I had to laugh the other day when I had a friend tell me that her older son always gets to pick what he’s going to be for Halloween but her middle child gets told what he is going to be every year, depending on what costume fit him. I had to wonder how many families do that because my middle child knows what he is going to be for Halloween three years in advance. Many moms are reluctant to spend much money on Halloween costumes since they will only be worn for one night but fortunately there are ways to save money on costumes so you don’t have to spend a fortune.

Participate in a Costume Trade

Talk to moms with other young kids. Chances are they have a few costumes that don’t fit their own children that year and they may be willing to loan them out. Look through your costume stash and start asking moms who have kids that are the right ages if they need a costume to borrow then don’t be shy to ask other moms if they have costumes in the sizes that you need. Trading costumes lets kids get a brand-new to them costume for free.

Make Your Own Costume

With a little bit of creativity, homemade Halloween costumes can be so much fun. I usually find that my kids are more creative than I am so I let them come up with their own ideas when we need a costume. My 6 year old came up with the idea for a Lego costume made out of cardboard boxes one year. Many costumes can be made from things found around the house, old clothes, or things found a a thrift shop for next to nothing.

Freecycle

Freecycle is a great way to give a new home to something that someone else isn’t using any more. As Halloween gets closer, many families donate their old Halloween costumes on freecycle. If you don’t see something that will work for you, you can always post the costume sizes you need or ask for items to help you make a homemade costume.

Get Some Use Out of Your Costume

I always hate to buy a costume and only let my kids wear it for a day so we make the entire month of October dress up month. This month we’ve had a Batman, a Giraffe, and a Duck walking around my house. Our Halloween costumes are helping my kids participate in more creative play and they have the opportunity to really enjoy their costumes before they outgrow them.

Shop Late

Stores heavily discount their leftover Halloween costumes immediately after Halloween. While it is sometimes hard to guess what a child will be interested in being for the following Halloween, it is a great way to get dress up clothes for next to nothing and sometimes you luck out and end up having just what your child wants to be the next year.

Do you have a great way to save money?