How much are you spending on each DC's Halloween costume?

[citymama]

I'm so cheap, I've basically spent close to $0 on DD's Halloween costume from age 0-3 - hand me downs and clothing swaps have treated us well. This year she *really* wanted a particular costume that I was able to track down on eBay for under $30 shipped. I thought I was being extravagant, even though I can probably recover almost all of it in re-sale. And then my neighbor showed me her DD's adorable babystyle costume which was closer to $50. It made me realize I have no idea what the norm is. How much do you spend?

[Jen841]

Find something in our dress-ups (from various sales/resales/garage sales)

If I find something PERFECT I have bought it.

This year I bought J a Steeler Uniform. He grew out of his old one (E's now.)

We attend a family party. I will spend $40 total on all 4 of us (minus the $10 Target giftcard I redeemed.)

[kayte]

Well, I could have bought DD a pair of Monarch wings at our local butterfly gardens for $25 or a nylon pair from JoAnns for $15. But I choose to make them myself. I think I spent about $25 on the materials (have some left over) plus another $7 for the leotard and tights. Plus about 4 episodes of Dexter worth of my time. (I had it playing in the background while I was sewing)

But she wants a butterfly birthday party---I know she will at least wear the wings then plus they will be added to her dress up box...

[Ceepa]

I pride myself on being Halloween cheap. One year I bought the costume Halloween morning for $4. Score!

[maestramommy]

I made the girls' first 2 costumes. First a ladybug, then a bumblebee. Then 2 weeks ago I see the cutest ladybug and bee costumes at Target for 12.99. Maybe I didn't spend that much on materials, but I sure spent way over that in labor. This year Dora is wavering between police officer, firefighter, and princess. If she chooses princess she is wearing her princess dress, shiny red shoes, and I'll make her a crown. Which is what she wants to do anyway:p If she chooses firefighter I'll get the 12.99 costume I saw at Target. I'm trying to steer her away from police officer because I don't see that one hanging on the rack.

Arwyn will wear Dora's bee costume. Laurel will wear a black onesie, black tights, a yellow dress, and a pumpkin bib and hat I got out of the dollar bin. That's what Arwyn wore when she was a baby (minus the tights and onesie since it was hot) and she was stinkin' cute:love5:

[veronica]

Well, I voted 0-10 but that's because I got DS's at gymboree during president's weekend for $3.63 (blue monster costume) and used some amex points to get a $50 gift card for DD's pottery barn costume (cupcake) so don't really count the $50 as my money....;)

last year, DS was the old navy pirate. I think it was $20 and I had some sort of coupon, I'm sure. DD was the gymboree fairy but I think I either got it with some sort of coupon or gymbucks.

We have a lot of local parades and events during the months so each costume will get used about 7 times or so !

[citymama]

Well, I voted 0-10 but that's because I got DS's at gymboree during president's weekend for $3.63 (blue monster costume) and used some amex points to get a $50 gift card for DD's pottery barn costume (cupcake) so don't really count the $50 as my money....;)

last year, DS was the old navy pirate. I think it was $20 and I had some sort of coupon, I'm sure. DD was the gymboree fairy but I think I either got it with some sort of coupon or gymbucks.

We have a lot of local parades and events during the months so each costume will get used about 7 times or so !

BTW, I've set it up so you can vote multiple times - for each kid.

[randomkid]

DD received a lot of costumes for Christmas last year (bought on clearance after Halloween). She uses them for dress up just about everyday. I told her to pick from one of those and she chose Minnie Mouse. We already have Minnie Mouse ears, black tights and I will be buying her black shoes for fall/winter once Payless has a sale. So, technically, the shoes are for everyday wear, not just Halloween. I just have to check to see if her black tights still fit her. If not, I will be buying tights for her costume. That will be my only expense this year. Unless, of course, DD changes her mind!

[kijip]

I purchased a closeout Babystyle costume last year for F to wear this year. I think it is less than $5?

I don't know about T. Last year I bought him the Costco fireman's costume. That was $40? I usually go ahead and buy a nice one, we are not crafty and I hated never having a nice costume when I was a child- my parents did not make them or buy them, so I usually was only "sorta" dressed up. He said last week that he wanted to be a fireman again so if that still fits (it will), I guess we can average it out to $20 per year, LOL. If he decides he does not want to be that, we will have to see. I am happy to spend up to about $50, but have usually spent closer to $20.

[AnnieW625]

I voted $31 to $40 only because that is what I paid for DD's adorable pumpkin jumper last year from Etsy. I asked DD what she wanted to wear this year and she said the pumpkin jumper so if it still fits and I hope it does I'll only have to buy a new pair of tights, turtleneck, and maybe a new pair of black shoes, which I'd have to get for the holidays anyways. So then maybe $25 tops.

[KpbS]

I bought DS2's chicken costume at BRU clearance last year for $3-4 (can't remember exact price). DS1 wants to be a "scary robot" so that will be homemade. We have a lot of the materials but will probably end up buying some odds and ends to complete the look.

[fivi2]

Originally they were going to wear costumes out of our dress up box, but that has changed...

dd1 wants to be Tinkerbell. I found an acceptable knock off costume for just under $10.00.

dd2 wants to be a robot fairy :). We will use found boxes and wings we already have. I did buy some extra aluminium foil and some flowers and stuff at michael's for her to decorate the boxes with. I spent less than $10 on the decorating stuff. (eta - I just noticed that pp above me is making a scary robot - too funny)

Years past we have been under $10 also - hand me downs or costumes that I just have to buy an accessory for (cat ears to go with black clothes they already had, for example).

eta: I love Halloween. I have tons of decorations etc. But, part of the fun for me has been making/creating our own costumes. I love the "homemade" type of costume, but I don't sew, so I have to just combine things. And we have a huge dress up box already... But, they are starting to have their own opinions about costumes, so I don't know how all this will change!

[Fairy]

Halloween is really important to me. I spent alot. But we do it only once a year, DS wears it quite a bit thru the year playing dress up, then I clean it up when he's grown out of it and keep it in the special forever pile (actually hanging up in the closet).

[citymama]

Halloween is really important to me. I spent alot. But we do it only once a year, DS wears it quite a bit thru the year playing dress up, then I clean it up when he's grown out of it and keep it in the special forever pile (actually hanging up in the closet).

Thanks to someone for saying this! Everyone has something we like to splurge on, and Halloween is pretty much as fun as a holiday can get. I don't think anyone should feel guilty about not being uber-frugal with costumes. And as PPs have pointed out, Halloween costumes make great additions to the dress-up box.

It looks like there is a lot of diversity in terms of what people spend and how much work goes into the costumes!

[almostamom]

This is the only year I have spent a lot - about $100. DS' costume arrived on Friday and he's already worn it every day since. He's going to be an astronaut. In the past, he's worn costumes from Babystyle that I either bought on sale after Halloween or with coupons (fish, octopus, giraffe). Last year he was a UPS delivery person. It was about $20. He still wears that one for play even though the pants are now "capris" on him.

Linda

[Fairy]

This is the only year I have spent a lot - about $100. DS' costume arrived on Friday and he's already worn it every day since. He's going to be an astronaut. In the past, he's worn costumes from Babystyle that I either bought on sale after Halloween or with coupons (fish, octopus, giraffe). Last year he was a UPS delivery person. It was about $20. He still wears that one for play even though the pants are now "capris" on him.

Linda

If it's the same Astronaut costume DS had last year, it is worth every penny you spent. That is the most finely made costume that I've ever seen for purchase. So well-made, so gorgeous on. DS love space, and when he's truly done with it, we're going to FRAME it under glass! Hang it in his room for decoration. I hope your DS has a wonderful time with it!

[Fairy]

Thanks to someone for saying this! Everyone has something we like to splurge on, and Halloween is pretty much as fun as a holiday can get. I don't think anyone should feel guilty about not being uber-frugal with costumes. And as PPs have pointed out, Halloween costumes make great additions to the dress-up box.

It looks like there is a lot of diversity in terms of what people spend and how much work goes into the costumes!

You are right, I agree, everyone has the things that they like to splurge on that are important to them. We are nuts for Halloween here. We have mroe of that stuff than Christmukkah stuff, which is saying ALOT. You go, have at it!

[vludmilla]

I'm cheap. DD will be wearing the snow white costume that someone gave to us new. She wore it last year but it still fits because she is a peanut. I may choose to buy her costumes when she is old enough to care and ask for a specific thing.

[BayGirl2]

I got DS's Dept 56 brand costume from Mamabargains for $12.50. He will be a frog with "Kiss Me" on his chest and a little crown. In the future I'd like to make something creative. But for a baby, a well made one piece snuggly outfit is so much easier. Plus you can't beat the price.

MamaBargains has them up right now, for anyone still looking for a costume for an infant or toddler.

[hellokitty]

This is the first yr I've let my kids pick what they want to be. Usually, I have a bunch of costumes I got on clearance from the yr before for them to choose from. DS1 is going to be a bionicle. I don't usually want to pay for costume prices, BUT it was only $6, so I thought that was cheap and easy for me. DS2 wants to be a jellyfish and I saw the cute costume on Family Fun and thought that even I could do that! So, I spent about $13 on some materials and will put it together for him. I think that this yr I might take them clearance shopping with me for Halloween outfits and let them pick something for next yr, so I don't have to deal with it next yr.

[shawnandangel]

Making DD's halloween costume. Materials came to $41.

[kransden]

I usually spend more than typical because dd wears her costumes year round. You never know what she'll be wearing watch Fetch on PBS.

[hollybloom24]

Cupcake at PBK. Crazy expensive IMO, but had to go for it. This might be my last year having control over costume choices!!!

[gatorsmom]

I almost always get the kids' outfits at Old Navy in September when they are 25% off. This year I got 3 costumes- pirates for the older boys and a butterfly for Sisi. Greenbean will wear a hand-me-down ON Racecar Driver costume that I bought for Gator and Cha Cha also wore.

I couldn't make costumes as nice as the ones at Old Navy and I CERTAINLY would spend more money if I tried to do so. Besides, their costumes are really, really well padded and that's important when the Halloween night temperature can sometimes get really, really cold.

[Sillygirl]

I got Jonathan a nice fireman costume when he turned three. This year he's turning five and it still fits just fine. I think he'll be a fireman for a few more years and then Alex can wear it. Alex is going as Elmo, Jonathan's costume from age 2. He's delighted with it - "I look crazy!"

[Snow mom]

I bought a Babystyles costume for then unborn DD after halloween last year. Great bargain thanks to someone on this board! I'm bummed that I can't do the same this year.

[wencit]

$0 this year. My sister bought DS1 a lion costume last year at a garage sale for like $5, and it was big for him, but he wore it anyway with the legs and arms rolled up. This year, it should fit just fine. Poor DS2, he's probably going to wear DS1's hand-me-downs for the rest of his life.

[kozachka]

I paid ~$23 plus tax for DS' magician costume at Costco. It might or might not last couple years. At these prices I don't really care. We were not in the country for the past 3 years during Halloween so this will be the first Halloween that DS can remember and I'd be happy to spend $20-$30 for his outfit. And this one comes with a trick - hat with a bunny.