With October comes lots of excitement from the kids because Halloween is near! For parents that usually means having to spend big money on costumes that the kids are only going to wear once or twice. With a few frugal tips, you can save money on Halloween costumes for kids, while still providing them with great costumes.
A great first step is to take a look around the house to see what might be lying around that could be made into a costume. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the vast amount of costumes that can be created once you start looking. A great place to start is with the kids’ dress up collection. A dress can become many different costumes, as can most boy dress up clothes, especially the full body suits that come with super hero costumes. Don’t forget to look at the pile of clothes that is ready to be donated to Goodwill as well. Sometimes with a few rips, tears or fraying, mom or dad’s old clothes make the best costumes.
Some great examples of costumes that can be made from old clothes and a few odds and ends from a thrift or dollar store include gypsies, cow girls, cheerleaders, ghosts and mummies. Most of these costumes start with a simple base of both sweat suits for boys or dresses for girls and then the costume is built up from there. By adding a few ripped sheets to a sweat suit, a boy can instantly become a mummy, and by adding some jewelry and a bandana, a simple dress could transform your little girl into a gypsy.
Another great resource for inexpensive Halloween costumes for kids is the local thrift store or Goodwill. You will find everything from full costumes with everything you need to complete your child’s costume, to bits and pieces that can be put together to make your favorite costume. Everyday is a new adventure at these stores, so visit often when you are looking for something in particular. Some items to look for include tutus, dance costumes, boas, scarves, jumpsuits, jerseys and flannels. All of these items are great starting points to the perfect Halloween costume for kids.
Creating Halloween costumes for kids can be fun for the whole family. By not limiting your choices to the ready made costumes in the store, the options for your child’s Halloween costume are quite endless.