Adults and children alike look forward to Halloween every year. This ancient Celtic festival is marked by many thematic elements that make it truly unique. People decorate their houses with creepy and spooky pieces, which also consist of freshly harvested pumpkin. Children don costumes and visit the neighbors for trick-or-treating. When the sun goes down, the grown-ups come out in costumes to have a party of their own. With so much excitement around, it is easy to get carried away, especially with the decorations. Here are some tips which will keep your expenses to a minimum while allowing you to join in the celebration and express your creativity.
1. Set a Theme to Get Some Direction
While shopping for Halloween decorations, you can easily get tempted to purchase every glittery thing which catches the eye. Chances are when you get down to it, you may not even use certain items. They may look cute or impressive in the store but may not go with the rest of the elements you have put together. Decide on a theme and make a list of items related to it. This will also help you plan out a budget and prevent overspending. The first place to look for items is your home attic or storage. You’ll be surprised by the amount of good stuff you have managed to collect over the years.
2. Visit the Grocery Store to Buy Pumpkins
It is great to eat organic and local produce. If you do not intend to eat it but use it for decoration, then visiting the grocery store will save you more money. Halloween is synonymous with the pumpkin. The big, round, delicious squash can be carved into with a knife to resemble a creepy face. Or, you can purchase a number of different-sized pumpkins and set them up in your garden. Add a mini wooden cart in the scenery and you have your own rendition of a pumpkin patch.
3. Shop Smart, Use Discounts
Keep an eye out for seasonal sales and discounts. While many people use discounts for groceries and candies, do try your luck in decoration and craft stores too. Stores like Michaels and Joann regularly issue coupons and send them over emails every month. Mobile apps like RetailMeNot will locate available coupons in your area stores. If you have a store membership card with credit points, then now would be a good time to use them. Also, hop on to Google and compare prices between different vendors and suppliers. You can even use browser extensions like Honey or Capital One Shopping, which give you rebates on online purchases.
4. Right Store, Right Price
If your intention is to save money, then as a rule of thumb, avoid specialty stores. Halloween-specific stores may have more variety to offer, but they are also very expensive. Your best bet would be thrift stores, retail and dollar stores. Don’t worry, you can still find what you are looking for in these stores. Thrift stores are very temperamental – meaning, they may or may not have what you need. But they still manage to offer many unique options, some of which might give you better ideas for decoration. Dollar shops like the Dollar Tree can cover all your Halloween needs. You can buy classic decorations like Spider Webs, Tombstones, Skeleton, Spooky Goodies, Paper Lanterns and much more.
5. Make Your Own Décor
Making your own art and craft is a great way to spend time with the family. It also saves you money. Purchase some raw materials like old figurines, rusty books that no one will read and some jars and bottles. Paint the figurines black with red eyes for a spooky demon. You can use some paint and crumpled tissues to transform old books into a witch’s spellbooks. Get some cheap creepy labels and paste them on your jars and bottles. You can even put eyeballs or spiders in them for added creepiness. Look around your house and you may find a cardboard box, a milk carton or some worn-out fabrics. With a pair of scissors, some glue and paint, you can convert these items into Halloween decorations. You can also print out Halloween stock photos and hang them up with your decorations.
6. Invest for Next Year Now
If you must purchase ready-made Halloween decorations, then try to invest in quality items that will last for years to come. Go for double-duty decorations. This way, you can use the same decoration for Halloween and the upcoming Thanksgiving. In case you liked something but could not afford it, don’t worry. You can purchase those items in post-holiday clearance sales and use them for next year.
