Now that we are in October, the Holiday season is right around the corner. All of it begins with Halloween and then moves right into Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Holidays can put many people into a bad mood because they can be very expensive. The good news is that there are ways to have fun for the holidays without breaking the bank.Halloween costumes can be very expensive. It is very easy to spend $20, $30, $40 or more on a costume. Add another $20 to $30 dollars on accessories and you just spent $75 dollars on an outfit that you will wear once. If you are creative and crafty, you can create costumes for yourself and any little trick-or-treaters that you may have. Here are some easy ideas that you can use to get you started.

Look around the house for things that you already own and use them to make a new costume. If money is short, you can always take an old white sheet and cut some eyeholes in it. I know it sounds cliché but you can put your own twist on the Ghost idea. Begin by cutting out holes for the eyes and a small slit for the mouth. Next, dress it up a little. Use eye shadow and lashes around the eyes, and put some lipstick for the mouth. Take your blush and add a little color on the cheeks. Get some cheap costume jewelry from a dollar store and wear earrings and a necklace. For the men, you could color in a beard or mustache. You do not have to use a white sheet you can use a different colored or patterned fabric to make a truly unique ghost.

Another simply costume is a scarecrow. Start by taking an oversized flannel shirt and matching it with some old blue jeans, preferably with patches on them. Use a rope to tie the cuffs of the jeans and the sleeves. Stuff the shirt and the pants with old wads of newspaper and then add a little bit of straw to hang out of the jeans and the shirt. A little bit of make up can finish the outfit off.

Another creative and cost effective costume is to dress up as static cling. Wear any solid color such as white or black. Then all you have to do is use safety pins to pin random garments like socks, underwear, and fabric softener sheets to your clothes. Finish off the look by sticking your hair straight up.

Children’s costumes can also be made from items you already have around the house. If they have an all black outfit, they can easily become a skunk with a white stripe put down the middle. A pink outfit can be turned into a bunny with a pom-pom on the backside and a set of construction paper ears. A green outfit can magically become a turtle with a piece of green poster board, cut in the shape of an oval and painted to look like a Turtle shell. If you are not into animals, go as bunch of grapes by wearing green or purple sweats and then attaching matching balloons of the same color.

The secret is being creative. If you are not creative then cheat a little. There are websites that have free costume making ideas. This way you can utilize whatever you have around the house. By making your own costumes, you not only get to have the fun of wearing it but you get to have fun making it as well.