Halloween is right around the corner! And you know what that means – your little ones will be clamoring for one of those ultra expensive costumes from one of the big box stores. My oldest has his heart set on a Star Wars Storm Trooper costume that is priced at a whopping $49.95. Eek!!! Sorry, hon – that is just NOT happening!
I know that finances are tough for many these days, so the scary prices I’m seeing when I’m out and about inspired me to seek out some ways to help you save on costumes for your little ones. With just a little creativity, you can still create a costume to be proud of on the cheap!
- Make your own costume. This is probably the most obvious way to save some cents. ALL YOU magazine has some cute ones with detailed instructions and templates included. Parenting magazine has some great no-sew costumes too! Don’t forget to raid your closets. You probably have the makings of a great costume already on hand. Pick up some great, cheap accessories from the dollar store/section, and you’re ready to go!
- Reuse costumes from prior years. We’ve saved all of our costumes through the years. Before we take the kids out shopping for a new costume, we “shop” what we already have. It’s very likely that they may have rediscovered a love for Batman or firemen and will be thrilled to wear a costume from a few years back (assuming it still fits). Or you can recycle them through the ranks. For example, we have an adorable Old Navy frog costume that we have more than gotten our money’s worth out of. It’s a running tradition in our family for baby’s first Halloween that will be carried on by baby #5 this year.
- Organize a costume swap with your friends or share with friends. Surely many of them have barely used costumes and would be more than open to trading them for another gently used costume rather than paying big bucks for a brand new one. Or perhaps their children will be Trick-or-Treating on a different night than yours and they’d be willing to split the cost of a new costume.
- Buy used costumes. Thrift stores are a great place to find items to use for costumes. Old party dresses and funky suits can be used to create a unique costume that your child will be excited to wear. Consignment shops are a great place to find gently used costumes as well, but you’ll need to start shopping now because the best ones go quickly! Other sources to check would be Craigslist and eBay.
- Shop the clearance sections after Halloween or the dollar stores/sections this year to save big next year. You can find costumes at rock bottom prices in the week following Halloween. Stock up for the following year. I’ve even bought clearanced costumes at fabulous prices for the girls’ dress-up box.
We’re actually going to be doing a combination of many of the above suggestions this year. My oldest is getting a new Storm Trooper costume, but it definitely will not be the $49.95 version. We’ll be searching out a MUCH cheaper version. My five-year-old DS wants to reuse the Darth Vader costume that my oldest wore last year, so that’s free! My four-year-old DD wants to be Barbie from Barbie & the Diamond Castle, and I found a reasonably priced version of this. Our two-year-old DD I believe is going to wear the Tinker Bell costume that my older DD wore the past two years and actually was a hand-me-down to start. (Thanks, Chrissy!) And the baby is going to be the much loved frog, of course.
How are you planning to save on Halloween costumes this year? I’d love to hear your suggestions!
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Andrea @ Mommy Snacks
Tara – great post and tips! We have that same exact frog costume that our 2nd son wore and our babe is gonna wear this year too!…too funny :-)
Andrea @ Mommy Snacks
Tara – great post and tips! We have that same exact frog costume that our 2nd son wore and our babe is gonna wear this year too!…too funny :-)
Andrea @ Mommy Snacks
Tara – great post and tips! We have that same exact frog costume that our 2nd son wore and our babe is gonna wear this year too!…too funny :-)
Manuela
My husband wanted our son to be the Joker from Batman, so I went to the fabric store and bought felt that was on sale and sewed a purple blazer for him, and the outfit underneath are just regular fall clothes that he can wear all year! So the costume only cost about $5…
Manuela
My husband wanted our son to be the Joker from Batman, so I went to the fabric store and bought felt that was on sale and sewed a purple blazer for him, and the outfit underneath are just regular fall clothes that he can wear all year! So the costume only cost about $5…
Manuela
My husband wanted our son to be the Joker from Batman, so I went to the fabric store and bought felt that was on sale and sewed a purple blazer for him, and the outfit underneath are just regular fall clothes that he can wear all year! So the costume only cost about $5…
Bren
My DD11 is going to be a witch. I bought a $42 dress clearanced to $16 for the outfit. She will wear tights & shoes she already has. I bought a $1 witch hat & a $3 boa to decorate the hat. I spent a little over $22, BUT the black dress was not from the costume area….it’s a regular dress that she can wear after Halloween is long over. My DS8 had his heart set on a skeleton costume. I bought it new, but on sale for $21 (it had been $30). I am sure it will see lots of play after it heads to the dress up bin (or my younger son may wear it in the future). My DS4 saw a military camouflage outfit & loved it. We left the costume dept. (where he saw the outfit) and found a soft thermal tee & cotton pants in camouflage for around $20. We have a green hat already that we paired with his “army man” costume. Again, like his sisters outfit the clothes will be worn after the holiday since they aren’t a cheap polyester or plastic costume. Not the cheapest of costumes I know, but I feel good in knowing that two of the outfits will be worn many more times than just Halloween night.
Bren
My DD11 is going to be a witch. I bought a $42 dress clearanced to $16 for the outfit. She will wear tights & shoes she already has. I bought a $1 witch hat & a $3 boa to decorate the hat. I spent a little over $22, BUT the black dress was not from the costume area….it’s a regular dress that she can wear after Halloween is long over. My DS8 had his heart set on a skeleton costume. I bought it new, but on sale for $21 (it had been $30). I am sure it will see lots of play after it heads to the dress up bin (or my younger son may wear it in the future). My DS4 saw a military camouflage outfit & loved it. We left the costume dept. (where he saw the outfit) and found a soft thermal tee & cotton pants in camouflage for around $20. We have a green hat already that we paired with his “army man” costume. Again, like his sisters outfit the clothes will be worn after the holiday since they aren’t a cheap polyester or plastic costume. Not the cheapest of costumes I know, but I feel good in knowing that two of the outfits will be worn many more times than just Halloween night.
Bren
My DD11 is going to be a witch. I bought a $42 dress clearanced to $16 for the outfit. She will wear tights & shoes she already has. I bought a $1 witch hat & a $3 boa to decorate the hat. I spent a little over $22, BUT the black dress was not from the costume area….it’s a regular dress that she can wear after Halloween is long over. My DS8 had his heart set on a skeleton costume. I bought it new, but on sale for $21 (it had been $30). I am sure it will see lots of play after it heads to the dress up bin (or my younger son may wear it in the future). My DS4 saw a military camouflage outfit & loved it. We left the costume dept. (where he saw the outfit) and found a soft thermal tee & cotton pants in camouflage for around $20. We have a green hat already that we paired with his “army man” costume. Again, like his sisters outfit the clothes will be worn after the holiday since they aren’t a cheap polyester or plastic costume. Not the cheapest of costumes I know, but I feel good in knowing that two of the outfits will be worn many more times than just Halloween night.
Deal Seeking Mom
Thanks for your comments, ladies!
Bren, your comment just reminded me that we actually bought jammies as a costume a few years ago. Target had Batman and Spiderman pajamas that looked very much like costumes. The Batman ones even had a detachable cape. So we used those and painted their faces, and then they wore them to bed for the next two years! (They were slightly big when we bought them.)
Deal Seeking Mom
Thanks for your comments, ladies!
Bren, your comment just reminded me that we actually bought jammies as a costume a few years ago. Target had Batman and Spiderman pajamas that looked very much like costumes. The Batman ones even had a detachable cape. So we used those and painted their faces, and then they wore them to bed for the next two years! (They were slightly big when we bought them.)
Deal Seeking Mom
Thanks for your comments, ladies!
Bren, your comment just reminded me that we actually bought jammies as a costume a few years ago. Target had Batman and Spiderman pajamas that looked very much like costumes. The Batman ones even had a detachable cape. So we used those and painted their faces, and then they wore them to bed for the next two years! (They were slightly big when we bought them.)
Melody
If your looking for a stormtrooper costume, Marcs has them for 4.99. That is where we got my sons costume. They have much more but they are all closeouts.
Melody
If your looking for a stormtrooper costume, Marcs has them for 4.99. That is where we got my sons costume. They have much more but they are all closeouts.
Melody
If your looking for a stormtrooper costume, Marcs has them for 4.99. That is where we got my sons costume. They have much more but they are all closeouts.
Briana @ Bargain Briana
Lucky for us, my youngest son (4) still LOVES to wear hand me downs from his big brother (8). So he wants to be Batman, which we already have! YAY!
I also bought costumes on clearance and other make up and Halloween Garb on clearance. Not sure what the older kids want to be yet but they will figure something out with the stuff we have.
Youngest (2) is going to be Dorothy from the Wizard. I found a cute costume online for only $5.99. It was a playset but it will work as a Halloween Costume!
Briana @ Bargain Briana
Lucky for us, my youngest son (4) still LOVES to wear hand me downs from his big brother (8). So he wants to be Batman, which we already have! YAY!
I also bought costumes on clearance and other make up and Halloween Garb on clearance. Not sure what the older kids want to be yet but they will figure something out with the stuff we have.
Youngest (2) is going to be Dorothy from the Wizard. I found a cute costume online for only $5.99. It was a playset but it will work as a Halloween Costume!
Briana @ Bargain Briana
Lucky for us, my youngest son (4) still LOVES to wear hand me downs from his big brother (8). So he wants to be Batman, which we already have! YAY!
I also bought costumes on clearance and other make up and Halloween Garb on clearance. Not sure what the older kids want to be yet but they will figure something out with the stuff we have.
Youngest (2) is going to be Dorothy from the Wizard. I found a cute costume online for only $5.99. It was a playset but it will work as a Halloween Costume!
Deal Seeking Mom
Thanks for the tip, Melody! I’ll have to check it out.
Yay for hand-me-downs, Briana! Unfortunately, we don’t have any for my two oldest. They’re 12 mos. apart and have worn the same size since I can remember. I guess that just means the baby will have a huge wardrobe!
Deal Seeking Mom
Thanks for the tip, Melody! I’ll have to check it out.
Yay for hand-me-downs, Briana! Unfortunately, we don’t have any for my two oldest. They’re 12 mos. apart and have worn the same size since I can remember. I guess that just means the baby will have a huge wardrobe!
Deal Seeking Mom
Thanks for the tip, Melody! I’ll have to check it out.
Yay for hand-me-downs, Briana! Unfortunately, we don’t have any for my two oldest. They’re 12 mos. apart and have worn the same size since I can remember. I guess that just means the baby will have a huge wardrobe!
Dani
Great tips. This will be my daughter’s 2nd Halloween and her two costumes were bought at yard sales for $1 and $2. My baby will not be quite 3 months, he just has a cute outfit that he’s been wearing all month.
Over the years as my my son would wear his sports uniforms as costumes, one year he had wore his baseball uni, another year his hockey uniform and I used makeup to give him a black eye.
Dani´s last blog post..Consignment Sale
Dani
Great tips. This will be my daughter’s 2nd Halloween and her two costumes were bought at yard sales for $1 and $2. My baby will not be quite 3 months, he just has a cute outfit that he’s been wearing all month.
Over the years as my my son would wear his sports uniforms as costumes, one year he had wore his baseball uni, another year his hockey uniform and I used makeup to give him a black eye.
Dani´s last blog post..Consignment Sale
Dani
Great tips. This will be my daughter’s 2nd Halloween and her two costumes were bought at yard sales for $1 and $2. My baby will not be quite 3 months, he just has a cute outfit that he’s been wearing all month.
Over the years as my my son would wear his sports uniforms as costumes, one year he had wore his baseball uni, another year his hockey uniform and I used makeup to give him a black eye.
Dani´s last blog post..Consignment Sale
Shay Speer
This year, we splurged for my 3 yr. old dd and let her have a Cinderella costume from the dress-up play clothes area instead of Halloween costumes. She will probably wear it nearly every day (for play) for at least a year unless it wears out. DS (10 months) will wear an outerwear Eeyore outfit we already had that has a tail and ears on the hood. We were very frugal the last two years, though. DD had a free lion costume from a friend of mine (DS can wear it next year or the year after) and the year before she was an angel. I got the wings and halo from the bins at Target for $2.50, bought a white skirt, put her in white tights and a white shirt she already had. She was able to wear the clothes again.
Shay Speer
This year, we splurged for my 3 yr. old dd and let her have a Cinderella costume from the dress-up play clothes area instead of Halloween costumes. She will probably wear it nearly every day (for play) for at least a year unless it wears out. DS (10 months) will wear an outerwear Eeyore outfit we already had that has a tail and ears on the hood. We were very frugal the last two years, though. DD had a free lion costume from a friend of mine (DS can wear it next year or the year after) and the year before she was an angel. I got the wings and halo from the bins at Target for $2.50, bought a white skirt, put her in white tights and a white shirt she already had. She was able to wear the clothes again.
Shay Speer
This year, we splurged for my 3 yr. old dd and let her have a Cinderella costume from the dress-up play clothes area instead of Halloween costumes. She will probably wear it nearly every day (for play) for at least a year unless it wears out. DS (10 months) will wear an outerwear Eeyore outfit we already had that has a tail and ears on the hood. We were very frugal the last two years, though. DD had a free lion costume from a friend of mine (DS can wear it next year or the year after) and the year before she was an angel. I got the wings and halo from the bins at Target for $2.50, bought a white skirt, put her in white tights and a white shirt she already had. She was able to wear the clothes again.
Deal Seeking Mom
I love the sports uniform idea! I didn’t even think about that one. Thanks for sharing, Dani, and thanks for your ideas as well, Shay. Costumes that can reused for everyday play are frugality at its best!
Deal Seeking Mom
I love the sports uniform idea! I didn’t even think about that one. Thanks for sharing, Dani, and thanks for your ideas as well, Shay. Costumes that can reused for everyday play are frugality at its best!
Deal Seeking Mom
I love the sports uniform idea! I didn’t even think about that one. Thanks for sharing, Dani, and thanks for your ideas as well, Shay. Costumes that can reused for everyday play are frugality at its best!