Halloween doesn’t have to end in a finance-based nightmare! Take the scare out of the planning with these ideas for budget-friendly celebrating.
1. Monster movie night
If Halloween usually includes a party or a big night out and the inevitable fake-blood-stained hangover, look no further than a wholesome movie night with pals. We’re pretty sure you already pay for a movies and TV subscription service – who doesn’t these days? There’s your ready-made cinema reel.
Why not pre-choose your films and invite your friends round with a dress-code to come in a costume inspired by that movie? If everyone brings a snack selection or a drink with them, you’ll have a buffet in no time.
2. Freaky food
If you’re planning an at-home get together, why not get busy in the kitchen and batch make a bubbling chilli in a cauldron or bake your own cookies? These options are cheaper than a takeaway for multiple people that you’ll almost definitely not get all the money back for and you look like the host with the most!
3. Buy last minute
If you’re planning on inviting trick or treaters or you’re having a get-together
- Don’t pre-buy your sweets and chocolates if there’s a risk you’ll start tucking into them before 31st October. You’ll only have to rebuy them and buying twice doesn’t fit in with our usual money-saving tips.
- Head to the shops last minute, things might even be reduced as they can’t be sold with the same excitement from 1st November!
- Buy ‘normal’ sweet treats, not the items that are in Halloween branded packaging as they’re usually more expensive than your average packet of gummies. They’ll all be delicious and will usually be decanted into big bowls anyway.
4. Clever costumes
There are lots of ways to look scarily good for less when it comes to Halloween without breaking the bank.
- Investigate last year’s costume if you have them saved and be a cash-savvy outfit repeater.
- Swap your costume with a friend or family member if you want to try something new.
- Rent something from a fancy-dress shop instead of buying an outfit that you’ll have to store for a whole year without knowing that you’ll want to wear it again next year.
- Get handy with the DIY! Head to Pinterest and have a look at all the clever ideas that you could try with a little elbow-grease.
- Choose an ‘easy’ outfit that you can jazz up with makeup and smaller accessories such as your classic vampire. All you need is a smart suit or black shirt, chuck on a cape and some fake teeth and you’re ready to sink your teeth into those savings.
5. Deadly décor
Ok, definitely don’t make it deadly – we just liked the subtitle on that one.
- Re-use last year’s decorations if you’ve stored them away for safe keeping, all it takes is a trip to the loft or the garage.
- Ask around locally if anyone has any that they no longer need. Jumping on community Facebook groups are great for this.
- Buying mini pumpkins from the supermarket can be as cheap as 50p and dotting them around your party space can look really fun and impactful.
There’s five areas that you can easily save a little bit of money whilst having a great time this Halloween.
