How to have Halloween fun on a budget - and still stay spooky!

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This is a guest post contributed by BunnyPudding

Halloween has grown bigger and bigger in recent years and this means that it has begun to cost us more and more each year. Eurgh, I mean we want to have spooky fun but surely it all doesn’t all have to be so commercial does it? So how can one maintain the spooky fun without breaking the bank? Simples!

Make your own costume

This is pretty simple but making your own costume can be a fabulous cost effective way to save money and look freakishly fabulous. The key is to use what you have got and not go too extreme with your outfits.

Now I am not just talking about the old bin bag and witch hat look which we have all done once in our lives…you really can look amazing without spending a penny. Don’t believe me? Allow me to introduce you to my zombie flapper girl look from my last Halloween party, this outfit cost me absolutely nothing, I reused an old bridesmaid dress and shoes, and added some broken hair ornaments (also, from a wedding) and ta dah! I was a super spooky zombie happy to dance the night away at the party!

The make up was pretty simple too, some talc powder and then I used eyeshadow from a pallet I don’t use anymore and et voila – the perfect creepy, pale complexion. There are loads of use of great Halloween make-up tutorials on YouTube and instagram which can help you get the most out of your look.

Stuck for Inspiration?

If you are still not sure what to go as I recommended that you check out the giffgaff retro Halloween Costume generator. It’s also fun to play with the kids to see what was the most popular outfit for Halloween the year that they were born. I did and mine came up as Ghostbusters, whoo hoo! A boiler suit, an enhanced backpack and some tin foil surrounded tubing and I am all set!

Pinterest has some amazing boards for Halloween looks, and of course you can look to modern day pop culture and find some inspiration.

Also, a quick search using the hashtags #halloweencostume and #halloweensinpiration should help – be careful though you may lose a few hours appreciating some of the looks!

Easy peasy costumes which can be made to look super cool on a budget are:

Cats and Bats – All back outfits, an old pair of tights for a tail, cardboard ears…purrfect
Vampires – again, clothes you can find at home, bin bag as a cape and some fabulous make – up…mwah- ha ha ha darling!
Witches and Wizards – a stick from the garden is your wand, you can even make a hat out of cardboard…wicked!
Zombies – just rip up some old clothes, make your face look ghoulish and zombie horde, ahoy!

Make your own Halloween Evening in!

Why go out when you can stay in and have a fabulous party at home? Or even better, why spend the money on Halloween trick or treat sweets when you can make your own for a fraction of the price? Youtube and facebook have some great video hacks, including the ones below.

But there are other ways you can make Halloween budget go even further:

Carve your pumpkins a few days in advance, so you get more use out of them!
Whilst we are on the subject of pumpkins, why not use the insides of the pumpkin to make a pie or soup? Yummy!
Make your own decorations, simple but effective…and it can keep the little ones busy and engaged
LIke with Pumpkings, other healthy food can be used in many ways such as apples – some for bobbing, some for baking into creepy faces and some to make into creepy crumbles.

Save pennies by having some spooky JOMO (Joy of missing out).

You don’t have to do anything at all. Just curl up and watch some spooky films on the tv as there will be plenty on that season. If you want to create a mood, why not light some candles?

So what are your money saving tips for Halloween? Are you doing anything exciting for the day or are you going to be one of the those who pretends they aren’t home – no judgement, trick or treating isn’t for everyone! Make sure to let us know below as we’d love to hear from you.

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