Massachusetts consumers seeing high prices for Halloween candy, decorations: "We save all our coupons"

The real haunting this Halloween is simply the cost to do so as consumers see high prices for candy, costumes, and decorations. It's forcing big display creators to get creative.

"Every year things get a little bit pricier, and at the same time the quality is getting a little worse," said Billy Gridley, a Waltham, Massachusetts, homeowner with a famous Halloween house.

He has been building the mammoth display in his yard for 13 years, and it is crammed with creep.

"Just added a zombie, a jumping scarecrow and an alien," said Gridley. "Prices are expensive. I try to take advantage of coupon deals and discounted items from years prior that aren't selling."

Even his family gets in on the building, and subsequently the savings.

"My family and I, we all get our flu shots at a grocery store, and they give you coupons. So, we save all of our coupons and I use those specifically just for Halloween candy," said Gridley.

To save money on a costume, he's simply becoming one of his broken animatronics.

"I might be able to hide out here during Halloween, and they may not know it's me," said Gridley.

MIT economist Jonathan Gruber says the growing price for ghouls and ghosts is gas. He calls it a byproduct of tariffs and the war in Iran.

"The hit to diesel has been much bigger and that matters because diesel is what is used by all of the trucks that deliver all of the things including the candy," explains Gruber. "Everyone is suffering from it, so your neighbors aren't going to be mad at you if you don't have the fanciest and most candy."

Jonny Woodard is a big Halloween fan. WBZ caught up with him after he grabbed a spooky snack.

"This simple Twix skulls, share size. So, you're supposed to break it and share it with someone else. This was $2.89 before tax," said Woodard holding the candy. "That's for a little candy bar that used to be a dollar 30 years ago."

"Prices go up, that is the thing, I think we had a very long stretch of low inflation, and we got used to it," said Gruber.

Now, there is nothing fun about paying for fun size.