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What to Do With Leftover Halloween Candy

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Halloween Was Fun. Now What?

We’ve all been there. The steady stream of trick-or-treaters who wiped out your candy bowl last year was just a trickle this time, leaving you with more candy than you can possibly eat. Or your kids figured out the right route to hit the mother lode, and staggered home carrying their bodyweight in candy. Even your favorite candy can get tiresome after a few days of enjoying some after each meal. Not to mention, your kids are bouncing off the walls from sugar overload and your pants are starting to feel a little tight. We all love Halloween candy, but once the decorations have been put away, the endless supply needs to be dealt with. So what can you do with all your leftover Halloween candy?

Donate Your Halloween Candy for a Good Cause

Look around your community for places to donate your bountiful treats. Many homeless shelters, food shelves and senior homes are open to accepting your extra candy, so give them a call. It’s a great way to brighten someone’s day.

Operation Shoebox sends candy to the troops overseas. Halloween Candy Buyback does this too. Simply Google to see if there’s an operation in your area.

Kroger also has ways to donate at Zero Hunger | Zero Waste.

What’s the Best Way to Store Leftover Halloween Candy?

If you’ve got room in the freezer, just freeze your candy right in the bag. Most candy will last indefinitely, and popping some in a lunchbox or backpack makes for an easy treat during the school year. Come summer, frozen candy is a cool treat on its own, especially candy bars, peppermint patties and peanut butter cups. You can also chop your candy and freeze it to use as an ice cream topping or cookie add-in later.

Save Leftover Halloween Candy for Parties and Piñatas.

You can always put a bowl of snack-sized candy out when guests come over; just let your frozen candy thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving. If you want to get creative, consider making a candy and snack board, arranging sliced bars, cookies and snack foods on a wooden board. For a fun kids’ party, fill a piñata and share the bounty.

Leftover Halloween Chocolate Bars Are Great For Barks or Dipping

If you have a good haul of milk or dark chocolate bars, save them for melting. You can make your own barks studded with chopped candy, nuts, pretzels or cookies. Try our Thanksgiving Bark recipe, and use your chocolate instead of chocolate chips. Strawberries or orange sections become a classy dessert when dipped in melted chocolate. Or freeze banana halves or slices to drizzle with chocolate for a healthy frozen treat.

Turn Leftover Halloween Candy Into Ice Cream Treats

If you’ve got a home soft-serve maker, your favorite Halloween candy is a perfect add-in. Chop peanut butter cups, chocolate bars or other candies and store them in freezer bags for toppings galore. If you don’t have a special machine, use a blender to make your own mixed sundae with vanilla ice cream and chopped candy, blended until thick.

Feature Your Best Halloween Candy in Cookies and Snacks

Your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe is a good starting point; just sub 2 cups of chopped candy bars for a bag of chocolate chips. Or stir candy into Rice Krispy treats just before pressing in the pan. Monster Cookie Granola Bites are a healthy snack with some mini-peanut butter cups stirred in to make them irresistible. You could also try making Halloween Candy Muddy Buddies or Halloween Candy Cake.

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The #1 Thing You Should Do for Your Garden Before the First Frost, According to Pros

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The first frost always sneaks up way quicker than you’d expect. And not to be dramatic, but those few days leading up to it have the potential to make or break next year’s garden.

Frost typically marks the end of the growing season unless you have frost-resistant plants in your beds, but some smart prep now can set you up for stronger perennials and richer soil next spring.

We spoke with a few plant experts to see which gardening tasks should take priority before the first frost hits (because maybe you don’t have time for every single fall chore this year). They shared exactly what you need to do before that first icy morning arrives, so your garden comes through the winter in good shape.

When Is the First Frost This Year?

“The first frost depends on your grow zone, which varies by where you live,” says Rebecca Sears, resident green thumb and chief marketing officer at Ferry-Morse. “In northern regions, the first frost can arrive as early as late-September, while in southern areas it may not occur until November.” You'll need to know which zone you’re in on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, and plan for the first frost accordingly.

Tammy Sons, plant expert and the founder of TN Nursery, says you can also rely on regional resources for more precise timing. “I consult my local almanac and count backward from that date to make sure I have everything prepared.” Check your county extension office, garden center, or the Old Farmer’s Almanac online to find frost dates for your ZIP code.

What to Prioritize Before the Frost Hits

When you’re racing the clock before the first frost, garden experts say the smartest thing to do is to clear out the excess. “Thoughtful cleanup of your garden beds should be your first priority, as this sets the stage for all other pre-frost preparation,” says Sears. “Removing weeds and some leaf litter, spent annuals, and trimming back diseased or dead perennials provides a clean slate and helps you better understand what needs dividing, mulching, or protecting before the first frost.”

Doing this will improve airflow and soil health, which Sears says will help your beloved perennials establish stronger roots for the next gardening season. But make sure you don’t take your cleanup too far: “Keep in mind that the leaves and stems of your perennials are still photosynthesizing even after the flowers fade, so hold off on cutting until the leaves and stems start to turn brown, indicating that they won’t produce any new growth before the first frost.”

Sons agrees that removing debris is the first step gardeners should take to protect the garden through winter. Her reasoning? You don’t want to carry problems like pests and fungal growth into the next season. “Preparing my garden for the first frost is a critical step in the garden preparation routine," she says. "First and foremost, I clear out any garden debris such as diseased leaves and dead flowers, to avoid inviting insects and mold to hibernate.”

Other Tasks to Complete Before Winter Arrives

Once the beds are cleared and the most problematic debris is gone, your frost prep isn’t quite finished. Here are a few extra tasks you should check off your to-do list to protect your garden and equipment.

Intentionally Leave Some Leaves Behind

Not all frost prep is about what you do. Sometimes it’s about what you leave alone. “When cleaning up garden beds, it’s natural to want to remove all of the fallen leaves, which can reduce mold and fungal growth,” says Sears. “However, many beneficial insects overwinter beneath leaf litter, so removing every leaf can leave them vulnerable to the elements.” Instead, Sears recommends leaving a light layer of leaves in place and cleaning up only where pests or disease might pose a problem.

Apply a Thick Layer of Mulch

Next, Sons mulches heavily around perennials and young trees to provide roots insulation from sudden temperature drops. Apply a fresh 2–4 inch layer of organic material like shredded leaves or straw. Just make sure to keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of the plant to prevent rot.

Trim and Water Perennials

As the first frost approaches, some plants may need a little extra support before they head into dormancy. “I trim back tender perennials and give the soil one last deep watering, so that plants have access to a reserve of moisture during their dormant period,” says Sons. You need to complete this last watering before the ground freezes. (Once the soil is hard, moisture cannot penetrate deep enough, and it could damage your plants.)

Winterize Sprinkler Systems

If you have a built-in sprinkler system, now is the time to shut it down after your last watering. “When winterizing your sprinkler system, your first priority should be to turn off the water supply to your sprinkler system,” says Amy Mattox, landscaping expert and the owner of Conserva Irrigation, Omaha. “Water that is left in the system can freeze when temperatures drop, which can cause the pipes, sprinkler heads, and valves or back-flow preventers to crack and break.”

Waiting until after the first frost to handle this can cause damage that costs more than paying someone to winterize the sprinkler system in advance. “We generally recommend booking your winterization appointment before the first freeze hits (October to November, depending on your market),” says Mattox, who notes that some locations may not need to winterize closer to December or January.

Clean and Store Garden Tools

After you plant your final spring bulbs (ideally a few weeks before the ground freezes), it’s time to put most of your tools away. “Finally, gardeners should clean and store their gardening tools and drain hoses so they are ready to go next season without rust or damage from freezing temperatures,” says Sears.

Wipe blades with a cloth dipped in soapy water or rubbing alcohol, sharpen edges if needed, and store tools in a dry spot like a shed or garage. Some exceptions to this might include a compost fork or pruners for late-season tree trimming, which you’ll want to keep handy.

Read more at Real Simple

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Why You Don’t Need To Be Afraid of Today’s Mortgage Rates

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Mortgage rates have been the monster under the bed for a while. Every time they tick up, people flinch and say, “Maybe I’ll wait.” But here’s the twist. Waiting for that perfect 5-point-something rate could end up haunting your wallet later.

The Magic Number

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR):

“. . . a 30-year fixed rate mortgage of 6% would make the median-priced home affordable for about 5.5 million more households—including 1.6 million renters. If rates were to hit that magic number, it’s likely that about 10%—or 550,000—of those additional households would buy a home over the next 12 or 18 months.”

When the market hits that mortgage rate sweet spot, as expert forecasters are starting to say is more likely in 2026, the psychological shift to lower rates will kick in for more of today’s hopeful buyers. That will unleash some pent-up demand that’s been waiting on the sidelines, and the increase in activity will cause prices to rise.

And while a 5.99% rate might sound like a big win, if you’re waiting for that number to make your move, it might not actually save you as much as you think. Here’s how the math looks when you run the numbers (see chart below):

On a $400,000 mortgage, the difference between today’s rate (around 6.2%) and 5.99% is roughly $50 a month. That’s less than many people spend on weekly coffee runs or occasional DoorDash orders. And as prices tick up with more buyers in the market, that could quickly negate any of your potential savings.

So, if you’re waiting for 5.99%, that difference might not be worth missing out on today’s opportunities, like having more homes to choose from, better negotiation leverage with today’s sellers, and fewer buyers out there looking for the same houses.

Because the reality is, those benefits start to slip away when more buyers begin to make their moves – and a rate under 6% is exactly they’re waiting for.

Why Acting Now Makes Sense

Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist and VP of Research at NAR, says:

“Over the last 5 weeks, mortgage rates have averaged 6.31%. This has provided savvy buyers a sweet spot to reexamine the home search process with more inventory, widening their choices.”

And like Matt Vernon, Head of Retail Lending at Bank of America, notes:

“Rather than waiting it out for a rate that they like better, hopeful homebuyers should assess their personal financial situation—if the house is right for them, and the upfront and monthly payments are affordable, it could be the right chance to make a move.”

Bottom Line

If moving at today’s rate scares you, remember, waiting doesn’t always pay off. Once rates dip below 6%, as some experts project they’ll do next year, more buyers (and higher prices) will be back.

So, don’t be afraid of today’s mortgage rates. Because if you’re ready, this might just be your chance to make a move before the market wakes up again.

Read more at Keeping Current Matters

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This year’s Client Appreciation Octoberfest was one to remember! It was wonderful to see our agents, clients, sponsors and friends come together for an afternoon of good music, conversation and community.

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We’re thrilled to share that together, we raised $10,000 for Project I See You! Every dollar supports empowering women to take ownership of their lives, create lasting positive change in their communities, and achieve financial, personal and relational growth.


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Fed prepares to pivot balance sheet, with potential ripple effects for mortgages

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A growing number of economists believe that the Federal Reserve is close to announcing the end of its quantitative tightening (QT) program — a move that could have wide-reaching implications for the mortgage industry.

Over the past few weeks, central bank officials have signaled they are prepared to wind down the policy aimed at shrinking the Fed’s balance sheet, prompting expectations of an announcement as soon as Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the winding down of QT could happen “in the coming months,” while other officials have shifted their language from describing reserves as “abundant” to “ample.”

The Fed’s balance sheet has expanded dramatically over the past decade, doubling from about $2.2 trillion in 2008 to $4.2 trillion in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.

It peaked near $9 trillion in 2022 when QT began, but it has since declined to $6.5 trillion — composed of roughly $4.2 trillion in Treasury securities and $2.1 trillion in mortgage-backed securities (MBS).

Questions remain about how the Fed will manage the end of QT. The prevailing view is that the central bank will use mortgage repayments to reinvest primarily — if not entirely — into short-term Treasurys.

“Our house forecast is that they take the MBS paydowns, which are roughly about $16 billion a month, and reinvest those into Treasury bills,” said Jeana Curro, managing director and head of agency MBS research at Bank of America. “That aligns with a lot of the rhetoric from this Fed. They’ve said they ideally want to hold a Treasury-only portfolio.”

BofA analysts expect the Fed to announce the end of QT on Wednesday, paving the way to begin the transition by late October. The shift from MBS to Treasurys should be $10 billion to $20 billion per month.

If that’s the case, Curro said, the market reaction will likely be muted, as the change is “largely priced in.”

In the mortgage sector, secondary market executives expect a positive impact, largely due a decline in 10-year Treasury yields. These tend to move in tandem with 30-year mortgage rates due to their similar long-term nature.

“I do believe this will be a rising tide that lifts all boats,” said Scott Ferrell, executive vice president and director of capital markets at AnnieMac Home Mortgage.

“Mortgages should follow along nicely. It’s sort of Econ 101: There will be less supply out there with an equivalent demand. The overall implications for the mortgage market is there will be some decrease in rates, which, of course, would be favorable for refinance activity.”

Winding down QT for MBS later?

Some market participants floated the idea earlier this year that the Fed might reinvest MBS paydowns into new MBS, citing housing market pressures and the need to lower rates. But most economists don’t see that as a base-case scenario.

“I think there’s a preference to have the balance sheet at zero MBS, from what a couple of the Fed speakers have said in the past and all of their holdings in Treasury at some point in time,” Ferrell said. “I don’t think they’re rushing to get to that point, but I believe that’s the ultimate desire.”

Others question whether the Fed might first end QT for Treasurys while maintaining its MBS runoff for longer.

Nash Paradise, director of sales at UMortgage, said the end of QT will nevertheless be a boost for the mortgage industry, which has faced a wide spread of about 2.2% between 10-year Treasury yields and overnight 30-year mortgage rates.

“We’ve already seen the 10-year yield drop, and that’s what we need — to hold below 4%,” Paradise said. “As we get to the end of QT on MBS, we will start to see that margin between the 10-year yield and the overnight average on the 30-year really tighten up.”

Rick Roque, corporate vice president of new growth at NFM Lending, said it remains uncertain whether the Fed will reinvest halted MBS runoff proceeds back into MBS or shift entirely to Treasurys. The first option, he said, would be more favorable for mortgage rates, but the latter seems more likely.

“Overall, this development is a net positive for the bond market,” Roque said. “It could bring the 10-year yield down to test technical floors in the 3.6% to 3.8% (range). With spreads normalizing toward 1.8%, the 30-year mortgage rate could move closer to 5.5%.”

Curro added that ending QT could also signal a return of domestic banks as MBS buyers, which would help narrow spreads. She remains cautious, saying that banks have been anticipated to reenter the market for a while, but it hasn’t happened.

Read more at Housingwire

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