The look on your child’s face when they dress up as their favorite Disney princess or Marvel superhero is priceless, so it’s understandable why you might spare no expense to give them that memory. In fact, many parents feel the same, with spending on Oct. 31 costumes and festivities doubling over the last 10 years, according to the National Retail Federation.
With over two weeks until Halloween, there’s still time to find your kiddos’ dream costumes without spending an arm and a leg. Check out these seven ways to slash your spending without cutting out all the fun!
Haunt the Thrift Store
Your local Arc, Savers and Goodwill stores should be your first stops for costume shopping. While most of these stores have more costume-making inventory than actual costumes, Goodwill is making the task of creating a costume more fun with their Costume Generator tool. Have your kids answer a few questions (like their favorite candy and activity), and you’ll receive a personalized costume recommendation with a list of items to purchase.
Go Crazy with Consignment
Purchasing costumes on consignment is a great way to cut your costs. In addition to local shops, check out Swap.com for hundreds of options. For example, a Star Wars Ewok costume is currently selling for $12, compared to $19.99 at Party City; and a Koala Kids Girls’ Bumblebee Costume is available for $15, compared to the $20.99 sale price of the same costume from Toys ‘R Us.
Dissect the Deals
Halloween is highly competitive for costume retailers who otherwise don’t get much business during the rest of the year. Since many of these stores sell the same costumes, compare discounts for the best deals. Browse Halloween coupons at sites like Coupon Sherpa for savings like 20% off plus free shipping on $25 orders from Costume Discounters, or buy one costume, get one 40% off from Buy Costumes.
Carve Out Time to Compare
Before you pick up that packaged kid’s costume from Target or Walmart, carve out some time to compare prices. Stores like TJMaxx and Marshall’s also sell children’s costumes, often for much cheaper than department stores. Same with warehouse clubs Costco and Sam’s Club, each of which offer complete costumes for $20 or less. Even Pottery Barn Kids offers children’s costumes, with up to 40% off certain styles and free shipping.
Disguise Your Discount
Discounted gift cards are a great way to save more on your Halloween expense, with savings like 15% off cards to JoAnn Fabric and 18% off cards to TJMaxx. Use a site like GiftCardGranny.com to quickly compare bids from reputable resellers and get your cards ordered soon. Remember to use your discount gift cards with coupons for even bigger savings.
Dress Up with Dollar Stores
For costume accessories ranging from witch hats to face paint to princess tiaras, look no further than your local dollar store. Even discount stores like Target and Walmart can’t compete with dollar-store prices on these accessories. What’s more, you can also load up on such safety accessories as glow-in-the-dark wands shaped like axes, pitchforks and magic wands.
Outsmart Out-of-Stock Items
If you’re shopping for Inside Out costumes and accessories, you may be out of luck. Most of the ensembles for Joy, Disgust and Anger are sold out at costume shops. Instead of searching for the exact look for an out-of-stock item, consider purchasing a close alternative. For example, a neon green wig similar to Disgust’s emerald-hued locks is $9.91 from Amazon, compared to $41.99 for the Disgust-branded wig also available on the site. A simple green frock decorated with a purple sash from the thrift shop will complete the look for cheap!
Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. As a sought-after media source, she has been featured among such top news outlets as Good Morning America, Today, CNN, Dr. OZ, New York Times, MONEY Magazine, Huffington Post, Forbes and many more. For more information, visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.