Halloween Decorations

One of the most fun aspects of Halloween, aside from dressing up, is decorating. Halloween decorations can get very expensive, but it's possible to get a great look without spending a fortune. One strategy is to buy decorations when they go on clearance at the end of the season. But the best and most fun way to spook up your home is to make your own decorations. Here are few ideas for Halloween decorations you can make yourself with items you already have or can buy very cheaply:

• Paper bats. These are super easy, but effective. Simply cut out bats from black construction paper and either tape the bats on windows, doors or walls or hang them from trees or porch eaves using fishing line.
• Garbage Bag Ghosts. Make these very simple ghosts and hang them from the trees, porches, etc. around your yard or house. Just take a white, kitchen trash bag and poke a tiny hole in the bottom. Run a string through the hole that you can loop and use to hang your finished ghost. Stuff the bottom of the bag with a ball of scrunched up newspaper to create the ghost's head. Tie the head off with string so that the rest of the bag hangs down to create the flowing ghost body. Then draw eyes or scary faces on the heads using a black permanent magic marker.
• Dead man/scarecrow. Take a pair of pants and a shirt, and stuff them whatever you have available: newspaper, hay, rags - whatever will fill out the clothes. Position the clothes in a chair as if a person is sitting in it. Stuff the bottom of the pants into boots, and stuff the shirt sleeve cuffs into gloves. For the head, place a hat on top of the shirt, as if the dead person's head has drooped down. You can add fake blood or put a noose around the dummy's neck to make it more ghoulish.
• Tombstones. These are among the easiest decorations, and allow for a bit of humor and creativity. Cut tombstone-shaped cutouts from sturdy boxes. Paint the tombstones light grey to look like stone, then use black markers or white paint to write funny or creepy inscriptions. Fasten a stick, such as a garden stake, to the bottom of the tombstone, then use the stake to stick the tombstone in the ground so that it stands upright. Make as many as you like and turn your yard into a graveyard.
• Luminaries You create glowing luminaries two ways. 1. You can take cheap, plain paper sacks and cut out scary shapes in the side, like a ghost or a bat. Outline the shape in dark marker, then place a flameless tealight in the bottom of the sack (candles are a fire hazard). 2. Take a glass jar and glue or wrap the outside in thin orange cloth. Glue scary shapes in black cloth or paper to the outside, and place a candle or flameless tealight in the bottom. Place the bags around your front walk or porch, and the bags will flicker with the scary images.

Do you have a cool idea for a frugal Halloween decoration?

If you know just how to make the neighbors quake at your scary decorations without scaring your wallet, spread the fear and tell your fellow readers all about it!

Halloween Costumes

Halloween Recipes

Haunted House Ideas

Halloween Ideas

Frugal Holidays

Return from Halloween Decorations to Laughing Wallet home page