The grocery stores are already filling up with bags and bags of candy, which signals to most parents that it’s time to get ready for Halloween.  Buying the treats is usually the easy part.  It’s figuring out what your child is going to be for Halloween that can be a real nightmare.  Here are 5 tips to keep the cost of costumes in check.

1. Set up a costume swap with friends, family or neighbors.
My neighbor Allison and I have already agreed to get together with our kids and sort through all our costumes from prior years and let the kids pick out what they want to be this year.  Since her daughter Jordyn is Hannah’s age and her son Avery is Jayden’s age, there’s bound to be plenty of things to choose from.  Getting new costumes for all the kids free of charge; nothing scary about that at all. You can also check with your local library or school to see if they are hosting one. Our library here in Fallsburg is hosting one in October.  So check to see if you can find one in your town and you could score a new costume for FREE.

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2. Buy it second-hand.
Local consignment shops, especially those that cater to kids, are a great source for cute costumes at a fraction of the retail price.  Don’t forget to check for chocolate stains from last year, but don’t let that scare you away. Instead negotiate a better deal and get out the stain remover. Get online and start browsing Craigslist and E-bay early while there are still plenty of bargains to be had.

3. Don’t be married to a specific costume or character.
My kids are still little and only care about getting candy so I pretty much suggest/tell them what they are going to be.  If your kids like specific characters, try to steer them to generic versions of their favorites. Say they love Jake from the Neverland Pirates, a specific character costume is going to cost twice as much as a generic pirate costume. There are plenty of fantastic deals to be had for parents when their kids aren’t picky about a specific costume.

4. Use dress up clothes or objects from around the house.
If you still have little ones, chances are that you already have a plethora of dress up clothes just ready and waiting for a special outing like Halloween. Take my advice and “shop” through the stuff you already have at home and you could pay absolutely nothing for a costume this year. Also inventory what household objects you have on hand. One year when I was a kid, my neighbor dressed her daughter up as a Lipton tea bag using a clear garbage bag, fall leaves courtesy of her lawn, a piece of string and a piece of oak tag.  It was simple, frugal, and obviously memorable because I still think of it some 20 plus years later.

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5. If you’re going to make your child’s costume, make sure it’s actually worth it.

There are some Martha Stewart-type moms out there who live to spend hours hand-crafting their child’s Halloween costume.  I’ll be the first to say that I’m not one of them.  Make sure you check the price of fabrics and other materials, and try to gauge how much time it’s going to take you to make a costume yourself. If it costs more to make it, then to buy it second-hand then it  might not be worth it.  Ok, so if you want to do it for the sheer joy of it and have the time then by all means go for it.  There are some cute costume ideas out there that don’t require much more than household items and a great imagination. Pinterest has some cute ideas.

Check out Hudson Valley Parent for more great money-saving ideas! What’s the most memorable and least expensive costume your child ever had for Halloween? Share your photos here.