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Budget-Smart Halloween Costumes and Treats
Posted by
Deborah Taylor-Hough
on 21st Oct 2014
CLICK for Bargain Box SPECIALS
Budget-Smart Halloween Costumes and Treats
By Deborah Taylor-Hough from Frugal Living For Dummies
Halloween doesn't have to scare the daylights out of your budget. Have a happy Halloween with these cost-saving tips for costumes and treats.
Halloween costumes on a budget
A simple homemade ghost, gypsy, or hobo costume can be loads of frightening fun, especially if the children design it themselves. Here are a couple more inexpensive costume ideas can be made from things found around the house or at thrift stores:
- Tacky Tourist: Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses, hat, camera, layer of white sun block on the nose (just use white face paint), large bag or purse, and maps or tourist brochures peeking out of a few pockets.
- Soldier or Hunter: Camouflage clothing, green and brown face paint splashed on randomly, a canteen, backpack, compass, or whatever you have around that can complete the look.
- Ladybug: Dress your child in a pair of black leggings and a plain long-sleeved black shirt. Remove the arms from a large red sweatshirt (bought at a thrift store or garage sale) and pin, glue, or draw large black dots all over and a stripe down the middle of the sweatshirt. You can also fashion antennae with black pipe cleaners.
- Birthday Gift: Take an old box big enough for your child to "wear" and cut a hole in the top of the box for her head and two holes in each side for her arms. Wrap the box with gift wrap, attach a ribbon, and tie curled ribbon or a big bow in her hair. Cute, simple, and very cheap!
You can adapt different colored sweat suits to become almost any type of animal you can imagine: a pig, cow, unicorn, or kitten. Just attach any extra finishing pieces (spots, stripes, arms, tails, horn) to the sweat suit, add any required head gear (horns, antennae), and your little creature's good to go!
Halloween treats on a budget
When the neighborhood goblins show up at your door, how can you keep from forking over the family farm in treats and goodies?
- Pass the candy out yourself rather than letting the kids grab their own. That way you can limit them to one or two small candies rather than a large handful — some of those preteen ghouls at the door have mighty big hands!
- Buy candy early if it's on sale. Candy bars keep well in the freezer for several months, so if you see a sale during the summer on bags of favorite treats, stock up in anticipation of Halloween.
- Give alternative treats rather than the candy and gum. Many dollar stores have bags full of inexpensive toys and plastic figurines for a dollar per bag or less.
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Blog
Budget-Smart Halloween Costumes and Treats
Posted by Deborah Taylor-Hough on 21st Oct 2014
CLICK for Bargain Box SPECIALS
Budget-Smart Halloween Costumes and Treats
By Deborah Taylor-Hough from Frugal Living For Dummies
Halloween doesn't have to scare the daylights out of your budget. Have a happy Halloween with these cost-saving tips for costumes and treats.
Halloween costumes on a budget
A simple homemade ghost, gypsy, or hobo costume can be loads of frightening fun, especially if the children design it themselves. Here are a couple more inexpensive costume ideas can be made from things found around the house or at thrift stores:
- Tacky Tourist: Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses, hat, camera, layer of white sun block on the nose (just use white face paint), large bag or purse, and maps or tourist brochures peeking out of a few pockets.
- Soldier or Hunter: Camouflage clothing, green and brown face paint splashed on randomly, a canteen, backpack, compass, or whatever you have around that can complete the look.
- Ladybug: Dress your child in a pair of black leggings and a plain long-sleeved black shirt. Remove the arms from a large red sweatshirt (bought at a thrift store or garage sale) and pin, glue, or draw large black dots all over and a stripe down the middle of the sweatshirt. You can also fashion antennae with black pipe cleaners.
- Birthday Gift: Take an old box big enough for your child to "wear" and cut a hole in the top of the box for her head and two holes in each side for her arms. Wrap the box with gift wrap, attach a ribbon, and tie curled ribbon or a big bow in her hair. Cute, simple, and very cheap!
You can adapt different colored sweat suits to become almost any type of animal you can imagine: a pig, cow, unicorn, or kitten. Just attach any extra finishing pieces (spots, stripes, arms, tails, horn) to the sweat suit, add any required head gear (horns, antennae), and your little creature's good to go!
Halloween treats on a budget
When the neighborhood goblins show up at your door, how can you keep from forking over the family farm in treats and goodies?
- Pass the candy out yourself rather than letting the kids grab their own. That way you can limit them to one or two small candies rather than a large handful — some of those preteen ghouls at the door have mighty big hands!
- Buy candy early if it's on sale. Candy bars keep well in the freezer for several months, so if you see a sale during the summer on bags of favorite treats, stock up in anticipation of Halloween.
- Give alternative treats rather than the candy and gum. Many dollar stores have bags full of inexpensive toys and plastic figurines for a dollar per bag or less.
Stitching All-in-One Inseam Pockets
CLICK for Bargain Box SPECIALSStitching All-in-One Inseam PocketsThe easiest inseam pocket to make is one in which you cut out a pattern that includes the pocket, pocket lining, and the garment itself all in one piece. Even though your pattern may call for pocket lining pieces to be cut and sewn to the garment separately, [...]
Taking Accurate Body Measurements for Sewing Garments
Taking Accurate Body Measurements for Sewing GarmentsBy Jan Saunders MareshPart of the Sewing For Dummies Cheat SheetWhen you want to sew clothing, you start with a pattern. Determining your pattern size can be a humbling experience because it requires you to measure your body, but it’s an essential step in making sure the finished garment [...]
Turning Your Old Jeans into a Hip Bag
Turning Your Old Jeans into a Hip BagBy Miranda Caroligne Burns from Reconstructing Clothes For DummiesJeans are so durable, it only makes sense that they would make a great day-bag to throw your stuff in and head off on an adventure. This bag takes your every-day jeans and turns them upside down to make an [...]
Reconstructing Clothes: What to Avoid Trying to Fix
Current Janome DealsReconstructing Clothes: What to Avoid Trying to FixBy Miranda Caroligne Burns from Reconstructing Clothes For DummiesIf you usually shop at regular stores, you may not be accustomed to checking for some flaws typically found in reused clothing. Don't buy second-hand clothes with the following issues, no matter how inexpensive the garment or lovely [...]
General Tips for Reconstructing Clothes
CLICK for Bargain Box SPECIALSGeneral Tips for Reconstructing ClothesBy Miranda Caroligne Burns from Reconstructing Clothes For DummiesLet these quick tips for starting to reconstruct your clothes help you avoid the downhill spiral of frustration while still allowing you creative license to do it your own way.Don't be afraid to cut itDo not be afraid to [...]
How to Make Machine Stitches Work for You
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How to Sew a Quick Doona (Duvet) Cover
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How to Read a Sewing Pattern
Check out Bargain Box Special SALE OffersReading a Sewing PatternEven though a sewing pattern might be labeled "easy" or "quick," the pattern instruction writers sometimes assume that you have a certain amount of general sewing knowledge. Nothing can be more intimidating than trying to figure out what all the hieroglyphics are on the various parts [...]
Machine Quilting Tips and Tricks
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