Halloween is such a fun time of the year. Seeing all of the little ones in their cute and scary outfits, passing out candy, decorating and parties!
Halloween can also get pretty expensive, some of those awesome costumes will run you $50 or more! That kind of money seems a little excessive for one day of fun. Getting your decorations, candy and Halloween costumes on a budget is doable and actually pretty easy.
Affordable Halloween Costume Ideas
First of all, here are some creative Halloween costume ideas on a budget that are fun and easy to put together:
Ghost: An old white sheet with cut-out eye holes.
Zombie: Torn-up old clothes, dark makeup, and fake blood (which can be made at home with corn syrup and food coloring).
Mummy: Toilet paper or white bandages.
Tourist: Hawaiian shirt, shorts, a camera, sunglasses, and a fanny pack.
BlackCat: Black clothes, a headband with DIY cat ears (made from cardboard), and drawn-on whiskers using eyeliner.
Superhero: An old bedsheet or towel as a cape, tights, and a t-shirt with a drawn or taped-on emblem.
Vampire: Black clothes, a makeshift cape (old sheet), and dark makeup for the face. DIY fangs from paper.
Hippie: Tie-dye shirt, headband, bell-bottom jeans, and peace sign accessories.
80s Workout Enthusiast: Neon leggings, headband, and an old sweatshirt cut at the shoulders.
Skeleton: Black clothes with white tape or paint to create a skeleton outline. Add some face paint for extra effect.
Pirate: Striped shirt, a bandana, eye patch (which can be DIY with cardboard), and some torn pants.
Witch: A black dress, DIY pointy hat from cardboard, and a broom.
Robot: Cardboard boxes, tin foil, and silver paint.
Lumberjack: Plaid shirt, jeans, beanie, and a cardboard or plastic axe.
Now that you have some simple to put together costume ideas, let's take a look at even more ways to save.
Host a Costume Swap
In mid to late September put together a Halloween costume swap. Invite moms from your community to bring costumes from previous years to the swap. Everyone at the swap gets to look for costumes that fit their children. This is a great way to get a free costume and connect with other moms in your local area. You can advertise your costume swap by work of mouth, flyers or create a Facebook group for people in your area.
Shop Second Hand Stores
Come early October second-hand stores will be flooded with Halloween costumes. Before you look at any high-priced costume shops make sure to check out local thrift shops. You can find basic costumes to very impressive and expensive costumes. The best part is the prices are great!
Shop Late
Halloween stores need to sell all of their merchandise before Halloween. Once Halloween is over these shops close their doors for the year. Try shopping one or two days before Halloween and you will probably see lots of costumes that have been discounted by 50% or more! This could mean some huge savings but the downside is the inventory is usually limited.
Make Your Own
Making your own Halloween costume is possible and can be done without touching a sewing machine. Look around your house and see what you already own and what you can turn into a costume. Have an old cheerleading outfit, football uniform, golf clubs or just a scary mask sitting around. Get creative and let your imagination run wild. Get your children used to making their own costumes and not dressing up in the same costume everyone else is wearing. You can also spend some time searching Pinterest for creative and fun costumes to make at home.
Visit a consignment shop.
Check out local consignment shops for used costumes. Many consignment shops carry children’s costumes during the fall season, so you can often find one at a great price. If you want, you can even take some of your old costumes in for cash. This will help free up some funds for this year’s costumes. Call your local consignment shop and ask if they will be carrying Halloween costumes this season.
Saving in Other Areas
For Halloween candy and decorations there are also ways to save. Make sure to check your local Dollar Store for decorations and candy. Typically, they have a large selection of holiday items. Shopping the day after Halloween can sometimes save you up to 75% on next years decorations!
What are your favourite Halloween costumes on a budget?
I thought I'd share a frugal tip that my mom taught me quite a few years back because I happen to think it's a really great tip!
Before buying any new clothing, always consider the Cost Per Wear. I like to think that an article of clothing costs me $1.00 each day I wear it. So, for example, consider the basic t-shirt that costs $10. Can I see myself wearing it for 10 days out of the year at the cost of $1.00 per wear? If so, then it's absolutely worth purchasing.
Another example: You spot a really funky top that you can see yourself wearing to the office party next week. It is on the clearance rack for $20, but, can you see yourself wearing it 20 times? If you can only picture yourself wearing it to one event, $20 per wear, might be a bit much. Of course, that's ultimately for you to decide.
The cost per wear of $1.00 might seem really low to you, but aiming for a goal of a Cost Per Wear of $3.00 or less is ideal if you want to get the most bang for your wardrobe buck.
Considering the Cost Per Wear is important because there’s a tendency for some bargain shoppers to focus only on the price of an item, rather than the usefulness of the item. In the long run, purchasing something you don’t need, will make any savings you may have initially made during the purchase, seem silly.
Another thing I enjoy doing is decorating my home. Making it a place of comfort and refuge while being appealing to the eye. I've found myself, over the years, drooling over beautiful magazine spreads and jaw dropping images of interiors around the web.
Not to be discouraged by the high price tag of the rooms I've been admiring, I've found my own ways to create rooms I love on a budget.
Paint
I'm sure you've all heard this before, but a can of paint really can do wonders to a room. Painting one, three or all four walls can transform the feel of a room in an instant, for less than $50! Take a whole bunch of paint sample chips home and place them against the walls throughout the day to pick a colour that will be right for you.
Don't always think of paint in terms of walls. Pick up a quart of paint for some old furniture that needs a facelift. Or my favourite, spray paint! I spray everything from candlesticks to mail boxes. I like to go with bright colours for these items since they add a bit of personality or drama.
Repurpose
I've been known to take old greeting cards and frame them in a cheap frame to create art for the walls. Or another favourite of mine, I buy nice, inexpensive dish towels to use as table runners for my coffee and kitchen tables. Think creatively!
Accessorize
Really, it's all in the accessories you use! Accessories are cheap in comparison to furniture pieces. Go for items in colours you'd never have the guts to use in large areas. For example, my kitchen, quite accidentally, is full of red accessories. These accessories happen to be practical though. A dish towel here, a red spatula there, and my piece de resistance, my beloved red KitchenAid mixer!
Play around and have fun with smaller items. I have a shelf of items that I like to rotate around my home so I don't get bored with a certain look. I like to call it shopping at home!
Splurge
Yep, you heard me, I said splurge! Just be smart about it. I'm a believer that with some items, like furniture, you'll save money in the long run if you purchase quality the first time. Have patience when it comes to buying the more expensive items as they will most likely end up on sale at some point!
Be Inspired
While looking through magazines or the like, ask yourself if you can recreate something you saw with items you already have or something from the thrift store. Fell in love with a dramatic black dresser with glass knobs? Make it yourself! It'll be a fraction of the cost. Inspiration can be found everywhere. A store window, a piece of fabric, a photograph or even scrapbook paper!
All in all, use your brilliant ideas to create the home of your dreams, that functions just as you want it to and is full of your own personality!
Being a stay at home mom isn't always roses and sunshine. Sure, we love being able to raise our children but there are times things get stressful. Money is usually pretty tight when there is only one income. We are always looking for ways to save money or bring in a little extra money! This list should give you some tips on how you can be saving and making money as a stay at home mom.
Turn Your Hobby into a Business
Just because you're at home taking care of the house doesn't mean you can't be a business woman at the same time. Think about your hobbies and skills and start a business out of it. Maybe you love to bake, sew or create graphics. Whatever it might be, try turning it into an online business. More and more stay at home moms are now starting businesses that they can run all while staying at home with their children.
Find a Work at Home Job (WAHJ)
There are several companies that will hire you to work from home. Some companies have a set time you have to work and others allow you to pick your own schedule. Working from home is a nice way to bring in some extra money and do it around your families schedule. Here are a few places that hire out of Canada.
If you’re just looking for coffee money I highly recommend joining Survey Junkie. If you want to do a few paid surveys for fun Survey Junkie is awesome for that.
Paying for mommy & me classes or any other classes for socializing the little ones can become very expensive! Try setting up playdates with other moms. This is a great way to save on those expensive classes and you have a chance to bond with other women in your community. You can set up playdates at your local park, library or at your home.
Get a Membership
As stay at home moms we love getting out of the house from time to time. No-one wants to be cooped up in the house all day, every day. You might want to consider investing in a membership to a local zoo, water park or any other local entertainment. Having an annual membership means you always have something to do without any large expenses involved.
Swap Services
Being a stay at home mom isn't always the easiest thing. There are times when you just want to have an afternoon to yourself or maybe you have an appointment and can't bring your little one. Paying for daycare when you're a stay at home mom is something just financially out of the question.
Look into swapping babysitting services with another stay at home mom. Maybe you can wash her children one day a week so she can have one day to relax or run errands and vice versa. This will help you save on those very expensive drop in daycare costs.
How do you save or make money as a stay at home mom?
Head on over to the Canadian Living website and you’ll find an article called 6 Unique Money-Saving Tips for Everyone. One of those tips (#6) is from yours truly!
While the tip discusses daily coffee runs, you can replace that vice with whatever vice applies to your own life.
I had the privilege of talking with Alyssa (months ago!) over the phone, about the website, and my favourite ways to save money so it’s fun to see the article in print finally!
It can be so easy to spend a lot on baby gifts, after all, everything is just so cute! Check out these tips that are sure to help you save big on all those baby gifts.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm currently in a big baby boom within my group of friends and family. Over the years I've found ways to cut costs on shower gifts while still maintaining a good looking gift. I personally like to create a gift consisting of practical items with something not so practical thrown in, like a pretty dress for a baby girl.
Here are some of my tried and true techniques that help me create a great baby gift on a budget:
Shop the Sales
I love the clearance section at The Real Canadian Superstore. I find the clothing adorable at a fantastic price! I've also found some great deals in the children's section at Walmart. Before you go crazy in the clearance sections, make sure you have a budget in mind for the particular person you're shopping for . It's very easy to spend, spend, spend!
Use Coupons
There are tons of coupons out there for diapers and baby toiletries. I find the baby toiletries make great fillers for gift baskets, and well, diapers are just practical!
Use Your Skills
Create your own gifts for the new parents. Sew a blanket or a set of burp cloths. Design and make a Baby's First Year book. If you are an experienced parent, create a helpful advice book, if you think the receiver would appreciate this. Paint a lovely picture for the nursery.
Team Up
If you would love the get the new parents something more substantial, why not go in with a group of friends or family on a more substantial gift? The gift is always appreciated no matter how many people go in on the gift.
Be of Service
The gift of time is truly appreciated. Offer to clean the house. Or do the laundry. Meals are always loved. Maybe even some baked goods that are great for snacking on for those late nights? After having my own baby girl, even having a friend over to simply hold her was much appreciated!
I hope I've given you some ideas to think about or at least gotten the creative juices flowing! Happy shopping (or happy helping)!
I'd love to know how you save money on baby gifts. Let me know in the comments!
