Save money on halloween

Halloween, like any other holiday is a time for fun for people in all walks of life, but the expenses of decorating, entertaining and dressing up sure can add up.  Don't ruin the holiday fun by spending too much money and then fretting over it.  There are plenty of ways to offset costs without affecting the fun factor. Have a fun, safe, and frugal Halloween this year by sticking to a few money-saving guidelines. 

1. Secondhand shops - When it comes to both costumes and decorations, shop at thrift stores and yard sales for unique bargains. A number of families get rid of seasonal items once the season is over. Take advantage of this!
2. Ration the candy ( a little )- By no means does this mean being stingy, but there really is no reason to give each trick-or-treater a huge pile of candy. 
3. Save more money on candy- There are several ways to do this. Buy sacks of candy at the dollar store. Or, create a bowl of that's a mix of inexpensive and more quality candies. (Ex: 2 parts Dum-Dum lollipops to mini Snickers candy bars. )
4. Shop to hand down-This tip is great for those who have more than one child. Buy a timeless costume (Princess, Pumpkin, Police Officer...) that can be passed down to another sibling in a few years. If your children are of different genders be sure to buy something unisex (Dog, Ghost, etc.)
5. Borrow a costume- If your child is eager to dress up for the holiday, but you find yourself short on cash consider borrowing a costume. Chances are, a neighbor, friend or relative has a few leftover costumes from Halloweens past.
6. Add/Remove pieces- Save money on a costume by just buying a few new pieces. For example: A princess costume can easily be turned into a fairy costume by adding some wings and a magic wand.
7. Check out discount stores- Often times, discount stores have great deals on costumes, decorations and Halloween candy. Check out a store like Dollar General or Big Lots.
8. Shop ahead for next year- Right after the holiday, stock up on the amazing sales of unsold merchandise you can use next time and save up to 90%!
9. Check your closet- Save money by buying less costume. Got an old Girl Scout uniform, or scrubs from that animal clinic you worked at ten years ago? Use it again!
10. Have a costume swap- You can a few friends can eliminate the cost of a new costume altogether by trading costumes with each other.
11. Make your own decorations- Don't spend tons on yard and interior decor. Have fun (or entertain your kids on the cheap!) and save money by making your own crafty decorations. One idea is to make your own ghosts, or paper plate spiders and pumpkins.

Stuffed ghosts

What you will need:

• Cheese cloth
• Plastic bags from the grocery store or Easter grass (for stuffing your ghost)
• Rubber bands
• Permanent markers
• String, yarn, or ribbons

Directions

Fold the cheesecloth in half, and stuff the top part with plastic bags or Easter grass and tie off with a rubber band. Draw a funny or silly face on the "head" with the permanent marker, or glue on googly eyes. When finished decorating tie a piece of yarn or string, or a ribbon, around the neck of your ghost. You can hang your ghosts on doorknobs, ceiling fans, towel racks, plant hooks or anywhere else it would hang well. Decorate your yard by hanging ghosts from trees and bushes.  You can even scale this idea up by using larger pieces of old sheets and make almost life-sized ghosts to hang off of tree limbs.

Paper Plate pumpkins and spiders

What you will need

• Paper Plates
• Black and Orange Markers
• Plastic "Googly Eyes" ( your could just make them from paper as well...)
• Construction paper (black and orange work best)
• Glue
• Scissors

Directions

Select one plate for each pumpkin or spider.  Using crayons or markers, color the plate orange for a pumpkin, or black for a spider. Fill in the "facial features" (Try paper cutout for the eyes and nose, or use pre-made "googly eyeballs" from the craft store ). Glue facial features onto the paper plate head.

Pumpkin: Cut 4 pieces 1 1/2 inch strips of construction paper (for legs and arms) and fold several times, then unfold to create a "crinkle".

Spider: Use 8 pieces of 1 1/2 inch strips of construction papger for the legs...folded accordian style.

Glue crinkled limbs accordingly to create a full body.