Halloween is always an exciting time of year for children. There are few other opportunities when they’re allowed to gobble sweets, play tricks on adults, and dress up as their favourite, freaky character. It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate all things spooky and have a great time with your little monsters. However, this doesn’t mean you must spend a fortune to ensure you all have a great time.
To help, we’ve put together a list of some money-saving tips to make sure your bank balance doesn’t frighten you this Halloween.
Get Creative with Costumes
Dressing up as something scary has always been one of the most important parts of Halloween. However, buying new outfits from the high street can end up costing a lot of money, especially when the kids grow out of them each year. Instead, think about giving each of your children a small budget in an envelope to spend in second-hand shops to make their costumes. This way they can get creative and enjoy a fun, Halloween activity, or even turn it into a competition for who can create the best costume. If they need some inspiration, have a look on Pinterest or YouTube, where there are hundreds of creative costume ideas to make on a budget. For example, rather than buying a mask, try and find a makeup look online to recreate with products you already have.
Don’t Overspend on Decorations
You can also get crafty with your decorations to cut down on costs. For example, black, red, or orange cellophane over light bulbs is just one way to create a spooky atmosphere without spending much.
If you are going to buy decorations, be sure to invest in good quality ones and store them carefully to use in the future. It’s also a good idea to buy them in clearance at a fraction of the original price, just after Halloween. However, don’t get too carried away in the shops when using your credit card – it’s not worth getting into debt over a few cobwebs and scarecrows. If you are struggling with how to pay off catalogue debt with a credit or store card, get in contact with Debt Support Centre for expert financial help.
Buying and carving a pumpkin is a fun Halloween tradition and discount supermarkets such as Lidl or Aldi will often sell them for as little as £1.50. However, it may be worth seeing if it is cheaper to buy from a roadside produce stand or a farm where you pick them yourself. To avoid having to buy more than one, only carve them a couple of days before the big night as they decompose quicker than you think. If you’re organised and have access to some garden space, you could even try growing your own pumpkins!
Choose Affordable Activities
You needn’t spend a fortune on expensive attractions or haunted houses to celebrate Halloween. However, if decide to visit one with the family be sure to bring your own food and drink as they are usually sold at hair-raising prices.
Instead of splashing out on tickets, why not just take your little ones trick-or-treating and then put on a frightful film night for them and their friends? There will be lots of scary films showing on TV or film subscriptions that will keep the kids entertained for hours whilst they munch away on their sweets.
Find Cheap, Tasty Treats
It wouldn’t be Halloween without excessive amounts of sugar. So, rather than buying sweets and chocolate from the supermarket, look in your local pound shops or bulk warehouses early before demand starts to nudge up the price. Also, don’t worry about buying branded products as children are unlikely to care on the night as long as they’re getting their sugar hit somehow. Don’t forget -there are lots of ideas online for how you can dress up foods that you already have at home to look Halloween themed.
By: Maggie Elliott
