Have you noticed how expensive decent children’s Halloween costumes are? You could literally spend a small fortune outfitting your kids for Halloween. Even if you are good at sewing, by the time you buy all the supplies, it is no cheaper to make a costume. However, with a little planning, you can save big money on your children’s Halloween costumes. Here is how to do it.
Shop Thrift Stores
Thrift stores are one of the best places to find Halloween Costumes. If you have the patience to spend the time looking, you can score a great deal. You can find children’s costumes in good condition or piece a costume together out of thrift clothing. Check your local thrift stores as well as big name thrift stores such as Goodwill and Savers.
Check Children’s Consignment Sales
Last year I scored several almost new Disney Princess dresses for my daughter way below retail at our local consignment sales. Most major metropolitan areas have annual or semi annual Children’s Consignment sales. Check Facebook and Google for your area or talk to your mom friends. Many of them also have half price days. Better yet, consign your children’s old clothing and toys and make some money at the same time.
Shop Your Local Children’s Consignment Stores
Most towns have at least one or two children’s clothing consignment stores. This is also a great place to pick up used Halloween costumes at a fraction of the retail price. If you are looking for a popular character you will have to plan to beat the crowd. Our local store alerts you to big sales like Halloween if you like their Facebook page, follow their Twitter or Instagram feed or sign up for their text messages.
Check Warehouse Stores
Sam’s Club and Costco are great places to snag nice children’s Halloween costumes at a reduced price. My local store had their costumes out before school started in August so you have to be ready. The popular characters sell out fast.
Go To Garage Sales
People don’t frequent garage sales as much as they used to, but they are still a great place to get a bargain on gently used items. Many people now post their sales on sites like NextDoor, Craigslist and Facebook. If you see someone having a sale with kid’s items you can always ask them if they are selling the item you are looking for. It certainly doesn’t hurt to ask.
Check Social Media and Online Sale Sites
If you don’t mind spending the time looking and bartering you can also try looking online for the used costume of your choice. Facebook has their marketplace as well as individual seller groups for all areas of the country. Craigslist is still a good place to check and there are also other online sale sites such as Poshmark, Ebay and Offerup.
Use Coupons
At this time of year it is also a good idea to be sure you are on the email list for big box retailers like Target. My daughter wants to be princess Belle this year and I was having no luck finding the right size and style costume elsewhere. Just as I was starting to get frustrated I got an email from Target about a one day sale on costumes. Using a coupon they sent me I was able to get my daughter’s Belle costume for 40% off retail price. Even if you are not looking for a costume, the same stores will send you alerts for holiday toy and gift deals too.
Think Outside the Box
Last year my son changed his mind on his costume 3 days before Halloween. He went from wanting to be a chef to wanting to be Spiderman. Normally I would have told him he was out of luck, but I think he really didn’t understand costume choices until his Halloween party at preschool. I was shocked by the high price of a Spiderman costume. Since my son was so little I ended up compromising by buying a pair of Spiderman pajamas that looked just like a costume. They fit, the price was right, he could wear them again and they were comfortable. Win-win. So if all else fails be creative.
I’ve found deals on costumes for my kids in many different ways over the years. If my child doesn’t wear the costume again I don’t feel as bad about it if I didn’t pay retail prices. What ways have you saved money on children’s Halloween costumes? Share in the comments.
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