According to the National Retail Federation’s annual Halloween Consumer Spending Survey, Americans will spend slightly less on holiday costs in 2015. The average person will shell out $74.34 – down from $77.52 in 2014 – on garb, candy and decorations, among other Halloween-related expenses. Total spending is expected to reach $6.9 billion in 2015, about $500 million less than in the previous year… We’ve asked a panel of experts to share their financial wisdom and strategies for parents and local governments to ensure the safety and health of young trick-or-treaters this year, including Barbara O’Neill, distinguished professor and extension specialist in Financial Resource Management in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University… “Different types of candy have different value. For example, some people might value chocolate candy, or a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, over candy corn. Similarly, in personal finance, we tent to spend our money (and time) on things that we value. Just like children can’t eat all the candy that they receive, neither can people buy everything that they want. We have to prioritize,” said O’Neill.