The struggling economy won’t scare away Halloween shoppers this year. Instead, consumers are using the holiday to as an excuse to let loose during a tense period.Halloween spending is expected to reach $5.77 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. The average person plans to spend $66.54 on the holiday, up from $64.82 last year.The U.S. Commerce Department reported a consumer spending slowdown in September. Retail sales dropped 1.2 percent — the largest one month decline in three years.But despite the shaky stock markets and high gas prices, more people plan to celebrate Halloween this year. More than 64 percent of those interviewed by the NRF said they would celebrate this year, compared to almost 59 percent in 2007.——Contact Leslie Presnall at [email protected]