Top Five Creative and Cheap Halloween Costume Ideas

The leaves are turning and the weather is once again tolerable, all the indications that it's that time of year again. Halloween is almost here and we are overwhelmed with expensive or horribly complicated costume ideas. So we ask ourselves, "Is it really worth it?" With gas prices out of this world and food cost just as bad who can afford to spend a small fortune on a costume that they will never wear again? With this dilemma in mind, I decided to ask around for some homemade alternatives.

1. Go as white trash! Why not, if you are caucasion, make a joke of the stereotyped name? This costume is simple and free. Cut a hole in the bottom of a trash bag and a smaller hole in each side. Put the bag on just like a t-shirt, and viola...you are white trash! If you are not comfortable with the play on words, that's fine too. You can just go as a simple bag of trash by flipping the bag over, cutting arm and leg holes, putting it on, and filling it with wadded up paper and other "trash".

1. Why not dress up like a car wreck? Do you have some old car parts lying around? Pin them or sew them some old clothes. Purchase or make fake blood and squirt it on you in various places.

1. Go Green! Try dressing your son/daughter as a bag of groceries; it's a great way to recycle. Get a paper grocery bag. Cut leg holes in the bottom of the bag and an armhole in each side. Pull the bag up over the child's legs just as if you were putting on a pair of pants. Then put the kids arms through the holes in the sides. After you have the bag on, fill it up with empty food containers; cereal boxes, pasta boxes, stuffed potato chip bags, etc...

1. Get inspiration from your laundry room. Buy a cheap laundry basket from your local dollar store or find an extra one you have around the house. Cut arm and leg holes just like in the grocery bag above. Slide it onto your child and fill it with some laundry and an empty box of detergent. A grown up version of this can be achieved using a laundry hamper instead of a clothesbasket.

1. Do you remember the pictures with eyes that moved on Scooby Do? Wear a plain sweat suit because your body is going to be the wall for the picture to hang on. Draw a picture of someone on a piece of cardboard or use an existing picture or poster that you don't mind destroying. Cut out the eyes of your picture and put the picture in a frame. Attach the framed picture to yourself so that you can see through the cut out eyeholes. The best way to do this is using wire hangers to make a harness that will attach to your shoulders and another to your head like a halo.

Halloween doesn't have to scare your budget. With a little creativity you can have a great costume that no one else has. I hope you enjoy a cheap, stress free Halloween.