The cost shouldn't be the scariest part of your Halloween display.
I recently put up my Halloween decorations for the year. While this always at least partially consists of just taking the everyday decor out of my room and putting it in the living room instead, I do have a bag of decorations set aside for Halloween only. I love my Halloween decorations – some were even gifts or have funny stories attached, like the light-up grim reaper given to me completely out of the blue by a classmate years back – but they're beginning to go through some wear and tear.
If you're experiencing something similar, you might be thinking of updating your Halloween decoration collection. However, you might not want to spend a ton of money on something you're only going to use one month out of the year (unless you're looking to decorate for Halloween all year, in a socially acceptable way). So, how do you put together a great Halloween display on a budget?
Let's start simple: buying cheap decorations. We don't have Target here in Canada, but if you're in the States, you might want to check out the decorations under $15 section of their website. They're mostly pretty small, so buying a lot of them could still add up, but if you're just looking for a few things (like a $5 autumnal hipster bird or a $6 posable skeleton), you'll probably walk away happy.
If you are in Canada, your best bet for affordable Halloween decorations is probably Michael's. Similarly to Target, anything super cheap is likely to also be super small, but it's a great place to just get a few new things – like these "antique" pictures for less than $5.
While you're at Michael's, you also might want to pick up some supplies for our next money-saving method: making your own decorations. You've probably heard the saying "time is money" – saving money on decorations might mean putting in a little more time, and DIY'ing the whole thing. While not all homemade decorations are significantly less expensive than store-bought ones (especially if they require materials that you don't already have), this article has 70 ideas for decorations you can make cheaply – or, if you prefer, you can watch a video tutorial.
Another place to look for affordable Halloween decorations is your local thrift store. While you can't be sure what exactly they'll have, it's always worth taking a look – even if you can't find decorations, you might be able to find clothes to use for an affordable Halloween costume.
You also might want to buy things that you can both display and actually use for something practical – for instance, you might get a Halloween themed candle or mug, display them for a month, and then use them for their intended purpose the rest of the year.
One thing you can almost always buy cheap is mini gourds – I recently bought five gourds for $2. While gourds won't last multiple years, they're super inexpensive, available at grocery stores and farmer's markets, and they look super autumnal. If you want them to be more spooky, you can even carve or paint little jack-o-lantern faces on them.
So, there you have it: check out what's on sale at Target or Michael's, make your own decorations, take a trip to your local thrift store, buy stuff you'll actually use, and if all else fails, trust in gourds.
Where do you get your Halloween decorations? Do you have any recommendations for staying on budget? Let me know in the comments below!
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