I have made my kids Halloween costumes for years. Not because I’m interested in showing off my crafting skills (well, maybe a little). I make their outfits because they usually choose costumes I can’t purchase. Interplanet Janet and the Bill on Capital Hill, anyone? Or the year that they wanted to go as the Marx Bros? Not off the rack, but also not impossible. I also don’t want to spend a lot of money on something they will wear one night.
But where do you go for Halloween costume ideas that are low budget, clever, and cool? Why, the internet, of course.
Here are our favorite sites for the best Halloween costume ideas in 2019. These sites offer inspiration and step by step instructions for Halloween costumes on a budget. They’ll make your kids happy, impress your friends and family, and give you a little extra change for later.
9 Websites for Low-Budget Halloween Costume Ideas
Morning Chores
Last-minute costumes don’t have to spook you. Morning Chores has 39 ideas that will help you pull off something memorable without too much money or effort.
Instructables
One of my favorite website for just about any DIY project. Their Halloween costumes ideas are innovative and fun.
Give It, Love
Looking for something truly out of the box? Give It Love has you covered. How about being your own stock photo or a group of plastic army men? Super creative and fun ideas.
Living off Love and Coffee
This site has easy costumes for kids that don’t require anything more than a glue gun and tape. The link above sends you to the search page, and you may have to do some digging, but the hunt will be worth it.
Prudent Penny Pincher
For 100 “cheap and easy” costumes, head over to the Prudent Penny Pincher site. Cartoon characters, classic Halloween monsters, and pop culture favorites are all here and simple to make.
Sublime Daily
Sublime Daily offers kids’ costume ideas for non-DYI parents. We’re talking taking a sweatshirt and adding yarn to make a unicorn, or other ideas that can be made at a craft store. Their links will have you falling down a rabbit hole of fun options.
C.R.A.F.T.
Wanna be a flashback to the Operation game for Halloween? How about Bob Ross and a happy tree? C.R.A.F.T. (Creating Really Awesome Fun Things) has 44 great suggestions. A lot are like Sublime Daily where you can create big impact with some smart tricks.
Seventeen Magazine
What is it about the “Slave Leia” costume that little girls love?… Who can say? But if you’re looking for teen Halloween costume ideas that aren’t a sexy bug, sexy nurse, or silly cartoon character, Seventeen Magazine has 57 ideas for teens that aren’t suggestive.
Elite Daily
For the makeup enthusiast, Elite Daily has video links to creative costumes that rely on makeup.
Halloween costumes can be creative and fun without spending a lot of money. Many costumes can even be made last minute with clothes and supplies you already own. You don’t have to go strictly retail to have a great costume. Sites like Pinterest and these DYI sites offer tips and tutorials to keep this Halloween from being totally hair-raising.