Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.
With less than a week until Halloween, you might already be feeling the pinch of spending a bit too much. Don’t worry, you can still have fun with your family without spending a bundle. Here are some of our go-to ideas for saving money on Halloween, especially at the last minute.
Go DIY On Your Costumes
If you haven’t already, there’s no need to spend a single dime on your spooky get up. Instead, look around your home with a new set of eyes to make your own costume. While I wouldn’t recommend tearing down the curtains like Scarlett O’Hara, you should definitely raid the kids’ dress up bin. Old sports uniforms, bridesmaids dresses, dance costumes, and even professional attire make fabulous costumes. For more ideas, check out Six Last Minute FREE Halloween Costumes.
Carve Your Pumpkin with FREE Stencils
Forget the fancy carving kits in your local supercenter. If you have access to the internet, you can obtain a pumpkin carving pattern for almost any character, sports team, or hero imaginable. I’ve rounded up literally hundreds of these patterns. If you haven’t yet carved a face in your pumpkin, you should probably check out:
- Disney Pumpkin Carving Patterns
- Movie and Celebrity FREE Pumpkin Carving Patterns
- Sports Team and Video Game Pumpkin Carving Stencils
- 100s of Free Pumpkin Carving Patterns
FREE Kids Meals at Restaurants
Cooking on Halloween can be a challenge. Many restaurants offer free kids’ meals with the purchase of an adult entree. You’ll want to check your favorite restaurants’ websites to see if they’re getting in on the fun. My friend Lady Ann-Marie has a great roundup of all of the best deals over on Chaos Is Bliss.
Celebrate Malloween
Did you know many local shopping centers offering trick-or-treating? This can be an especially fun way to celebrate if the weather is poor. Most programs allow kids to walk from store to store, asking for candy. Some locations also have special activities to further enhance the fun.
Save Big on Next Year’s Halloween
Early on November 1st, deep discounts will pop up in every super center and grocery store. Costumes, candy, decor, and more all will be priced at a fraction of what they had been just twenty four hours prior. Prices will continue to drop during the week after Halloween as retailers quickly clear shelves preparing the way for the next holiday season. Cash in on these deals, purchasing items for next year while they’re on clearance.
For more ways to save on Halloween, check out:
- Halloween Money Saving Tips
- 3 Halloween Candy Buy Back Programs
- Saving Money on Halloween Candy & Treats
- FREE & Cheap Halloween Costume Ideas
- Six Last Minute FREE Halloween Costumes
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
