How to Celebrate Halloween on a Skeleton Budget

Halloween is first in the marathon holiday season that runs from October through January, and for folks budgeting to make it to New Year’s Day, the funds allotted for All Hallow’s Eve can be sparse. But that doesn’t mean you only get to carve a pumpkin and call it a day. With a little price-comparison shopping, you can have a Halloween-themed apartment that would scare even the most haunting of budgets away. Candy Let’s be honest, decorations and costumes are great, but if you don’t have candy, you aren’t celebrating this holiday properly. With an entire aisle devoted to treats, the dollar store has you covered in abundance. For a dollar, you can get the same bulk-size bag you would find at Target for $9.99. You’ll also need a spooky witch’s cauldron to put the candy in. Those run $289 and $29.99 at Crate and Barrel and Bed Bath and Beyond, respectively. The good news? You can get the exact same aesthetic for just a buck at your dollar store. Decorations When it comes to turning your apartment into a haunted house, a dollar store can be a gold mine. Look not only for seasonal decorations but creative solutions as well. Pinterest is overflowing with DIY Halloween projects. For pennies, you can mimic Pottery Barn’s $30 spider figurines by painting dollar store jingle bells. The stretchy cotton web that goes for $7.99 at Party City can easily be recreated with 99-cent cotton balls. And for what it costs to buy one candle at West Elm, you could have 14 spooky candles to light your Halloween party. Costume The only thing left to do now is find the perfect costume. Pinterest is brimming with DIY costume ideas, so instead of paying $49 for a donut costume at your local Halloween headquarters, take advantage of the marked-down pool toys at a dollar store and DIY your donut with an inner tube.

Image Source: StudioDIY.com

Add some DIY donut glasses to the costume for an even more fun look!

Image Source: StudioDIY.com

Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the Halloween fun. With some savvy price-comparison knowledge, you can be hobgoblin with the best of them. For some tips on decorating with some natural elements for Halloween, check here.