SHOP TALK : Buying Halloween Supplies Without the Sticker Shock : If you’re planning a child’s party, you can’t beat the discount chains for low prices on plates, cups and decorations.

Children’s Halloween parties are a lot like life. Lots of tricks, lots of treats and some spilled punch along the way.

Actually, the two are similar in that they offer various options. We won’t bore you by discussing life, but we will talk about kids’ parties: in particular, the supplies.

For cheap supplies and decorations, it’s hard to beat discount chain stores. But call these places before dropping by to make sure they still have supplies.

We checked out Pic ‘N’ Save and Thrifty outlets in Ventura. The difference between the two chains is that the former predominantly sells paper supplies, and the latter mixes in plastic and plastic-coated items. It’s a matter of whether you want to risk soggy plates spilling onto the carpet. Either way, the prices are right. Here’s a sampling:

Halloween napkins at Pic ‘N’ Save run 49 cents for a pack of 16 featuring Universal Studios movie monsters, or 99 cents for 48 with a generic Halloween motif.

A bag of 50 orange and black flexible straws will cost you 39 cents, eight paper plates 49 cents, eight paper cups 49 cents, and a 31 1/2-inch square paper table cloth for 99 cents.

At Thrifty, you can pick up a package of 48 paper napkins for 99 cents, eight plastic-coated plates for $1.85, eight plastic cups for 95 cents each, and a 54-inch plastic-coated table cloth for $4.

Both shops offer assorted garlands, banners, noisemakers, honeycomb centerpieces, folding skeletons, and the like. At Thrifty, look for pumpkin, witch, and skull Pez dispensers for 89 cents each, as party favors. At Pic ‘N’ Save, you can get yourself a cassette of “45 thoroughly terrifying minutes of spine-tingling sounds” for 99 cents. Keep in mind that various stores in the chains have different assortments and quantities.

Party supply stores are generally more expensive, but the selections will probably be significantly greater and unique.

If you’re in the east end of the county, check out Parties Galore in the Janss Village shopping center on West Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Not only do they offer a great supply of Halloween party items, but through Oct. 25 you can enter to win a drawing for a coffin centerpiece for the party table. They’re also handing out free instructions on how to make a Halloween apple--which should help keep the kids happy.

As Pic ‘N’ Save cashes in on Universal Studios monsters, Parties Galore has jumped on the “Nightmare Before Christmas” animated movie bandwagon (eight plastic-coated plates for $1.85 and $2.10, 16 napkins for $1.80 and $2.15, eight hats for $2.90, eight paper cups for $1.90, four yards of paper tablecloth for $3.75.) Heavy duty generic cups will cost you $2.15 for a stack of 20.

The store offers a $27 party centerpiece basket, complete with fold-out haunted house. They’ve also got plastic foam “Partystones” (tombstone centerpieces) for $6.95 and $9.95, a pin-the-nose-on-the-pumpkin game for $1.50, a bag of 12 skull rings for 75 cents, and a 30-minute haunted mansion tape for $2.95.

Window party scenes in this shop are enough of a reason to make the trip. They’ll provide you with great ideas for the party table.

By the way, look for a Parties Galore to open at the new Shopping at the Rose retail center in Oxnard come November.

Finally, for the creative among you, there’s the do-it-yourself party. Stop by a crafts store, or fabric shop, and make your own decorations for that personal touch. We checked out Ben Franklin Crafts in Oxnard. They’ve already stocked the place full of Christmas items, but there’s still some Halloween supplies and candy on the shelves.

As for the crafts, a canvas tapestry kit that can be turned into a cat-and-pumpkin centerpiece costs $9.99. Also, check out the mass quantity craft items, for a fun, scary touch. There’s the 70-piece Bag O’ Flies for $2.29, the 100-piece Bag O’ Ants for $2.29, and various eyes, skulls, bats and pumpkin people for as low as 2 for 99 cents. They’ve also got some make-your-own party favors at $3.99 for the kits.

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* FYI: A new Stroud’s linen store opened earlier this week at The Poinsettia Shopping Center, at the corner of Main Street and Telephone Road in Ventura. Look for a grand opening celebration Saturday.

* ALSO: The Barnes & Noble bookstore located two shops down from Stroud’s is due to open Friday in all its 150,000-book glory. Its grand opening is set for Nov. 5. Invited guests include Lyle Lyle the Crocodile, Clifford (the big red dog), Spot, Curious George, and even The Wild Thing. The store will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.