How to celebrate Halloween on a budget

The spookiest day of the year is right around the corner! And while we love Halloween, it can be a pretty expensive occasion to celebrate.

Here in the UK, we’re expected to splash out around £687 million on Halloween this year. With costumes, decorations, pumpkins, toffee apples and even more spooky stuff to purchase, it’s no surprise that costs can add up quickly.

But before you get a shiver down your spine, you’ll be glad to know that enjoying Halloween doesn’t have to break the bank. Read on to see how you can cut costs with DIY decorations and terrifyingly easy snacks that will keep the kids (and you) happy this Halloween.

DIY decorations

Setting the scene for Halloween can sound costly, but some of the best decorations can be made with things you already have in your house. Here are a few ideas…

Bed sheet bat cave

Grab an old bed sheet and pin it or hang it from furniture in your house. It could be a chair, sofa, or dining table. Pop a lamp or torch inside your cave to help set the scene. You can get some plastic bats from your local shop (Wilko is selling a pack of 6 for £1) to complete this wickedly cheap bat cave! You could even tell some spooky stories in there or set up your cave so you can watch a Halloween movie from inside.

Cotton wool webs

All you need is some good old cotton wool. If you don’t have any, pick some up from your local shop (Tesco sell them for 85p per roll). Stretch your cotton wool out until you’re happy with the shape of your webs. Top tip: if you have hairspray lying around, use a little to keep your webs sturdy. Hang your woolly webs around the house and add some creepy crawlies for the finishing touch.

Spider jars

Get more use out of your cotton wool and plastic spiders with this super quick hack. Collect any clear jars you have around the house. If it has a label on, wash it under warm water and it’ll peel straight off. Stuff the jars with cotton wool and place your spiders in them so you can see them through the jar.

Scatter the jars around the house for a perfect DIY decoration. Want to know a great addition? Glowsticks! Give them a shake, pop them in your jars and they’ll light up your décor. Get a pack of 30 for £3.85 on Amazon.

Cook up a fright

Check out some simple snacks that need just a few ingredients and minimal effort but will go down a storm on Halloween night!

Hot dog fingers

We don’t know about you, but hot dogs were a staple in our house every Halloween! Give them a gruesome makeover this year with a few simple tricks. All you need is cheap hot dog sausages, a pack of buns and some ketchup.

When your hot dogs are cooked, take a knife and (safely) slice a few lines along the sausage to look like the lines on a finger. Then, carve out a square ‘fingernail’ and slice off the top layer of the square. Pop your hot dogs in buns and squirt ketchup on the ends for a ‘blood’ effect!

‘Pumpkin’ stuffed peppers

Grab a pack of peppers (orange is ideal, but any colour will work) and slice the ‘lid’ off them. Scoop out the inside and carefully carve some creepy faces into them. Stuff the peppers with whatever ingredients you want. We like an easy mix of pre-cooked minced beef (or a veggie substitute), tomatoes, rice and kidney beans. Bake your ‘pumpkin’ peppers in the oven for about 30 min or until you think they’re ready, then enjoy!

Witches brew

The beauty of this one is that it works with pretty much any juices you have in the fridge. We like a combination of ginger ale, pineapple juice and a squeeze of lemon. But as long as you create a scary colour and it tastes good, this recipe is easy peasy! Add an extra touch by grabbing some cheap eyeball sweets from your local supermarket and adding them to float at the top.

Healthy ‘pumpkin’ treats

If you’re looking for a healthy snack to add to your Halloween menu, we’ve got you covered. Peel some tangerines or oranges and they look exactly like pumpkins! Chop up some apple sticks to pop in the top as your pumpkin stem and add some googly eyes to finish. Top tip: googly eyes can make anything look freaky, so stick them on all your snacks!

Happy Halloween!