upgrade their iPod, try Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange. Bookman’s base each of their store’s inventory solely on what their customers turn in. College-bound students may be able to find all their needed textbooks in one location and maybe even have some cash leftover to purchase a few CDs or find an old issue of Fangoria featuring one of their all-time favorite movies!

Do you have any other ideas for saving money during the back-to-school shopping season? Share your thoughts by commenting on this article.

Stephanie Nishioka is the Marketing Coordinator for Arizona Central Credit Union, where she has worked since March 2008. She is an Arizona native and currently resides in Surprise with her fiancé and Shiba Inu.

Among the various opportunities to support your local economy, the simplest and most effective could prove to be buying local. As consumers in a buyer’s market, we have the choice to make key decisions on where we make our purchases. Initiating a transaction at your selected retailer symbolizes your support of the establishment. The ball is always in your court; you have the power to toss this ball to businesses you support, and as a result, the more local businesses you support, the more you are helping to better your community!

Buying local is easier than you think. If you find a nearby reputable business, make a point to patronize it, and tell your friends and family about why you visit this business, rather than the franchise across the street. 

• Start with where you shop for groceries. Many communities have weekend Farmer’s Markets in a nearby shopping center or park, a few weekends per month where you can buy locally grown produce from neighborhood farmers and ranchers. Visit www.arizonafarmersmarkets.com or www.fillyourplate.org to check where you can find one close to you. 
• Consider visiting a local coffeehouse every morning before work. You will most likely find they roast their own beans, making it an even fresher cup o’ joe than Starbucks, and thus, getting better flavor and value for a lesser price! 
• When thinking about where to eat on your lunch hour, seek out locally owned and operated restaurants close by. Truly this will make for a short adventure while you are away from the office! For a few ideas, visit www.localfirstaz.com.
• Seek out local record stores to find that perfect gift for the music or movie lover. You will usually find they have a better selection of independent films and music artists. Some give you the opportunity to trade in your DVD movies and music CDs with the option of store credit or cash (local clothing consignment stores also have this opportunity).
• Shopping online is fast and convenient, but our local economy cannot benefit from it at all.  Check out the Get Connected section of this website for local vendors that may be able to help you with your next purchase and/or project!

From June 29 - July 5, Local First Arizona invites you to take the pledge and shop local during Independents Week. Get 20% off at participating Local First Arizona businesses!

Stephanie Nishioka is the Marketing Coordinator for Arizona Central Credit Union, where she has worked since March 2008.  She is an Arizona native, and currently resides in Surprise with her fiancé and Shiba Inu.