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Sometimes, when I look at economic statistics, I am agog by the billions of dollars spent in this country.

 

Have no fear: I am most definitely not talking about specific political platforms that have Social Security and Medicare in their cross hairs. I’m talking about the $10.6 billion dollars, spent just this year, on…

 

Wait for it…

 

Skittles.

 

Ok, not specifically Skittles, but candy during this Halloween season in general. Inflation has driven up the price of candy by 13%, according to the Labor Department. 

 

But here’s where it gets weird. Why is it that Butterfinger and Nestles Crunch bars are only up 6 and 7%, but Skittles and Starburst are up a whopping 42%? Are you telling me that the individual wrapping of those Starbursts, which contribute handsomely to the second homes of dentists, cost that much more to manufacture? Or the dye used to color the Skittles? 

 

Nope.

 

Evidently the culprits in this catastrophic candy caper are you and me. Toluna, a consumer insights firm, says that big chunks of people—50%– are feeling the stress of inflation with up to 37% saying they’re eating junk food, drinking booze and smoking more to cope. Because as we all know, when you’re behind on your bills and can’t pay your mortgage, the best thing to do is blow all your hard earned cash on Marlboros, a six-pack of Bud Ice and a silo of Skittles. As candy is a commodity, well, it’s supply and demand. And people seem to be really demanding Starburst and Skittles. We buy more, and their parent company, Mars—also the owner of Dove, Snickers, Twix, M&Ms— like any corporation, wonders just how much folks have to have that colorful, insulin-busting goodness?

 

It appears we absolutely have to have it because as the Mars candy bar family just jacked up the price of their candy, they also just jacked up their wealth by 44% or, if you’d rather see the actual number, $32.6 billion. Our addiction has, in one year, made the Mars family now worth $106.8 billion. 

 

Boo!

 

I’m not sure if there are rehab clinics or family interventions that can help us overpower the Skittles craving and reach for a tuna sandwich, instead. But in order to be more financially responsible, one way to save on Halloween Candy is to buy it super early when it’s on sale, or after Halloween for the following year. Dark chocolate, in general, will last up to two years if kept in a cool, dark place, like, say, Finland, and a lot of candy can be frozen as well—yeah, like you won’t be gnawing on that before it thaws while binge watching ‘Outlander.’

 

But the best way to save this Halloween season—sorry kids– is turn off all the lights and pretend you’re not home.

 

That way you can save on your electric bill too.