How To Decorate Your House For Halloween Under $100
Holiday decorating brightens up the home and switches up the scenery, creating a fun atmosphere that can be enjoyed by all. Some decorating is more on the subtle side, like switching over from spring to summer, while other changes are bolder, like summer to fall. The transition to Halloween is a big change, with scarecrows, goblins, and spider-webs being added to the fall decor of pumpkins, cornstalks, and mums.
As much fun it is to decorate throughout the year, it can cost a pretty penny. Not everyone might be as creative as Martha Stewart, but there are some Pinterest posts that can help even the least creative person decorate on a budget. For example, if your house is Halloween party place, there is a great Pinterest board, "43 Halloween Party on a Budget Decorations," that can help save you money. Of course, you don't have to host a party to reap the rewards of decorating for the season. Nor do you have to break the bank to welcome the holiday.
Dollar store decorating
Dollar stores like Dollar Tree or Dollar General are great places to find the least expensive decorations for every occasion. Everything in the store is $1, so you can purchase a hanging witch's hat, tombstones for the yard, or Trick-or-Treat signs for $1 each (via Dollar Tree). Most of these dollar stores sell balloons, which can add extra pizzazz to your already decorated home. You can also get the supplies to make your own decorations. Taking your home vision along with $25 to the dollar store can significantly enhance your Halloween decor.
The Bob Villa website shares some great budget-friendly decorating tips. One of its suggestions couldn't be easier. The Dollar Store sells a variety of frames, some are simple, and others are more vintage looking, and when strategically placed can make a great addition to a haunted house decorative theme. You can find creepy printable portraits or more family friendly pictures to put in the frames and voilà! You have instant Halloween decorations. The best part is that the frames can be used for fancying up your home through each holiday.
Have a plan
According to Money Crashers, shopping without a plan is a surefire way to overspend on decorations. When it comes to Halloween, picking a theme and sticking with it when shopping can help cut costs. Choose from a variety of Halloween-inspired scenes like spooky, funny, family-friendly, and simple. Taking these themes a step further will help reduce your spending. For example, a spooky theme can be narrowed down to a zombie wasteland, and a family-friendly theme might consist of a variety of jack-o'-lanterns and cheerful scarecrows.
Planning ahead also means setting a budget and sticking to it (per Women Who Money). You can get a lot done with $100 or less, especially if you check your own home first for old decorations and items you can repurpose for your Halloween theme. An old pillow stuffed into a flannel shirt can help make the body of a scarecrow, and black construction paper can be used to cut out creepy cats (via Easy Peasy and Fun).
Thrift store and yard sale shopping
The end of the summer and beginning of fall is prime time for yard sales, as people are purging for the upcoming seasons. You can find old Halloween decorations, costumes, and everyday items that can be turned into Halloween decor, often at terrific savings. With a little paint and some stencils, you can transform old cutting boards or pillowcases into fun or frightening props. You can find sheets at garage sales that can be turned into hanging ghosts or bottles that can hold witch's brew (via Good Housekeeping).
Thrift shops also have a variety of items you can use for Halloween. You might find big books that can be transformed into magic or spell-books, vintage candlesticks, and candelabras that can be put on display. Thrift stores are prime hunting grounds for costume ideas. Thrift store items are generally inexpensive, making it a bit easier to stick to your budget.
Do-It-Yourself decorating
Sticking to a budget when it comes to decorating can be made easier by making your own decorations. With access to online communities, YouTube tutorials, and sites like Pinterest, DIY has become easier than ever before.
Country Living shares some effortlessly and truly inexpensive creative DIY ways to decorate for Halloween, including how to make a dark crepe paper wreath, and how to turn a living room into a "room of ruin" just by using white sheets and cobwebs. Bonus: You can use cotton balls as cobwebs by stretching and pulling them apart (via SheScribes).
The Prudent Penny Pincher website shares 100 DIY decoration ideas such as simple paper bag ghosts, yarn spiderwebs, and creepy jars. Instagram has an entire hashtag dedicated to #diyhalloweendecorations with 12,593 posts. Here you can find inexpensive DIY decorations complete with instructions. Beware: you will also see expert DIY posts that are beyond over-the-top. Don't get discouraged; get inspired!