Recreate the most popular costumes of 2017
This month, all the ghouls, goblins and ghosts will be getting their Halloween costumes in order for end-of-the-month festivities. Between trick-or-treating, classroom parties and general play at home, I’m surprised just how much use my kids get out of their costumes.
However, everything is full priced right now up until the holiday. The average cost of a costume is around $30, not even including accessories. If you have more than one child, suddenly Halloween becomes a costly holiday.
That’s why I’m going to share how you can recreate some of this year’s most popular costumes very affordably.
Unicorn
If you’re lacking time, this is an inexpensive and easy option for you. Roll a piece of craft paper into a cone and use a hot glue gun to adhere white felt to the outside.
Cut away any excess fabric. Attach gold tape or ribbon to the top and wind it around the cone all the way to the bottom. Glue the cone to the crown of a favorite hoodie, then glue strands of rainbow colored yard all the way down the back until thick.
Wonder Woman
Luckily, Wonder Woman is easy to pull off with some well-placed accessories. Start with a plain blue tutu, a plain red shirt (long sleeve works great if it’s cool out) and some thick-cut gold construction paper.
Cut small stars out of the construction paper and glue them at random around the skirt. Next cut out a “W” and glue it to the front of the shirt. Finish the look with a simple gold headband and you’re ready to go!
Fidget spinner
Use a large plate to draw three circles equidistant apart on a piece of large cardboard (check your recyclables: Amazon boxes work great). Use a small plate to draw centers in each circle. Cut out the outline of your “spinner,” and glue another circle to the center of your cutout. Paint the outside of the spinner red and once dry, use hot glue to attach it to the front of any T-shirt.
Each of these projects require under five materials. That’s potentially a whopping $69 in savings, compared to average costume prices.
What else could you do with that money during the month of October? Likely a lot, so follow my lead and ditch the pricey store costumes for some easy and affordable alternatives that will still impress.
Kat’s Money Corner is posted on Dollars & Sense every Tuesday. Kat Hnatyshyn, when not blogging or caring for her little ones, is a manager with CommunityAmerica Credit Union. For more financial chatter, visit http://communityamerica.com.
This story was originally published September 28, 2017 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Recreate the most popular costumes of 2017."