by Suzanne Rose

Created on: September 29, 2010

It can be frustrating to spend a lot of money on an item that your child might only wear once, especially in a difficult economy.  There are many money-saving techniques that you can use to save money on children's Halloween costumes.

Purchase a pre-owned costume

Many used Halloween costumes have only been worn a handful of times, and they may be in like new condition. You may be able to ask your friends if they have any that they want to sell.  You can also look online at a website such as www.ebay.com.  You may literally pay a fraction of the price for a great costume.

Shop in a less expensive place

There are certain places that are far cheaper on children's Halloween costumes.  For instance, Costco has a wide range of costumes including mermaids, princesses, transformers, knights and more.  Their prices are much less than you would pay at a party store. 

You should also look online for your child's Halloween costumes.  There are a great variety of online sources that sell these items.  If you have a particular costume in mind, then you will often find it at competing sources.  Make sure to take into account any shipping costs, but a lot of them do offer free shipping.  Also make sure that you know their return policy.  A lot of places do not allow you to return children's costumes after the holiday but some will let you make the exchange earlier if it does not fit well. 

Wait for sales

Many stores start out by offering their costumes at full price.  As the holiday approaches, however, they will often start to discount them to get rid of their inventory.  You might want to wait until you see such a sale. 

Make your own

There are many costumes that you can easily make.  A white bed sheet can create a ghost just as a black dress can make a witch.  Be creative and you may be able to make something clever and convincing for far less than you would spend to purchase a costume.

One of the best ways to save on a child's Halloween costume is actually to buy a year in advance.  After Halloween a lot of stores such as Target immediately discount their costumes.  They may go to 90% off.  Of course it can be difficult to guess what your child will want to be in a year, but the savings might justify a try.

You should try all of the strategies you can in order to save on your child's Halloween costume.  The above methods are those most commonly utilized.

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