Halloween can be a time for fun, but it can also be a time for financial stress - putting more pressure on our bank accounts than we’d anticipate. Outfits can be extremely expensive from costume shops, particularly if you are dressing up a whole family. However, we’ve created a ghoul-proof list that allows you to save money without sacrificing the celebration or fun.
1. Get out your needle and thread
If you fancy some DIY and are the artsy type (or non-artsy type like me) then this is a great way to save money. Halloween costumes are costing an arm and a leg nowadays, so by creating something at home you can save money whilst letting your creative juices flow. Buy some basic materials from places like charity or fabric shops, put some music on (Halloween-themed if you fancy) and get to work! 🧵
2. Use vouchers
Whilst some supermarkets charge ludicrous prices for Halloween costumes, utilise points at your local supermarket and use those points for purchasing a Halloween costume. Tesco has a great clubcard scheme where you can use your points from grocery shopping, turn them into vouchers and then use those vouchers to get money off of a future purchase. Plenty of other supermarkets offer incentives like these so do some research to see what works for you because hey, every little helps 👀
3. Make secondhand your first choice
Charity shops are brilliant for purchasing clothing, particularly Halloween costumes for a quarter of its usual price. Instead of spending upwards of £30 you can spend as little as £3. Not only are you acting sustainably, but you are also putting that money towards a good cause. Some costumes are even selling for 99p! So get down to your high street and enjoy!
4. Sell last year’s costume
If you are even the slightest bit sentimental like me, then you love to keep your possessions…even when you know you won’t be wearing them again. Instead of letting those items collect dust, post them to second-hand selling sites (Vinted, Depop, Facebook Marketplace) and make some money. You can then use that money to contribute towards a new costume for this year. Almost like a one-in, one-out policy. Therefore, you aren’t forking out lots of money for a new outfit and you are clearing out your wardrobe of things that are taking up unnecessary space.
5. Only buy accessories
Whilst this might seem obvious to some, you’d be surprised at how much money you can save by only buying accessories instead of a whole costume. An example might be that you want to go as a devil. Buy some devil ears and a tail then dress all in red. Or if you want to go as a zombie, buy some paint to decorate your face and then find some old clothes that you can tear up. This enables you to still look the part whilst not spending a monster-ous amount of money 🧌
