The porch bowl is one bag

Sunday morning the candy is still on the table. Last night the porch light went off when the bag got thin, or when the block went quiet. Your kid is already negotiating a "top off" trip because someone else's bowl looked fuller.

This week's tactic: one bag was the whole plan. Candy and chewing gum cost 7.7% more in September 2026 than a year earlier, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food at home was only up 1.8% over that same year, so the candy shelf is the part that feels rude. In late October, Walmart listed a 60-count variety bag at about $9.94 for a quiet block, and a 200-count chocolate mix at about $24.87 if the street actually fills up. Buy one of those shapes. Not both. Not a backup.

Running out is a light switch, not a report card. A second store run on October 31 is how a $10 bowl becomes $30. Leftovers become the movie bowl and the occasional lunch treat. They are not a reason to park again on Sunday. The porch bowl is one bag walkthrough has the cents-per-ounce check and the one-line scripts.

This week: sort the bag once, put a lid on it, and skip the aisle. The grocery week still exists.

See you next Sunday.