Cheap Adult and Children's Halloween Costumes You Can Make at Home

The time for trick-or-treating is just around the corner. Another year, another costume. That could potentially mean a big chunk of your hard-earned money going towards a ready made costume from the local store. Maybe you might try to escape the lines and limited selection at Walmart or Target and head to the nearest costume shop. That will cost you. Big time. No matter where you end up purchasing the latest fad Halloween garb, you are going to pay some serious money for something that several other people will probably be wearing. Why not get creative and save some money in the process. If you have kids, get them to help them make their costumes from ordinary objects around the house. Show up at your Halloween party in a one-of-a-kind costume that will leave others wishing they had gotten resourceful. With a little imagination, your costume will be the talk of the party.

Here's some costume ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Be a Bag of Jellybeans

Sure, it sounds a bit kooky, but this could be a fun costume for someone who doesn't mind adding a little girth to his or her body for the sake of a few laughs. This is a cheap, easy costume to make. All you need is a bag of multicolored balloons, a clear trash bag, and a sharpie, tape, and material to use as straps. Set the foundation for your costume by putting on a black T-shirt and black pants. Next, cut holes in the bottom of your clear trash bag to slide your legs through. Blow up a bunch of different colored balloons (try to get the smallest balloons you can find for a more maneuverable costume). If you like, pull out a Sharpie and brand your balloons with Jelly Belly. Now all that's left is to slip into your trash bag and have someone assist you in filling it up with the balloons. You can tape straps onto the top of the trash bag to slide over your shoulders. Voila! Instant costume. This is also a great idea for a cheap children's costume. Get your kids in on the action. They can help blow up balloons!

You can easily tweak this costume idea and go as a bag of M&Ms. Just brand your balloons with the unmistakable M, and you're all set. Now you're the perfect bag of peanut M&Ms!

Be a Birthday or Christmas Gift

This idea might be something cute to do with your kids. We all have empty cardboard boxes collecting dust around the house. Put them to good use. Cover them with some nice wrapping paper, cut out leg holes, and attach suspender straps to hold the box up. If your can find a box big enough, you could cut holes for the arms, but this would definitely leave the wearer with restricted movement. Use some large red ribbon and create a bow for your child's head. You might even attach a large ready made bow with sticky backing to a head band for the present topper. Don't forget to add a nice sized name tag to complete the costume.

Be a Crayola Crayon

This is another cute idea for the little ones in your family. Pick a T-shirt and leggings or cotton pants in your child's favorite color (or whatever you have handy). If the clothing is something you don't mind altering, go ahead and take a black fabric marker to brand the signature Crayola writing on the shirt. Draw stripes across the pants and shirt to complete the Crayola look. If you like, spell out the color on the back of the shirt. For the crayon tip, simply cover a cone shaped birthday hat with the corresponding color. You're all set. If you have a whole troop of kids, you can have a Crayola rainbow. Now all you need is the box! A wagon with cardboard walls that mimic the Crayola box would be a nice touch!

So you're not the crafty type?

Of course, you can always pull out those old bridesmaid dresses and go as a beauty queen, a deranged zombie princess, or Cinderella's ugly stepsister. Cut off some length from those atrocious looking gowns and let your kids use them for the night. It's a cheap way to get a little more mileage out of something you paid way to much for to begin with.

Whatever you decide to be for Halloween, have fun with it. Don't spend unnecessary amounts of money on a costume you're likely to only wear once. Get your whole family involved in the process and spend some quality time together. There's no telling what kind of wonderful ideas you might come up with if you just search around your house and think outside the box.