An average of $75.03 will be sent per person on Halloween related purchases, according to a recently released survey from the National Retail Federation.

It doesn't have to cost so much or take as much time to get your costume, candy, decorations, face paint, etc. Shop smarter with these tips:

• To save time, go to a one-stop-shop such as Party City for all of your Halloween needs, says Kimberly Fisher, travel blogger at Jetsetera.net. Get your decorations, balloons, party favors and candy in the same shopping trip at a single store. She suggests you pre-plan your theme in advance and know exactly what you need when you shop.  Look at the weekly sales flyers online to prepare for your shopping and create a list!
• Shelley Hunter, founder of GiftCardGirlfriend.com, suggests buying discount gift cards before you shop and using the discounted gift cards for your Halloween purchases to save anywhere 4% to more than 30%. Your savings on the gift card purchase will depending on the popularity of the card and the inventory in stock, but you can likely save more when you use those cards by stacking a sale and/or printed coupon to buy anything from candy and decorations to costumes.
• Score cheap or free candy for Halloween with this advice from Kelli Bhattacharjee, blogger at freebiefindingmom.com. Kelli gets 650 kids who trick or treat at her house, so the candy costs add up fast.
• Another candy buying tip comes from Lauren Bialek-Sachs, owner of Sweet City Candy: Since buying candy in the supermarket or drug store can be expensive, purchase from a bulk candy supplier to save money. She points out that the volume of candy they buy for Halloween easily falls into the bulk range.  In addition, Lauren says consumers can save money and time if they make their purchases online, as online shopping can be quicker and more convenient than going to the store.
• Albert Ko, Co-Founder of DealGuppy.com, agrees with the online shopping strategy. He says prices at brick and mortar stores will be significantly higher and encourages the use of online coupon codes to save. Don't wait too long to shop! He projects that coupons will expire about 2 weeks before the holiday as last minute purchases are inevitable.
• Peter Murray, Business Development at LifeCounts points out that one of the biggest costs of celebrating Halloween is costume costs. He suggests that consumers assemble a costume from thrift or secondhand stores, rather than paying a retailer for a brand new, complete costume.
• If you are having a party,  save money on party favors by serving drinks that can double as gifts. This advice comes from Cindy Springer, partner of the company Bottle Your Brand. She suggests you brew your own beer at home with a custom label and/or create Halloween-themed labels for bottled water.  Enjoy them during the event then encourage guests to take some bottles home with them on their way out.
• Take advantage of Groupon deals in your area for cheap Halloween family activities - like haunted houses, corn mazes, and kid friendly costume parties - says Robert Nickell, founder of Daddyscrubs.com.

How do YOU save time and money for your Halloween expenses? Tell us in a comment!

Image thanks to Bee Free on Flickr.