A budget is a good thing to have when Halloween comes around. With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, you don’t want to spend too much on one holiday. That being said, Halloween now rivals Christmas in sales, so it can be tempting to spend far too much money. Having a budget doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on the fun, though. Here are ten tips for celebrating Halloween on a budget.
1. Use a pillowcase as a treat bag
There’s no need for fancy treat bags when you have a pillowcase at home. Let kids paint or decorate their pillowcase to match their costumes. The larger bags will hold plenty of candy and save you money. If you don’t want to paint your pillowcase, you can take a big paper bag and decorate it as you or your little ones wish.
2. Grab the discount candy
You might think that it’s hard to save on Halloween candies, however, it’s possible. Consider buying your candy on Halloween. It will be cheaper since the stores need to clear the shelves to make room for other holiday goodies. The drop in price can help you supply neighborhood children with candy for much less. Don’t worry, nobody will even notice it!
3. Order online
From party decorations to Halloween costumes, there are plenty of options online. In fact, buying from virtual stores is often cheaper than picking something up locally. If your goal is to cut costs, try buying what you need online. However, be careful when you buy something online during the holiday season.
4. Make your own costume
A DIY costume doesn’t have to look homemade. There are some great costume ideas out there and as long as you have the time, there’s no reason you can’t pull one off. Some of the best and easiest Halloween costume ideas to try are superheroes, Robin Hood, witch, Minions, and skeletons.
Read also – 10 DIY Halloween Costumes for Babies
5. Hold a costume swap
You probably aren’t the only person who is looking to keep the costs down this year, so why not do a costume swap? Everyone who joins can bring the costumes they have from previous years and everyone can browse through what is available and pick something they like for free. Whether or not you give the costumes back at the end or just do a complete trade is up to you.
6. Check the attic
Take a look in your attic or basement to see what you have that can be used to decorate the house for free. You might be pleasantly surprised. Even simple pickle jars can be turned into spooky displays with the addition of a doll’s head and some tinted water. Old wine bottles or containers can be given printed labels to make them spooky and rusty tools can be hung on the walls and give a few dabs of fake blood.
7. Find free activities
Most towns have fun, free celebrations that you can enjoy with the whole family. Skip the expensive haunted houses and join the masses in the town square instead. The local churches may also offer free activities. You can also celebrate Halloween at home: play board games, do crafts, decorate your home, watch scary movies, or just tell scary stories. You can also go to your local park and have a Halloween treasure hunt. The options are endless!
8. Buy used
Check the local classifieds or bidding sites to find great costumes that have been used once. You can also find a range of party décor on these sites, all for much lower prices than buying new. Don’t forget the thrift stores. They are likely to have goodies this time of year, too.
9. Hand out the candy
Instead of letting kids grab what they want from the candy bowl, dole out the sweets to keep the costs down. If you really want to be stingy, take your own kids trick or treating early and refill the candy bowl from their stash. Just expect protests if you have any children over two.
Read also – 10 Creepy DIY Halloween Decorations
10. Head to the dollar store
You can’t beat the dollar store for cheap decorations. They may not last more than one year, but you’ll spend a fraction of the amount that you would anywhere else. You can often find large bags of candy at the dollar store, as well.
Stocking up on candy early in the season, making your own costumes and finding cheap, used decorations are just a few of the ways you can save money this Halloween. Set a budget before the holiday and make sure you stick to it. You’ll find that you can be very creative if you need to be. If you have your own tips for celebrating Halloween on a budget, share them with us, please.