Money Wise Halloween Tips

There are two ways to approach how to get a Halloween costume ready without paying a ton of cash. You can either shop around and look for the best deal, or, if you have more time on your hands, create one on your own. If you prefer to shop, start as early as possible – you might be able to score  a deal before the prices go up. If that’s not possible, search eBay and Amazon for deals and discounts. There are instances where you can get a costume for cheaper than in-store, even after shipping is factored in.If you know exactly what your kid wants to be for Halloween, there is one other shrewd way to get a deal: Simply show up at a Halloween costume store the morning or afternoon of Halloween and ask for a discount. However, just keep in mind that if your child has chosen one of the more popular Halloween costumes, there’s good chance it will already be sold out. It’s a gamble, but you can save greatly if you can pull it off.If you want to make the costume from scratch, there are many ways to save. Pick up your supplies at a discount arts and crafts store such as Michael’s or JoAnn Fabric or check out eBay or Amazon. Both sites sell just about everything, and Halloween costumes supplies are certainly on that list. And remember that there are plenty of common household items that can be used for costumes such as pillows and pillow cases, cardboard boxes, decorative hats, stuffed animals, and just about any sort of sporting equipment. You are literally only limited by your creativity when it comes to a homemade Halloween costume.

To decorate the house, keep it simple and basic. The holiday is focused more on trick or treating than anything else, so there’s just no need to spend a lot of money on decorating the interior of the home. As a matter of fact, the mood you set is just as important as decorations, and you can accomplish that by simply turning down all the lights and lighting some candles. Some cheap orange and black crate paper should be all you need to come up with a few modest Halloween decorations.

Make the decorations a little more extravagant for the outside, but by no means should you drop hundreds of dollars on mechanical zombies, witches, or any other expensive Halloween decorations. Use construction paper for bats and pumpkins for the outside of the home so your decorations won’t blow away. Pull some branches off trees in your yard and display them around the doorway for a ghoulish look. Cut the corners out of a few white trash bags, stuff them with paper, and seal. Put on two black marks for eyes and you have yourself some Halloween ghosts to put up.

-Carly Fauth is Head of Marketing at Money Crashers