How to Celebrate Halloween on a Budget

It’s the time of year when ghosts and goblins run amok — as does the urge to go all out with decorations and costumes.

But Halloween costs can add up pretty quickly if you aren’t careful, and while you may love being scared by horror movies and haunted houses, nobody wants to scream in fear when they see their bank account balance.

Here are some ways to slash your spending while still celebrating Halloween to the fullest.

Get creative with your costumes

Halloween costumes are the season’s priciest item. Even children’s costumes can cost well over $50 for high-end or popular outfits, which is a lot for something that will may only be worn once.

Instead of buying off the rack, make your own costume. If you keep it simple, a DIY costume doesn’t require you to be an artist or expert garment maker.

Some ideas for repurposing things you may already have around the house:

Become a classic ghost using a white bed sheet with eye holes cut out.
Pull out your brightest pink clothing for a Barbie theme.
Have red hair? Pair a purple top with a green skirt and you’ve got a Little Mermaid-inspired look.
Grab black pants and a black long sleeved shirt, then add some strategically-placed duct tape to create a skeleton.
Pair your favourite blue jeans with a flannel button-up and a toque for a lumberjack outfit.
Get creative with decorated boxes to transform into a robot, perfume bottle, dice block, Rubik’s cube, etc.

Nerdy Tip

If a DIY Halloween costume sounds too complicated, consider costume swapping with friends rather than going to buy something new. Swapping costumes is a great way to dress up as something new-to-you while spending less.

Score second-hand décor

If you are looking for affordable Halloween-themed decorations, start at your local thrift stores, consignment stores or dollar stores. You can often find spooky vintage decorations for a fraction of the price you’d pay elsewhere.

Planning frightful décor can also be an opportunity to get creative, if you are so inclined. Take the ghost painting trend that’s all the rage on social media right now. To join in, scour the thrift shops for cheap, old paintings which you can then take home and enhance by using some white paint to add little ghosts into the scenery.

Not only is this a fun way to add some Halloween spirit to your house, but it’s also a pretty cheap activity to do with your friends in preparation for the season.

Choose your candy wisely

Did you know that some types of Halloween candy are significantly more expensive than others? As a rule of thumb, chocolate treats tend to be the priciest. And grocery and convenience stores tend to be the most expensive places to buy Halloween candy.

Before you stock up, compare ad prices and even check places like the dollar store. If you have a friend or neighbour willing to split, it might also be worth buying in bulk from a store like Costco.

Shop last minute

Waiting until the last minute to deck your horrifying halls could help you save a few bucks.

Pumpkins, for example, often see clearance prices a day or two before Halloween. Now, you might be left with some lumpy, lopsided options but, hey, that’s pretty on-theme for the holiday! Carving jack-o’-lanterns could become a fun Halloween eve tradition.

If you do pick up a pumpkin earlier in October, don’t carve it immediately. Pumpkins rot really quickly (and attract birds and squirrels). The last thing you want is to craft the perfect jack-o’-lantern and have it ruined before Halloween.

When shopping last minute, it also pays to think about next year. Prices often drop dramatically the day of and after Halloween. While you can’t really stock up on pumpkins or candy, you can grab some decorations and even costumes at deeply discounted prices to stick away until next year.