There are 4 times per year to buy candy: immediately after Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter Sunday. Hershey, Nestle, Mars, and Wonka all create special holiday candy assortments. Packaging makes it unique to each particular holiday. After the holiday, this candy cannot be sold at full price because the packaging is now outdated. It cannot be saved and resold the following year because it would become inedible long before then. This is why Halloween candy is discounted significantly, beginning on November 1.

After Halloween candy discounts of 50% are common. Walmart, Target, Kmart, and Walgreens are good national sources. Target usually starts at 30%, but eventually gets to 50 and finally 70% in the final days. I’ve also found Kroger family stores to offer half price Halloween candy: Dillons, Fred Meyer, Fry’s Food Stores, QFC, Ralphs, Smith’s, Baker’s, City Market, Food 4 Less, Foods Co., Gerbes, Jay C Food Stores, King Soopers, Owen’s, and Pay Less Super Markets. If these retailers exist in your area, RiteAid, CVS Pharmacy, Cub Foods, A&P, Albertsons, Publix, Safeway/Von’s, Osco/Jewel, and Cashwise/Coborns are also worth a shot.

Be quick to take advantage of half price Halloween candy sales! The “good stuff” always sells out within a few days. Come early and you’ll find Reese’s Pumpkins and Ghosts, Kit Kats, Twix, Milky Way, Snickers, Three Musketeers, and Baby Ruths for 50% off. Wait too long and there will be nothing left besides suckers and junk that nobody wants. November 1st is prime time for half price Halloween candy deals.