Frugal Halloween: Costumes

Trick or Treat!  I love fall and Halloween.  In honor of October, we will be discussing frugal ways to enjoy all of the treats of Halloween without the tricks of overpriced holiday fare.  Today we are going to pick out our costumes on the cheap.

• Look for costume inspiration around the house and make your own.  Before you have your heart set on being a store-bought Angry Bird, look around the house.  Does that paper box remind you of a tractor?  Does cornstarch remind you of old lady/man hair?  Can your older child go as a baby using your actual baby's bottle and pacifier?  Meander through the house with an open mind.  You might just find the perfect costume in an item you use all the time.  When we were growing up, buying a costume was not an option, we had to think of our own costumes.  Do an Internet search or check out www.pintrest.com for ideas as well.  The library also has tons of DIY Halloween costume books available, in fact the Georgetown branch even has them out in front for your convenience.  

• Ask around.  Before you run to the store to purchase a $30 costume your child will only wear once, ask around.  See if anyone in your family, friends, co-workers, committee members or church members have extra costumes they aren't using.  I, for one, got my Halloween tub from the attic this weekend.  I have 10 costumes that were passed on to me from other people.  As soon as we are done with them, they'll find a new, happy home!

• Look in the right places if you must go shopping.  Craigslist has TONS of costume listings.  Most of them appear to be very reasonably priced, and you don't have to pay for shipping!  .  Don't forget about Goodwill and Salvation Army.  Ebay is another place you might find a hidden jewel of a costume, just be careful of shipping costs.  Another possibility is thredUP, a website that buys and sells gently used kids clothes, they have like-new costumes for cheap.  

• Think ahead.  This tip won't really help you much for this year, but after the holiday is over, purchase your costumes for next year on clearance.  Kate's kids got really cute, frilly dress-up skirts from Walmart for fifty cents after the conclusion of Halloween. These sorts of things also make great gifts for Christmas, especially if your kiddos like to play dress up.