Halloween Budgets Top Thanksgiving: 38% Plan to Spend $300 or More, CIT Bank Survey Finds

New research shows Millennials and Gen Z plan to outspend the $210 overall average, even as consumers report greater sensitivity to Halloween costs.

RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirty-eight percent of Americans plan to spend $300 or more on Halloween, compared with 19% for Thanksgiving and 11% for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day, according to a new CIT Bank survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by Researchscape International. More than half (54%) plan to spend $200 or more, versus 39% for Thanksgiving and 23% for New Year's. Consumers expect to spend $210 for Halloween on average, with Gen Z and Millennials planning to spend $270 and $308, respectively.

Those plans come as 63% of respondents say they are more price-sensitive about Halloween costs than they were last year. Many have already started preparing: 61% begin shopping before October, including 42% who start in September.

"Halloween is one of the most exciting moments of the year, and Americans are going all in with costumes, decorations, haunted houses and weekend parties. They are also planning wisely, shopping early, and getting creative with DIY decorations and bulk candy," said Jose Castro, head of CIT Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. "Setting money aside ahead of big moments like Halloween, ideally in a high-yield savings account like CIT Bank Platinum Savings, lets you enjoy every bit of the celebration while keeping your other financial goals on track."

Tighter budgets shape Halloween plans
Fifty-one percent say cost or budget is most likely to affect their costume plans, ahead of personal creativity (36%) and recommendations from friends and family (35%).

Savvy shoppers are finding creative ways to cut costs. Seventy-one percent would buy candy in bulk, while 62% would shop at discount or dollar stores. Thirty-nine percent would make their own decorations, 38% would reuse or swap a costume, and 30% would make their own costume. Among Millennials, 45% would make decorations and 36% would make costumes.

Gen Z and Millennials drive Halloween spending on costumes and experiences
Younger generations are prioritizing personal expression, shareable digital content and seasonal experiences this Halloween. Seventy-one percent of Gen Z respondents spend on costumes for themselves, compared with 53% of all adults surveyed.

Fifty-two percent of Gen Z and Millennials would pay more for a costume to drive social media engagement, versus 38% overall. Among Gen Z, 37% would spend more than $100 on that kind of costume.

Other findings show where Halloween budgets go:

• Decorations and experiences take a large share of Halloween plans: Beyond candy at 92%, outdoor decorations (67%) and home or party décor (65%) rank as the most common spending categories. Forty-six percent plan to put $100 or more toward experiences such as haunted houses or hayrides, and 42% plan to spend at least $50 on candy.
• Families and pets come before personal costumes: Twenty-three percent plan to spend $200 or more on costumes for their families, compared with 4% who would spend that much on costumes for themselves. More than one-quarter (26%) are budgeting $40 or more for pet costumes.
• Social media and AI influence costume ideas: Sixty-two percent of Gen Z respondents turn to social platforms for costume inspiration, more than double the 29% rate for the full sample. Pop culture guides 39% of Gen Z, compared with 24% overall, and 20% of Gen Z use artificial intelligence when developing costume ideas. Twenty-nine percent of Gen Z and 26% of Millennials want their costume to represent a current event or viral moment.

Planning ahead can help manage seasonal costs
Many consumers start preparing for Halloween before October and look for ways to spend less. CIT Bank offers online savings accounts and certificates of deposit to help customers set aside money for seasonal celebrations and longer-term goals.

Methodology
Researchscape International conducted the online survey of 1,065 U.S. adults ages 18 and older from Sept. 8-11, 2026. Results were weighted to the U.S. population using nine demographic questions. The credibility interval for questions answered by all respondents is plus or minus 4 percentage points. Because the survey did not use a probability-based sample, a theoretical margin of sampling error does not apply.

About CIT Bank
CIT Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank, is an FDIC-insured, top-10 online bank backed by the strength and stability of First Citizens Bank. CIT Bank offers a variety of savings accounts and CDs with competitive rates to help customers grow their savings for holidays, seasonal celebrations and all of life's adventures. To learn more, visit www.CITBank.com.

About First Citizens Bank
First Citizens Bank is a top 20 U.S. financial institution focused on helping consumers, businesses and entrepreneurs build lasting financial security. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., First Citizens combines the strength and sophistication of a large bank with the personal attention and agility of a relationship-driven partner. Built over more than 125 years, the bank offers deep industry expertise, tailored financial solutions and specialized banking capabilities delivered at scale nationwide. From startups to international corporations, and personal banking to wealth management, First Citizens supports its clients' ambitions at every stage of their financial journey. Parent company First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA) is a Fortune 500 company with more than $225 billion in assets. Learn more at firstcitizens.com.

Angela English: [email protected] 

SOURCE CIT Bank