“Candymaxxing” describes maximizing the amount of candy that trick-or-treaters obtain on Halloween night. People of all ages can trick-or-treat and candymax, but they may need to adopt different strategies.

Alexander Close, a resident of the common Truckee trick-or-treating location Glenshire, said that he doesn’t mind older trick-or-treaters as long as they are respectful, and that you should “Be a kid as long as you can.”

While you may want to get as much candy as possible, it is important when trick-or-treating to be respectful to the people giving you candy, as well as your fellow trick-or-treaters. However, this can make it difficult to secure all the candy you want by the end of the night. So, what is the secret to attain the maximum amount of candy without stealing or dishonesty on this spooky night? This article is a simple guide.

Wear the right costume

Parents love seeing kids with creative costumes—so don’t pick out a last-minute onesie or wear your “costume” shirt. You will get better results with a more imaginative or specific costume, especially something you are personally interested in.

If you are older, you can also wear a costume that hides your age, but try to avoid any risque variations of characters or jobs. Adults won’t be comfortable handing out candy to a teenager in a revealing costume.

Carry an empty bag

Holding an empty bag will encourage people to give you more candy, so on Halloween night you can empty your bag into a bigger one before every street. You can give the larger bag to an adult if you have parent supervision, or for maximum storage space, you could even bring a wagon to share with your friends. With a wagon, you can store beverages to stay hydrated or to hand out as well.

Choose the houses carefully

Some of the best neighborhoods are dense and close to schools or towns. Examples of these in Truckee are the Gateway and Glenshire communities. These are some of the most popular spots for kids to trick-or-treat as well, which causes people to buy plenty of candy to account for many trick-or-treaters.

Michelle Bottomley, a Truckee High School Senior, said that she “…always went to Gateway when [she] was smaller,” but she recommended Gateway for older trick-or-treaters.

Once you’ve chosen a neighborhood, don’t go to any houses with the lights off, because they may not be prepared or expecting trick-or-treaters. Halloween decorations also show that the residents are welcoming trick-or-treaters.

Get to the neighborhood early, or stay late

The earlier you arrive at the houses, the more candy residents will have to spare. Most little kids start before dark: around 5:30-6:00.

You can also stay in the neighborhood late; Close claimed that he is likely to give the entirety of his leftover candy to the last kids that come to his house. However, if you are using this strategy, it is once again important to make sure not to bother people who have their lights off—they may have gone to bed for the night.

Travel in groups and be polite

Trick-or-treat with other people; it’s more convenient for adults to give candy to groups instead of opening the door for each individual person.

Also make sure you are enthusiastic and grateful to those giving you candy. Bo Dalton said in an article for Kix 104, “People are more likely to give extra candy to kids who are excited and in the spirit of the holiday.”

Trade with friends for better candy

After trick-or-treating, you can trade with others for the candy that you want. If you have friends who trick-or-treated as well, or with leftover candy, bargain with them for better sweets.

One trick for this is to act like every piece of candy you got is valuable, even if it is something you don’t like. You may be able to get something valuable in exchange for a candy you don’t care about.

Don’t let your parents take your candy

If you are young, your parents confiscating your candy may be an issue. In this case, before Halloween, make sure they trust that you can eat candy responsibly: demonstrate you can eat healthy, and when offered large amounts of sweets, don’t stuff yourself. Asking your parents directly is also a good way to keep your candy, and you can even recommend articles that encourage them not to take it.

You can bring your candy straight to your room after trick-or-treating if your parents or other family are tempted by the presence of candy in the house and may eat your candy.

While candy may be the priority for many trick-or-treaters on Halloween, don’t forget to take your time and enjoy the other things that come with the holiday. Many of the residents of the very neighborhood you trick-or-treat put a lot of time and effort into their decorations. As you haunt the community, some of the kids and adults around you worked hard to create their costumes.

Trick-or-treating is a communal experience, so make sure to appreciate and respect the people around you. As you follow this guide, never steal candy, vandalize houses, or harass others on a holiday where everyone is just searching for a good time.