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When ghosts, ghouls and goblins are on our minds, it seems our money woes vanish. At least that’s what the National Retail Federation’s most recent Halloween Consumer Spending Survey suggests, revealing total holiday spending is expected to creep up to a frightening $7.4 billion, with $2.8 billion going to costumes alone. While dressing up in new garbs for the festivities is fun, digging yourself into debt is downright scary!
So before you bury your budget, consider these six superhero-worthy shopping tricks to slash your costume spending and save big bucks.
1. Enjoy the thrill of thrift shopping. Shoppers often overlook thrift stores as a cheap place to find one-of-kind costumes. Such second hand shops are also a great resource for those hard-to-find and authentic pieces to top off your Halloween look while saving you an average of 60 percent and leaving more cash in your pocket to cover candy costs. I’ve also found better quality outfits at my local consigner since they collect elaborate costumes from actual theater companies.
2. Sweeten your savings by swapping. Swapping costumes has become a popular community event in recent years as consumers look for new ways to save money and be eco-friendly. Check with your local schools, consignment stores and recreation centers to find a community-organized costume swap in your area. If there are no events, host one yourself with friends, family and neighbors. For tips on setting up your own costume swap, consult this article.
3. Treat yourself to online coupons. In addition to beating the crowds that flock to Halloween shops, shopping online gives you access to a wider selection of costumes from hundreds of different sites and better prices. Sites like CouponSherpa.com offer hundreds of coupon codes which you can redeem online for savings like 25-percent off orders of $20 or more at CostumeDiscounters.com, and $20 off $100 at BuyCostumers.com.
4. Haunt your local garage sale scene. There’s a small percentage of people who actually re-wear their past costumes. Though the idea of reusing them is practical and cost effective, the reality is people want to try new looks. So while your neighbors unload piles of such unwanted Halloween clutter, spend the next few Saturdays browsing garage sales in your areas to score super cheap costumes and accessories.
5. Tap into your creative spirit. My favorite costumes are original and are often homemade. Even if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, there are very easy looks that you can replicate using clothing and materials you may already own or can buy at craft stores like Michaels. For inspiration, search for DIY Halloween costumes on Pinterest and stick to simple styles to save on supplies.
6. Enchant your look with cheap extras. If your homemade costume isn’t convincing, accessorizing can help make the look work without blowing your budget. Whether you need to buy a set of fangs, curly mustache or pair of wings, such extras are relatively inexpensive and can turn a costume from drab to fab. You may also consider using free printables to create your accessories, templates for which can be found here.
Thanks for these great tips Andrea @ www.AndreaWoroch.com/ follower her on twitter for more tips https://twitter.com/AndreaWoroch
