10 Ways to Save on Halloween Decorations

Posted on October 5, 2020

Halloween 2020 is sneaking up on us! This year, it’s more important than ever to get into that spooky spirit and take part in your community’s holiday-making, while social distancing, of course. We want to share a few tips that will make your Halloween extra special and extra affordable this year.

1. Get ahead of the curve: An excellent way to save on Halloween decorations is to shop right after Halloween is over. Take advantage of the sale items most stores are trying to get rid of to make room for the next holiday goods. You may experience slim pickings, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you could find some haunted treasures to make next year’s Halloween fabulous. Stores typically begin clearing out the Halloween section the very next day after Halloween, so don’t wait long to check out what’s on sale. If you make an effort to buy now for next year, you’ll be happily prepared for the season when it makes its way around again.

2. Get creative: Why not make some of your own decorations this year? Make a spooky night of it and invite some friends over for a Halloween arts and crafts night! Use old cardboard boxes and spray paint to create gravestones. Take a visit to a thrift store or yard sale and see if there are any low-budget gems lying around that will accommodate your Halloween look. Make sure to have appropriately scary mood lighting to set the tone.

3. Design your own costume: Buying a Halloween costume can be the most frighteningly expensive part of the entire holiday. If you are really serious about saving your money during this holiday, a helpful tip is to design your own Halloween costume to haunt the streets. Check out your local Goodwill and see what you can find. It’s a good idea to regularly check into these types of stores year-round in case you are struck with a fantastic idea for next year’s costume. It’s never too early to begin preparing for the following year’s Halloween! Make your costume count, and do it on a budget. Keep an open mind when you’re perusing the thrift store — your greatest idea may have yet to find you!

4. Take a stab at the deals: You don’t need to stock up on the most expensive, newest Halloween decorations. There’s variation in price even among this season’s items. Budgeting is an incredibly useful skill, and not just during Halloween! Don’t turn down your nose at cheaper Halloween decorations, as many will dazzle and delight your guests just as much as the more expensive ones.

5. Recycle your decorations: Do you have some spider webs and cauldrons from last year that you can dust off and reuse? Prepare to save this year’s decorations in an organized fashion so that you’ll have no trouble at all finding them for next Halloween. There’s no reason to buy more of what you already bought last year! Be thrifty and creative with your decorations. Don’t throw out decorations that can be used to spook your friends the following Halloween. Try to go green whenever you possibly can.

6. Collaborate with friends: Do you have a group of friends who are just as enthusiastic about Halloween as you? Perfect! Why don’t you join forces, pool your Halloween accoutrements, and create a can’t-miss virtual party? Halloween is best spent with your buddies, so get everyone in the holiday spirit and team up with your best ideas for decorations (with social distancing in place, of course!).

7. Throwing a Party?: Don’t let your party-goers show up to your haunted house empty-handed! A great way to save money for any holiday party is the B.Y.O.B. rule. You can save a fortune when you let your party guests provide their own booze.

8. Visit a yard sale: Some of the best places to find gently used Halloween costumes are at yard sales or estate sales, even if they weren’t intended to be used as such by the original owners. Look up local listings for yard and estate sales near you. You might be deliciously surprised at how lucky you get with other people’s “trash”, finding your own treasures. Yard sales are tons of fun and you’ll often be inspired by the assortment of items you find, allowing you to capitalize on your creativity to make a costume or decoration work from what you’ve found here.

9. Stay in this year: You don’t need to spend a fortune going out and partying this Halloween. Why not rent a few horror movies and take advantage of how socially acceptable it is to stay at home! Decorate your house with recycled scares and keep things spooky and inexpensive. We love a good horror movie to get us in the Halloween spirit. What are your favorite horror movies? Pull out your favorite DVDs or stream your best scary movies to pay homage to your earliest Halloween memories.

10. Don’t go overboard: There’s absolutely no reason for you to overdo it with decorations this Halloween. People appreciate every effort you put in, and simplicity can often be the best way to save money. Remember, it’s most important that you’re spending time with people you care about.

Stay safe, don’t forget to social distance when appropriate, and always wear your face mask! Happy trick-or-treating!