Let's start a list of frugal or homemade costumes for the children for Halloween.

1. Buy a blonde wig and a mic=Hannah Montana
2. Look at consignment stores like Once Upon a Child and Stuff Etc. They usually have an assortment of gently used costumes.
3. Think a year ahead and buy on clearance.
4. Hand-me-downs from friends or from sibling to sibling.

1. We have a little red head white onsie cut off the edging, pull her hair into a top poney with awhite bow and she is going as baby pebbles

2. something all you new moms should try


3. DDs costume was also a sleeper she was our little love bug still in februaruay

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

We almost always start by looking around the house for stuff to use. DH is in construction, so last year, my oldest used his toolbelt, a pair of old holey jeans, a flanel shirt (found at a garage sale for 10 cents), a pair of boots and a bob the builder hard hat he had. It was really cute, especially with the "oversized" toolbelt.

For my youngests first Halloween (he was still in a stroller, and not walking), I made him a chili pepper costume. I had left over felt (red & green) which is what gave me the idea. I made a body suit, with a pointed end at the feet (which kept him warm too), and almost like overalls at the top with a slit down the back to get him into it. Put a red long sleeve shirt underneath, and made a green pointed color and green hat with a green tube sticking up (made of felt and fiberfilled). It was one of the cutest costumes I had ever seen!

Robots are always good costumes. Did this when I was a kid. Took a cardboard box cut arm & leg holes, and flexible tubing for arms and legs, spray painted it silver and added buttons and switches with paint on the body.

The frazzled housewife is always a good one for girls. Fluffy bathrobe with fluffy slippers, hair curlers or shower cap is always fun...and you can't forget the mug of "coffee" to carry around.

Fireman is always an easy homemade costume too. Spray paint a hard hat red, get a black/blue jacket and pants and add reflective tape and a cardboard badge.

I haven't even asked the kids what they want to be this year. I suppose I should start, in case there is sewing involved! I love making their costumes, it is so much more fun...Then they don't look like 12 other kids in their class!

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Sarah

I found a really cute bumble bee costume for DD on sale at Meijers it was less than 3 dollars and then someone gave me a cute lady bug jacket I can use as well. I guess I will use whatever fits her best and depending on the weather, the warmest. She could be both they always have a trick or treating day at Wal Mart and Meijers. For my son his dad has gotten his costume for him the last couple of years. For him I used to look at yardsales, discount stores and Goodwill. My other DD will be a newborn so, I am not sure if I will dress him up or not. If I find a warm newborn outfit for cheap somewhere than I will.

Kids Resale shops, thrift stores, and all of those are putting out used costumes. Our main thrift store also puts out all the dance costumes, pageant dresses and uniforms out at this time- I guess they save them all year. You can always find an official Navy or Marine corps jacket or cover this time of year there.

I laso like to scrounge the closet for stuff we mght already have. You can re-use christmas, flower girl or easter dresses into fairies, princesses, ect. You can also use old team uniforms or dance outfits to be a MVP or ballerina. This year the kids are going to wear some summer clothes- flowery tank tops, shorts and flip flops and we are going to buy a grass skirt so they can be hula dancers, You could use this same thing for a boy and be a "tourist" - of course this only works areas where you don't have to wear a coat on halloween.

A few months ago, somebody posted about disney.com having their pajamas on sale for $5 (THANK YOU!!). I ordered the kids one each for summer (shorts), and also some for winter. I got my three oldest boys (ages almost-2, 2 1/2, 3) the Incredibles suits. All I have to do is come up with little eye masks and a way to make it look like they have black boots, and we're all set! It's super cold here, but we do an indoor thing at our church.

Now to figure out 5yo daughter and baby boy (will be 10 mo at Halloween). He'd have been an Incredible too, if they'd had one in his size : )

sidenote: isn't it a kick in the pants when you realize you love doing that thing you swore you'd never do....like dress all the kids alike because it's so cute? And you start inventing reasons to do it? And shopping accordingly (in the clearance aisles, of course)

I plan to put ds in some superman winter pj's i just found at the thrift store the other day for 48c

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stay at home mom to my crazy toddler with sensory issues

I'm thinking my DD will be a present. Take a large cardboard box and cut out space for head, arms, legs. Wrap it up with leftover Christmas or birthday wrapping paper. I'll add lots of curling ribbon glued to the top and have a large bow in her hair.

Another frugal idea we did one year is we made her into a bunch of grapes. She had a purple leotard and tights leftover from dance. I blew up a TON of purple balloons and pinned them to the leotard. It was too cute. She won a costume contest dressed like that!

I am thinking we are going with tan pants and red sweatshirts...

VOILA!! ~ Target Workers

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one year when I was younger I used a clear trash bag and cut holes for legs and arms filled it with balloons and went as a bag of gum balls.
also a baby, a bum, were always an easy costume

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous