The team at NatWest Rooster Money have shared some of their go-to last minute Halloween ideas. Here are some clever (and cheap) ways to crack those costumes.
Budget Friendly Halloween Costumes
♻️ Reuse, recycle!
You probably have some old costumes lying in the bottom of the dressing up box or a cupboard somewhere, and you might be surprised at how many you can reuse to help your kids to become an iconic character.
Played pirate before? This time they could be Long John Silver from Treasure Island.
Old Harry Potter-esque glasses? Why not try Arthur Read (aka Arthur the aardvark – perhaps better known from the TV series!) from the Marc Brown books.
Dressed up as a princess previously? This year they could be Cinderella!
🔎 Search for secondhand
You can find loads of cheap, used costumes on websites like Ebay and Vinted. Even local charity and pound shops are worth a try!
When you’re finished with your kid’s old costumes, why not try reselling them to pocket a bit of cash, or donate them to a local charity shop for other families to enjoy? You could even get the kids to help you out – check out our guide to online reselling here.
Read on for some of our suggestions for easy and cheap characters. We’ve left suggested ages, but your kids can dress up as whomever they want at any age!
For the Older Ones (5 – 11)
🪄 Harry Potter
Some cheap circular frames from the pound shop, an old school jumper and shirt, and a hand drawn scar on their forehead will make any kid look like the wizarding hero!
📚 Hermione Granger
Become Harry’s clever and loyal friend with an old school shirt and skirt, and some old-looking books. Get that frizzy hair look by backcombing their hair – or put their hair in plaits the night before so it’s frizzy for the morning.
🧙♂️ Gandalf
Slightly older than others on this list, Gandalf is still a recognisable classic. Old halloween costumes could work for the hat and beard, or visit a local joke store or pound shop. Then just add an old grey or white coat or dressing gown to complete the regal wizard look.
☂️ Mary Poppins
A go-to – Mary Poppins can be done with a button coat, a white shirt, an umbrella, and one of mum or gran’s hats!
🪛 Dr Who
The great thing about dressing up as Dr Who, is that your kids have so many iterations to choose from! A simple shirt and bowtie, a colourful scarf and hat, or plain old dungarees will have them looking like a version of the Time Lord in no time. Just don’t forget their sonic screwdriver!
For the Little Ones (3 – 5)
🐷 Peppa Pig
A simple red or pink dress or t-shirt, accompanied by some cheap store bought pig ears (or hairband with some paper pig ears attached) would be enough to make your younger child look like Peppa. Some snorts or oinks are a nice bonus!
🐰 Peter Rabbit
Another simple costume, all you need is some store bought bunny ears, a white top or shirt, and a blue jacket. And, if you’ve got one handy in the fridge, a carrot of course!
🐰 Lily Bobtail
Like Peter, your little one can look like Lily with some bunny ears, a red top or shirt, and a pink jacket.
🔎 Where’s Wally?
Glasses from an old Harry Potter costume could come in handy here, or head to the pound shop to buy some cheap fake frames. Find a striped red and white top and a cheap red beanie to finish it off.
Have your kids dressed up as any of our suggestions for Halloween? Let us know on social by tagging @roostermoneyhq
If your kids are looking forward to doing some trick or treating, why not check out what halloween can teach kids about money? Or, if you want to see how you can still enjoy Halloween without breaking the bank, check out our top Halloween money saving tips.