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This Halloween, you can save money on costumes for you or your children without sacrificing quality. These easy-to-make Halloween costumes are all under $20 and will impress anyone you meet at the party or on your street. Spend quality creative time with your kids and make memories that will last a lifetime. Check out these fun costume ideas.
Scarecrow
You’ll find making this costume a breeze! Plus, you can put your own spin on it with the type of hat and clothing you choose. Allow your child to put their personality into it.
- Get a burlap sack, or use an old pillowcase.
- Attach straw with glue or tape to the outside of the bag. You can also buy it as a craft supply for about $2/bundle and just add some extra to your costume!
- Put on hat and gloves so that you are covered up and comfy (and warm!).
- Find old clothes that fit you well, then use them as part of your scarecrow costume! If you don’t have any clothes like this, try wearing jeans without shoes (or tennis shoes), t-shirts in white or tan colors, etc… It’s not necessary for these things to match each other perfectly: just make sure they look good together!
Classic Halloween Costumes: Ghost
A ghost costume is a classic. There are so many ways you can achieve the look, but the simplest one is with a sheet.
- White sheet
- Mask
- Gloves
- Tights
- Socks (optional)
- Shoes (optional)
Now you can make your own ghost costume by following these simple steps:
- Dress up in white clothing and put on a mask that covers your face completely so that it looks like a blank, pale face.
- Add some accessories to make it even more realistic! You can wear gloves to give yourself some arms and tights or socks for legs.
- You’ll need some shoes or boots if you’re going to walk around town dressed as a ghostly creature, but if you’re just going to stay at home, don’t bother with them!
- If you want an extra spooky effect add tape over the eyes of your mask so no one can see through it at all when they look at you from behind it too close up–that way only people standing back far enough away will be able to see clearly who’s underneath all that cloth anyway.
Vampire
To make this costume, you’ll need a black shirt, black pants and a cape to complete this look. Then, use red face paint to create the vampire’s rosy cheeks. For added effect, you can use fake blood to make your teeth look extra sharp! Add in some fangs for more of an eerie effect!
Mummy
A mummy costume is quick to create but takes a little patience to put on. You’ll need bandages and not much more.
- For a mummy, you can use a sheet or bandages to cover your body.
- Eyeball holes will help you see where you’re going and what’s around you.
- You can complete the look with a mask or wig!
Halloween Costumes Do Not Have to be Expensive to Look Good
Halloween costumes do not have to be expensive. You can make your children’s costumes or use things you already have in your home Costumes don’t have to be scary or gory either; they can just be fun and unique!
Here are some examples of creative homemade costumes.
Take an old white t-shirt and draw stripes on it with a permanent marker (you could also sew the stripes on). Then, use red fabric paint so to paint the letters “N” and “Y” on each side of the shirt. Instant New York City taxi cab driver!
We bet you’ve never seen anyone dress up as swiss cheese. You can make this costume in minutes. Take 2 sheets of poster board and paint them with yellow paint. Then, cut out uneven holes. Throw on some yellow clothes, and attach the poster board pieces with some string. Then, place the poster board over your head. You’re the cheese, voila!
Another out-of-the-box idea is bubble bath. Blow up some balloons and find a rubber ducky. Wear white, blue, pink, or a pastel color and attach the balloons and ducky. Outfit complete!
Find Cheap Supplies for Your Halloween Costumes
You don’t have to pay top dollar at the craft store. Keep your eye out for pieces you can use at garage sales and on Facebook Marketplace. Check the clearance section at Walmart and Target. Browse consignment shops. Or, take a visit to the dollar store or even repurpose items you have lying around the house. Then are plenty of ways to source parts for your costume without paying more than you need to.
Halloween is a Time to Be Creative
Halloween is a great time to get creative with your kids. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on costumes, and they can create fun ones on their own. The best part is that these costumes are easy enough for anyone to make at home!
