Halloween Costumes :: 3 Ways To Save
As the air turns crisp, okay not “crisp,” but a little less hot and the pumpkin spice everything fills the air, shelves and headlines, that can mean only one thing, it is almost Fall and Halloween is just around the corner. Now is the time to start thinking about costumes. Are you looking for some easy for yourself ideas? Suggestions for costumes for the family? Or maybe you are just hoping to find an option that fits your budget.
Here are some other ideas for finding affordable, fun costumes:
Shop Secondhand or Consignment
I stumbled upon affordable, new in packaging, costumes at a children’s resale shop. I originally went to Once Upon a Child in early September looking for a pair of pants I could cut for “dress like a pirate day” at school and found an entire pirate costume for less than the pants. I was so surprised and excited about my find. I was able to get the pirate outfit and snag a Halloween costume for my infant with no pressure, no rush, and very little money.
Reuse / Recycle
We keep a costume box year round. It serves to not only contain all of the costumes, but to also be a treasure trove for Mardi Gras costumes, Halloween next year or the year after, or any other random dress up day that school throws at us along the way. An infant costume I got for a steal at Once Upon a Child was actually used by my preschooler when he decided, the day before trick or treating, that he wanted a completely different costume. He wanted to be “a bird” and that infant costume was in our costume box. Sure it was sized to fit a 6-12 month old (head to toe), but it was large enough to work as a shirt for a preschooler. We added a long sleeve red shirt to match the feathers and green pants as bird legs (both of which we already owned) and I had an ecstatic preschooler. He was so proud every time he was complimented.
Costume Swap
Do you have friends or family with kids around the same age? Consider costume swapping. It doesn’t have to be “Halloween” costumes either. Maybe they have a costume from last year’s dance recital or that LSU jersey that their kid has grown out of. Perhaps Frozen or Encanto were big last year for them and have fallen out of favor, while they’re all the rage in your home. If a full costume isn’t available for a swap maybe there are accessories that can be borrowed to truly complete a look. Think hats, shoes, boots, scarves, etc.
