Halloween is right around the corner. And while having ghouls and goblins run around your neighborhood can be spooky, the amount you paid for those costumes can be even scarier—especially if you have several children. Here are a few ways that you can save on costumes this Halloween season.
1. Make your own costume. Get creative and pull something together from items around the house. Many costumes such as a ghosts, princesses and cowboys can be made from things you already own. One year, I turned my niece into a beauty queen using just thick ribbon for a sash and a plastic crown she got from a toy store the year before. It’s also important to remember that most of the time it’s not so much the clothing but the makeup that completes the outfit. Awesome skeleton makeup with a simple black shirt can be a really neat Halloween costume, for example. Check out some YouTube Halloween makeup tutorial videos for inspiration.
2. Host a Halloween costume swap. Think about it: kids usually aren’t fond of going as the same witch three years in a row and typically only wear their costume once. So why not swap it out for a new one? Gather parents around in the neighborhood and organize a time and place where children can trade costumes. Your kid gets a new costume and most importantly it was for free.
3. Shop at consignment stores/yard sales. Many second-hand clothing stores and thrift shops carry both adult and children Halloween costumes during the Halloween season. The Halloween costumes are gently used but cost much less than new costumes. Like consignment stores, yard sales are another place to look for gently used Halloween costumes, but they are typically even cheaper than consignment stores. Shop early during the season to get a good variety and first pick at the better costumes.
4. Skip the Halloween Shop. Try checking out dollar stores instead. Not only do they sometimes sell costumes, but they also carry great accessories such as wands, swords and vampire teeth that can get really costly at a Halloween costume shop. They also carry face paint and candy buckets. If the dollar store is not your cup of tea, try shopping online. If you have the patience, scouring websites that sell Halloween costumes can save you a bundle. It’s easier to monitor sale prices and compare prices with other online stores. Chances are you’ll probably find a better selection too. But don’t forget about shipping costs.
No matter what you or your child decides to dress up as this Halloween season, there is no reason you have to break the family budget.
This guest post is contributed by Roger Elmore, who writes on the topics of hospitality management degree. He welcomes your comments at his email Id: rogerelmore24 @gmail.com.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Swapping is a great way to keep costumes out of the landfill where they, like other garbage, contribute to greenhouse gases!
And I wanted to let you know about National Costume Swap Day. No cost to participate. We've got a list of public swaps in 15 states (as of today) where moms can find a swap or register a swap if they're having one (public or private).
The idea is to encourage swapping and keep costumes out of the landfill!
Thanks for suggesting this idea and happy swapping!
That's great Lynn! Swapping costumes is a great idea. If you do not have somebody you can swap with you can always sell your costume to a consignment shop and buy another one from the same store. They usually stock up on costumes around Halloween.