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Halloween’s creeping up fast — and somehow, everything’s gotten scarier than the haunted house price tag. Between costumes, candy, and decorations, it’s easy to spend more than you meant to.
But fear not (financially speaking). Here are five simple, spooky-smart ways to have an epic Halloween on a not-so-epic budget.
1. Shop Your House First
Before you buy anything, raid your own closets and cupboards. Black clothes? Instant costume. Old sheets? Ghost city. Leftover Christmas lights? Boom — spooky ambiance. You probably have half of what you need already — it just needs a Halloween remix.
2. DIY the Décor (It’s Half the Fun)
Skip the $50 yard skeleton and grab some dollar-store supplies. Trash bag spider webs, paper bats, cardboard tombstones — all easy, cheap, and weirdly satisfying to make. Bonus: your decorations won’t look like everyone else’s.
3. Costume Swap with Friends
Host a “costume exchange” night. Everyone brings old costumes or accessories, and you trade. It’s free, hilarious, and you might walk away with something way better than last year’s “half-hearted vampire.”
4. Make Candy Math Work for You
Pro tip: Don’t open all the candy bags at once. Keep a few sealed for returns — or save them for next year’s office candy bowl (kidding… mostly). Also, off-brand peanut butter cups? Just as delicious.
5. Focus on the Fun, Not the Frills
You don’t need animatronic zombies to make memories. Grab a pumpkin spice something, cue up a classic Halloween movie, and hand out candy in your coziest hoodie. Sometimes the chill nights are the best ones.
You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a fantastic Halloween — just a little creativity and a good sense of humor. Because when it comes to spooky season, it’s not about how much you spend — it’s about how much fun you scare up.