5 Easy and Free Halloween Costume Ideas

5 Free Halloween Costume Ideas

It’s never too early to start thinking about Halloween, am I right?  Did you know that the average American spends close to $100 on Halloween?  Let’s not be average! I don’t know about you, but I hate spending money like that just so I can be dressed up for a day. Don’t worry, I got you! Today I’ve got 5 pretty cool free halloween costume ideas!

I’ll give you an example…my mom was a teacher before she became a Vice Principal and during her teacher days she was able to score me a cheerleader skirt from her school. That year I put on a matching purple sweater, leggings a little makeup, my hair in a pony and BOOM I was the cutest cheerleader–and for free! It’s one of my favorite Halloween memories!

I’m all about making one day costumes as cheap as can be. If you are too, check out this list of free Halloween Costume Ideas: 

5 Free & DIY Halloween Costume Ideas

Ghost.  You are bound to have at least one old sheet laying around the house somewhere that you no longer need, right?  Turn it into your costume. You can make it as simple as cutting out some eye holes and BAM! You’ve got yourself a ghost costume! Just make sure that if you do this for the kids that the sheet isn’t too long and won’t swallow them whole!

Cat.  With nothing more than a black outfit and some eyeliner you can make yourself a cute (or sexy, if that is what you are going for) cat costume.  Be sure to draw on some whiskers and color in that nose for the best, cat-like effects!

Tourist.  Do you have an I <3 NY shirt, or maybe a Hawaiian shirt?  Throw these on and call yourself a tourist. If you have a camera with a strap, that will help complete the true tourist look.

Zombie.  You can make a zombie out of just about anything.  I personally like the idea of taking last year’s costume, ripping it up a bit and adding some pale and/or bloody looking makeup to the clothes, your face and body and all of a sudden, you are a zombie! You have complete artistic free range with this one!

80s.  That’s right, just go as the 80s. A sideways ponytail and some blue eyeshadow will go far in creating an 80s themed costume.  If you have any neon colored clothes that will help too! What a classic and fun decade. 

Bonus:

A couple more ideas for you include buying some purple balloons and taping them to yourself for the look of a bunch of grapes, writing BOOK on your face with some eyeliner and you can become FACEBOOK. The possibilities are endless for a free and/or super cheap Halloween.

Halloween can be a blast even when you’re on a tight budget or a time crunch. With a sprinkle of creativity and a dash of resourcefulness, you can transform everyday items into spooktacular costumes! Here are some free and easy Halloween costume ideas using items you probably already have at home:

1. Mummy:
   • Materials: Toilet paper or old white sheets/old white clothes, safety pins.
   • Instructions: Wrap yourself in strips of white fabric or toilet paper, securing with safety pins if necessary. Messy hair and darkened eyes with makeup complete the look!
2. Cowboy/Cowgirl:
   • Materials: Plaid shirt, jeans, bandana, hat.
   • Instructions: Wear the shirt and jeans. Tie the bandana around your neck and don the hat. If you have boots, even better!
3. Detective:
   • Materials: Trench coat, magnifying glass or glasses, notebook.
   • Instructions: Throw on the trench coat, carry the magnifying glass, and look suspicious!
4. Crazy Cat Lady:
   • Materials: Robe, hair curlers, stuffed cats, safety pins.
   • Instructions: Wear the robe, pin the stuffed cats all over, and put your hair in curlers.
5. Static Cling:
   • Materials: Solid color outfit, socks, small clothing items, safety pins.
   • Instructions: Attach socks and other small fabric items to your clothes using safety pins. Hair standing up adds a great touch!
6. Zombie:
   • Materials: Old clothes, scissors, makeup.
   • Instructions: Rip and dirty up the old clothes, mess up your hair, and use makeup for a ghastly appearance.
7. Tourist:
   • Materials: Hawaiian shirt, shorts, sunglasses, hat, camera or binoculars.
   • Instructions: Dress up in the shirt and shorts, sling the camera around your neck, and don’t forget to look lost!
8. Nerd:
   • Materials: High-waisted pants, white shirt, glasses (especially with tape in the middle), pens, pocket protector.
   • Instructions: Tuck the shirt into the high-waisted pants, load up the pocket with pens, and push those glasses up your nose.
9. Vampire:
   • Materials: White dress shirt, black pants/skirt, cape (or black sheet), red lipstick, eyeliner.
   • Instructions: Wear the shirt and pants/skirt, drape the cape, use red lipstick for fake blood, and use eyeliner for a pale face and darkened eyes.

The beauty of Halloween is that it’s all about imagination and creativity. Remember, it’s not about how much you spend, but the fun you have creating and wearing your unique costume. 

What are some more fun Halloween recipes to try?

• Easy Halloween Ghost Cookies
• 2 Ingredient Kid Friendly Halloween Vampire Drink
• Spooky Halloween Brain Cupcakes Recipe
• Easy Halloween Witches Brew Punch

What is your favorite free halloween costume?

Nellie

Hi! I’m Nellie. I am an entrepreneur, a busy mama of 3 and a wife to my high school sweetheart. I have been sharing content for over 12 years about how to cook easy recipes, workout tips and free printables that make life a little bit easier. I have been featured in places like Yahoo, Buzzfeed, What To Expect, Mediavine, Niche Pursuits, HuffPost, BabyCenter, Mom 2.0, Mommy Nearest, Parade, Care.com, and more!

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