Halloween Costumes on a Budget

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.
• Black Cat: 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?