6 Spooky Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Halloween

Posted on October 27, 2026 by Business Development Rep Samantha

Between costumes and accessories, decorations, and candy for trick or treaters – Halloween expenses can quickly add up. Luckily, there are plenty of budget-friendly ways to enjoy (or be frightened) this Halloween. Keep reading to learn six spooky, low-cost ways to celebrate.

1. Host a Spooky Movie Marathon

If watching a scary movie gets you in the Halloween spirit – try three of them in a row! Instead of heading to the movie theater, transform a cozy space at home into the perfect spot for a scary movie marathon. If you have streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Paramount Plus – start by making a list of all the Halloween movies you can stream with your subscription. Then, decide on the ones that will make the cut. Lastly, arrange some cozy pillows and blankets and let the Halloween classics begin.

You can take this idea a step further by creating a movie theater-inspired concession stand out of inexpensive snacks like popcorn and boxed candy. Check out this list of easy and fun Halloween treats to put a festive spin on your movie marathon snacks.

2. Make Your Costume

Dressing up as your favorite character for Halloween can be exciting, but it can also be scary for your wallet. According to recent research, U.S. shoppers can expect to spend an average of $35 on an off-the-shelf costume, and $70 for a licensed/character costume this year. Keep Halloween fun and affordable by making a costume out of items you probably already have at home. Local dollar or thrift stores may have affordable costume supplies and accessories too!

Need some inspiration? If you have a black shirt, pants, and some makeup – you’re halfway to having a black cat costume. Next, find an affordable set of cat ears and a tail online or in a local store. If you want to make your Halloween attire entirely at home, check out this easy DIY cat costume.

3. Craft a Halloween Wreath

A wreath is a traditional decoration that symbolizes your celebration of a certain holiday or season – and can be pricey. Luckily, with a few dollar store materials – a festive Halloween wreath can be easy and affordable to make.

Check out the instructions and reference picture if you want to make a spider web wreath at home.

Supplies: Wire form, white yarn, black yarn or ribbon, and a large plastic spider.

Instructions:

1) Wrap a wire wreath form in black yarn or ribbon.

2) Stretch white yarn around the open center to form a web: Tie the spokes first, then spiral around them.

3) Add one large plastic spider (or multiple) to the web. Optional: Add a black bow tie to the bottom center of the wreath.

4. DIY Haunted House or Scavenger Hunt

A DIY haunted house can be an affordable and spooky way to celebrate Halloween if you have younger children at home. You can transform a room using materials you can commonly find around the house and Halloween decorations from your local dollar (think cobwebs, gravestones, skeletons, and hanging ghosts). After dimming the lights or playing eerie music – lead your little ones through the scenes you created. You can make it spooky (or not), and tailored to your audience.

A less scary alternative is creating a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt. Decide on the route you want the kids to take through your home or outdoors, unique hiding spots for the items you choose, and clues for finding them. Don’t forget to hide candy too – it’s like trick or treating, but with a twist!

5. Write Your Own Scary Story

Scary stories are a Halloween staple, but you’re not alone if you’ve ever felt like you hear the same ones every year. Take matters into your own hands by writing a spooky story! If you have a smaller group, you can individually come up with your own and then come together later to share them. Consider group storytelling if you have a larger group – where you choose a theme, have one person start with an opening sentence, and have each additional person add a sentence at a time. Then read your masterpiece aloud for all to hear.

6. Check Out Your Local Library

Your local library can be a great place to start if you’re searching for affordable, festive ways to enjoy Halloween. Libraries often have resources that go far beyond books. You’ll usually also find other types of media like audiobooks or DVDs, free Wi-fi and computers, crafting supplies, and events. You may even be able to find Halloween movies to rent, crafts to make in the library or “take and make” crafts for home, or other free or low-cost programs.

If you’re in Monmouth or Ocean Counties in New Jersey, the Monmouth County Library System and Ocean County Library have many seasonal offerings to explore.

Subscribe to our First Scoop Blog for more financial resources like these. Be sure to comment and let us know if you add any of these activities to your Halloween celebrations this year!

Celebrating Halloween on a Budget

Posted on October 8, 2024 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

Halloween is a fun and festive time of year – but the cost of decorations, candy, and celebrations can add up quickly. With a little planning and creativity, you can still get into the spooky spirit without breaking the bank. Here are six simple tips to help you celebrate Halloween on a budget while making the most of the spooky season.

1. Get Crafty with Decor

Halloween decorations can be expensive if you rely on store bought items, but you don’t have to splurge to transform your home into a haunted haven. Instead, get creative and make your own spooky decor using items you already have around the house. Old sheets can become ghostly figures, cardboard can be transformed into gravestones, and stretched out cotton balls can make perfect cobwebs. Remember, these decorations only stay out for a few weeks out of the year so they don’t have to be top-notch quality. By reusing what you have, you can create a festive atmosphere without overspending or being wasteful.

2. The Dollar Store is Your Best Friend

For those looking to complement their DIY decor, dollar stores are an underrated goldmine for affordable Halloween items. Many discount stores will set up seasonal sections filled with Halloween decor at a fraction of the prices you’d find at stores like Target or Home Goods. From plastic spiders and skeletons to themed tablecloths and candles, you can stock up on decorations without spending a fortune. With some creativity, items in the craft section can become the perfect decorations with a little glue and paint. These inexpensive items are perfect for creating a spooky vibe on a budget.

3. Shop Smart for Halloween Candy

We all know candy is one of the biggest Halloween expenses, especially if you live in a neighborhood with lots of trick-or-treaters. Instead of making multiple trips and buying tons of regular-sized bags at the grocery store, buy your candy in bulk from warehouse clubs. If you don’t need an entire bulk bag, consider teaming up with friends or neighbors to split large candy purchases and share the savings. This way, you can still get a good deal without overstocking. Don’t have access to a club membership? Opting for off-brand candy is okay too—most kids are happy with any sweet treat!

4. Stick to a Pumpkin Budget

Pumpkins are a fall favorite, but they can be pricey—especially if you get swept up in the excitement of buying too many or buying from the wrong places. To keep your spending in check, set a pumpkin budget. Let each family member pick one pumpkin or cap the total amount the family can spend together. While pumpkin patches are fun for photos, they often come with a higher price tag. Head to the pumpkin patch for a day of fall fun, but consider buying your pumpkins from a grocery store instead. Look out for buy-one-get-one deals and coupons, and remember – a pumpkin is a pumpkin no matter where you buy it!

5. Take Advantage of Free Halloween Events

Fall is filled with community events, and many of them are free. Look for local Halloween parades, trunk-or-treats, and outdoor movie screenings. Cities, neighborhoods, and community centers often host fall festivals or harvest fairs where you can enjoy seasonal activities without the hefty price tag. In addition to Halloween-specific events, fall offers plenty of budget friendly outdoor activities. Take a walk through a local park to enjoy the fall foliage, go apple picking, or visit a farm for a hayride. Check the local events page on Facebook, browse town websites for free or low-cost events happening near you, or subscribe to our First Scoop Blog and check out our monthly things to do on a budget posts!

6. Budget Friendly Costume Ideas

Costumes can be one of the most expensive parts of Halloween, but there are plenty of ways to save. Start by setting up a costume swap with friends, neighbors, or other parents—costumes are only worn once, so swapping with others can give them new life. Don’t shy away from thrift stores. Most second-hand stores setup Halloween sections, and you can find gently used and even brand new costumes with tags. Just like decor, DIY costumes are a fantastic option. Look through your closet for items that can be repurposed. With a little creativity, you can put together a fun costume without spending a fortune.

Don’t Break the Bank on Halloween

Halloween is all about fun and creativity, you don’t have to overspend to enjoy the holiday. At First Financial, we’re here to help you make the most of your money all year long. For more financial tips and personalized advice, call 732.312.1500 or visit a branch today.

How to Keep Halloween from Scaring Your Budget

Posted on October 15, 2020 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

The average American spends around $86 on Halloween – between candy, decorations, costumes, and the like. And that’s only the national average, so many of us tend to spend quite a bit more.

If you’re on a strict budget this year, that amount might give you a scare. However, you can keep from frightening your budget this year. Try these tricks to help you stick to a painless Halloween budget.

Costumes

One of the main parts of Halloween fun are the costumes. However, dressing up can get costly – especially if you have several members of your family dressing up this year. Instead of buying a $40+ costume at the store or attempting to sew one together, turn looking for children’s costumes into a family game.

Head to your local consignment shop or thrift store and give each child an envelope with no more than $10 inside. Split up into teams to pick out a costume or find items that can be put together to create one. Don’t forget to also look in your closets at home to see if there’s anything you already have that can be used for dressing up.

Also check with your family, friends and neighbors to see if they have any costumes or items they aren’t using that you can borrow. Don’t spend a fortune on something that will most likely only be worn for a few hours.

Decorations

Some people really love to go all out for Halloween. However, if you keep blowing your budget on expensive Halloween decorations each year – you may be paying off your debt well into Halloween next year. If you need to stretch your budget, stop by your local dollar store for decorations. You’ll be surprised at the great items you’ll find!

Also save and reuse your decorations year after year. Store all your ghouls and goblins in a reusable bin once the season is over. Then pull them out next Fall without having to spend a dime!

Candy

Do you live in a neighborhood or on a street where it seems like the amount of trick or treaters are endless? Candy can be pricy too. If you know you’re typically visited by what seems like hundreds of kids in costume, don’t buy gourmet chocolate bars. Pick up a large bag of assorted candy in bulk instead. Do an online search for coupons and deals, too. Buy what you can afford, and when the candy is gone, it’s gone.

Try to keep track of how many trick-or-treaters visit your home so you can plan amounts better for next year. You probably also don’t want to overbuy and then be stuck with tons of candy sitting around either. The key here is to plan ahead!

Pumpkins

Pumpkins may only last a few weeks at most. And with that being said, they aren’t always cheap either. Once you start, it’s hard to stop with just buying one pumpkin too. From the porch to your patio, stairs and table – you might pick up 20 pumpkins when all is said and done.

Give yourself a strict pumpkin budget. Let your kids each pick only one or don’t spend more than $20 (or whatever number you decide is best for your budget).

While going to the pumpkin patch is a great Autumn past-time, don’t buy your pumpkins there if you’re looking to save money. Instead, buy pumpkins from the grocery store (they’re usually always cheaper and still look great!).

Greeting Cards

Is sending out a Halloween greeting card really necessary, even if it’s for your adorable niece or nephew or grandchild? Cards can be $5+ each nowadays, and that’s not cheap for something that may very well end up in the garbage can after it’s opened and read. If you really feel that you need to send a greeting card, try making your own instead. Use cardstock and get creative. Or hit the dollar store for cards – this is a best kept secret.

Fall Activities

Are there lots of farms with weekend harvest and Halloween events going on this month near you? The good news is, admission is typically free or not very expensive. Take advantage of this gorgeous time of year and all the farm budget-friendly activities such as corn mazes, pumpkin bowling, and the like. Take a hayride with the family or spend a few hours walking around the farm. You can also pile into the car and take a drive to look at the changing colors of the leaves, pick some apples, or pack up an outdoor picnic at your favorite local park. Look at your community calendar or website and scope out what’s going on near you.

Traditions

Plan a weekend for family or friend get-togethers this Fall. Save money by staying at home and trying a new tradition with your crew. Ideas include a Fall food cooking day (caramel apples, pumpkin pie, etc.), watch scary movies together, or do a backyard scavenger hunt.

It’s definitely possible to have an unforgettable Halloween without haunting your budget! With some planning and creativity, you’ll have a great holiday celebration without giving your bank account a fright. Happy Halloween!

Article Source: Dave Ramsey

3 Simple Suggestions for a Budget-Friendly Halloween

Posted on October 30, 2018 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

Think back to when you were a kid. What was your favorite thing about Halloween? Was it the costumes? The candy? The spooky decorations around your neighborhood? All the above? Now, think about your little ones. Which Halloween traditions excite them most? There’s a pretty good chance they love the same things you did.

That timeless trio of candy, decorations, and costumes account for more than 80% of Halloween spending. How much do people actually spend on Halloween? According to a National Retail Foundation survey, Americans spent an estimated $9.1 billion in 2017, and the number is expected to top $9 billion again in 2018.

From shopping for the newest costume to overspending on premium candy for trick-or-treaters, it’s easy to get caught up in the fright-filled fun and spend more than you intended. So, how do you give your little ones a Halloween filled with fantastic childhood memories without blowing up your budget in the process? We’ve got a few ideas.

By following these tips, you can save money on candy, decorations, and costumes and help your kids enjoy a Halloween that’s a little less trick and a lot more treat:

Candy

Based on the survey mentioned above, a whopping 95% of Americans plan to buy candy this Halloween. If you’re looking for easy ways to save, steer clear of the brand name selections and buy in bulk. If you’re trying to be that house, the one all the kids talk about because you’re the ones that give out the “good stuff,” be sure to scan local sales and be patient. Stores will often discount candy on Halloween morning. A little last-minute shopping can give you the chance to get more for your money.

Decorations

Hosting a Halloween party for neighborhood friends? Instead of rushing out to a specialty store and buying elaborate displays and mass-produced trinkets, add a personal touch by letting your kids design decorations of their own. Your children will love showing off their handiwork to all their guests! Need some suggestions to get your family’s creative juices flowing? The home decorating experts at HGTV can help you scare up a great idea!

Costumes

When it comes to finding great deals on Halloween costumes for your children, thrift stores are your friend. If you shop early enough, many secondhand stores will have a selection of costumes that were only worn once or twice before the previous owners outgrew them. If you’re getting down to crunch time and you don’t have your kiddo’s costume figured out, Pinterest is a great place to find creative DIY ideas.

Now, before you get carried away with crazy ideas about how to spend all the money you saved this Halloween, remember, Halloween savings can help ease the financial stress of holiday shopping. That’s right – once Halloween is over, there are only 32 shopping days until Hanukkah and 54 shopping days until Christmas. Now, THAT is scary!

5 Ways to Slash Halloween Costume Costs

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

October is not just about getting that pumpkin spice fix, but also finding the perfect Halloween costume.

According to the National Retail Federation Halloween survey, Americans are expected to spend $9 billion on the holiday. Because both adults and children celebrate Halloween, 8% of shoppers plan to buy costumes for a projected total of $3.2 billion.

Here are 5 ways you can avoid feeling haunted by sticker shock this Halloween season:

Expand your store options: Don’t just limit yourself to your standard go-to’s like Walmart, Target or Spirit of Halloween. Check out Walgreens, the dollar store, Party City, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Kohls, warehouse stores like Costco, Sam’s or BJ’s, thrift shops and consignment stores. You may be surprised by the finds and discounts available.

Take a detour from the Halloween aisle: Sometimes finding a deal on kids’ costumes means exploring other areas of the store. You really do pay more for seasonal costumes set aside for Halloween. Try checking the toy aisle for dress up outfits or the kids sleepwear section for action hero or princess options with a cheaper price tag. If your kids are into sports, take a look at the athletic/active section of the store.

Explore online deals: Check online coupon offerings found on deal sites like RetailMeNot.com or Groupon.com.

Get creative: Why not get crafty this year and make your own costumes? Or, build an outfit around a staple piece like a wizard’s cloak (dust off that graduation cap and gown), a cape or a mask. Let your imagination run wild. Maybe you could put your own twist on a popular character, superhero or villain. Just make sure your ambition doesn’t lead to spending more money (or time), to bring your vision to life.

Timing is everything: Either buy your costumes early on or just before Halloween to find the best bargains. If you don’t mind having your options limited to whatever is left, then wait until the last minute for deals on the Halloween items retailers want to move. The BEST time to buy costumes and decorations is actually AFTER Halloween. Hitting the stores November 1 will land you savings of anywhere from 50% to 75% off – perfect for next year!

Article Source: Myriam DiGiovanni for Financialfeed.com

Ways to Save Money this Halloween

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

According to a poll from the National Retail Federation, Americans are planning on spending more than ever this Halloween. It’s estimated that we will spend $8.4 billion this year, which breaks down to an average $82.93 per shopper. If that number seems a little too spooky for you, follow these saving tricks to treat your budget.

Get your candy from warehouse clubs.

Places like Sam’s Club or Costco are great for buying anything in bulk and yield a ton in savings. If you have a membership to one of these stores, they already have a variety of candy available. You’ll probably save enough to be able to buy a few extra bags.

Hold off on buying those pumpkins.

The search for the perfect pumpkin is one of the best parts of the holiday. Postpone the search until as close to Halloween as possible, as many stores will give discounts in order to clear out inventory. Not to mention the pumpkins you carve won’t have time to rot before their big day, and you can use the uncarved pumpkins for thanksgiving decorations!

Search around for free activities in the community.

A lot of community centers, schools, museums, churches and other local venues host free Halloween events for their communities. Look at your local newspaper, Facebook events, or community calendars to plan your holiday outings. Don’t forget to check out our monthly Things to Do on a Budget in Monmouth and Ocean Counties blog posts too!

Make or share your Halloween costumes.

You can find plenty of tutorials and tips online for making Halloween costumes with inexpensive materials. Some blogs suggest making the costume creation process a competition with your kids by giving them a budget and letting them loose in a thrift shop. You can also lend and borrow costumes with your friends which is great way to not spend anything, acquire new costumes, and still look good at the same time.

Craft your own decorations.

The scariest part of Halloween isn’t the decorations themselves, it’s how much they can cost. To save big, head over to your local dollar store and pick up some supplies to craft your own decorations.

Happy Halloween!

Article Source: Tyler Atwell for CU Insight, https://www.cuinsight.com/ways-save-money-halloween.html