How to save money on Halloween

by Erin Shelby

Halloween can be fun, but the price sometimes isn’t. Learn how to save money on Halloween costs with these simple tips.

Before you buy Halloween decorations, you may have your eyes on a large prop, strobe lights or a fog machine. As you plan your list, compare renting and buying these items. Will you save money if you rent a fog machine for the night, or is it cheaper to buy?

You can save money on Halloween decorations if you look for items like pumpkins or hay bales to decorate the outside of your home. These items are beautiful for the entire season of fall, including Thanksgiving, and hay bales are a fun way to provide outdoor seating for kids during a party. Making your own Halloween or fall wreath is another fun way to have decoration without spending a fortune.

Using a cloth tablecloth for your Halloween dinner party may not save you money at first, but in the long run, it’s better for the environment and it may better for your wallet. You might opt for a plain black tablecloth and black napkins, which can be used at other times of the year. Black is also a graceful color at the dinner table as it hides dirt and stains. White votive candles make a beautiful, inexpensive Halloween dinner party decoration to illuminate pumpkins and add a touch of warmth to the table.

If you’ve decorated every nook and cranny of your home, then you’ll be spending some time putting those items away. If Halloween luminaries are part of your outdoor Halloween decoration plan, use these tips for repurposing them. Always keep a fire extinguisher on hand when using fire so your festivities stay safe and fun.

Shopping online for a costume can help you quickly compare which store has the best price. Even better, it can help you create your own costume ideas so you won’t look like anyone else. If you know how to sew, you can make your own costume, and if you like creating new ideas, you can come up with a new idea for a costume that might use things you already have or things you can easily get. You can make your own fake blood at home and devise a way to color your own hair temporarily. If a group of friends are interested in saving money on Halloween costumes, a swap night can be a fun solution. Everyone can bring an item or two used in Halloweens past that he or she is willing to part with permanently. Members of the swap meet can look at all the items and trade. Everyone will go home with at least one item that they didn’t have before, which can be used to create or add to a new Halloween costume. Items to bring to the Halloween swap meet could include:

• Wigs or hats
• Unopened packages of Halloween makeup or fake blood
• Artificial swords
• Clown shoes
• Doctor or nurse “scrubs”
• Masks or glow-in-the-dark items
• Camouflage clothing
• Costumes- used or unused
• Tiaras, crowns, scepters or royal robes
• Unused glow sticks
• Any other Halloween accessory

Passing out Halloween candy can be similar to feeding a small army. Save money on Halloween candy by planning ahead. If you’re stuck at the last minute – the night of the party – and you still need to buy your supplies, look for candy on clearance. You could save as much as 50% because stores are anxious to get rid of anything seasonal that won’t sell. If you can’t find anything on clearance, go for the next best thing – store brand – and it will help if you already know which store brand is good and which isn’t.