7 spooktacular budget-friendly Halloween ideas for families - from DIY costumes to movie nights and more

• Discover fun and creative ways to celebrate Halloween without overspending
• Make the most of Halloween with family-friendly activities that fit any budget
• From costumes to decorations, enjoy the spooky season with simple DIY projects
• Engage your kids in affordable Halloween traditions and hands-on fun
• Create lasting memories with budget-friendly Halloween ideas that everyone will love

Halloween is a magical time of year for kids and adults alike, with spooky decorations, creative costumes and all kinds of festive activities.

But the holiday can also become expensive, especially when factoring in the cost of sweet treats, costumes and elaborate decorations.

Luckily, Halloween fun doesn’t have to break the bank, and with a little creativity, families can enjoy a memorable Halloween season without overspending.

Here are seven good budget-friendly Halloween ideas that families can enjoy together.

DIY Halloween costumes

Costumes are one of the most exciting parts of Halloween, but shop-bought outfits can be pricey. Instead, consider making DIY costumes using items you already have at home or from inexpensive stores like charity shops.

For example, turning a plain bedsheet into a ghost costume, cutting an old shirt for a zombie look, or repurposing cardboard boxes into robot armour are all easy and affordable options.

You can also involve kids in the costume-making process, letting them choose materials and help design their outfits. Not only will this save money, but it will also add a personal and creative touch to the holiday.

Host a Halloween movie night

Movie nights are a great way to celebrate Halloween as a family without spending much, and rather than going to the cinema, you can watch classic Halloween films at home.

Many streaming services offer Halloween specials, or you can hire out DVDs from your local library for free. For younger children, movies like Hocus Pocus or The Nightmare Before Christmas are excellent choices.

For older kids or teens, something like Goosebumps or Beetlejuice can provide the perfect spooky (but not too scary) atmosphere. To make it even more fun, set up a cosy viewing area with blankets and pillows, and serve inexpensive, themed snacks.

Neighbourhood Halloween scavenger hunt

Instead of traditional trick-or-treating, you can create a scavenger hunt in your neighbourhood or local park, a fantastic way to keep things exciting while also cutting back on the cost of treats.

Create a list of Halloween-themed items or decorations that participants can find, such as a black cat, a spider web, a house with orange lights, or a pumpkin.

You can reward the winners with small, inexpensive prizes like homemade treats, stickers or Halloween trinkets.

For a safer and more budget-friendly alternative to door-to-door trick-or-treating, consider a scavenger hunt in your own back garden. Set up small, decorated stations or boxes filled with sweets, and let kids "hunt" for them.

Pumpkin decorating without carving

Pumpkin carving is a Halloween classic, but it can be messy and requires special tools. So instead, try pumpkin decorating without the carving!

You can paint your pumpkins, use markers, or even glue on household items like googly eyes, fabric scraps or eco-friendly glitter to create unique designs.

This approach is more budget-friendly, and you don’t have to worry about the pumpkins rotting as quickly, since they aren’t cut open.

Another idea is to use small gourds or mini pumpkins, which are often cheaper than larger pumpkins, but still offer lots of decorating potential.

Create a haunted house at home

For a spooky, immersive experience, transform part of your home into a mini haunted house. You don’t need expensive props - use items you already have, like sheets for ghostly figures, cardboard boxes to create creepy corners, or string lights to add eerie lighting.

You can hang fake cobwebs (which are affordable and reusable) and scatter plastic spiders or bats around. Invite your kids to help with setting up and coming up with scary stories or roles to play within the haunted house.

If you have a garden, you can extend the fun by setting up an outdoor haunted trail or obstacle course.

Spooky arts and crafts

Halloween-themed arts and crafts can be both a fun activity and a way to decorate your home without buying costly decorations. Use paper, scissors, and glue to make paper bats, ghosts, or witches to hang around the house.

You can also create tissue paper pumpkins, or DIY Halloween masks using paper plates and paint.

If you want to get a little more creative, make "spooky jars" by filling jars with small LED lights, fake spiders or plastic eyeballs.

These make great centrepieces or window decorations, and they cost a fraction of what you’d pay for pre-made décor at a shop.

Bake Halloween treats together

Baking is a fun and inexpensive way to spend time together as a family while also preparing for Halloween. You can make simple Halloween-themed cookies, cupcakes, or brownies and decorate them with coloured icing, candy eyes or gummy worms.

Even if you’re working with basic ingredients, it’s easy to give your treats a spooky twist.

For example, you can create “mummy” hot dogs using crescent rolls and hot dogs, or make ghostly marshmallow pops by dipping marshmallows in white chocolate and adding candy eyes.

Involving the kids in the baking process is not only enjoyable but also teaches them valuable kitchen skills. Plus, you get to enjoy the sweet rewards!

We’d love to hear from you! Have any favourite budget-friendly Halloween traditions or creative ideas of your own? Share your tips, experiences, and spooky suggestions in the comments section.