Saturday Savings

I decided to start a new "thing" on my blog called Saturday Savings. 

 We have had a really rough last couple of years financially

and have learned ways to save some money.

 

 

 

I'll start with the kids Halloween costumes.

I've been doing this for years now, and we did it again this year.

We try to make the kids costumes out of clothing that they can reuse throughout the year

instead of just buying an expensive costume that they will only wear once.

 

Here's some examples:

 

Ezie's suit is the same suit that we bought from the thrift store for $3.00 last year for Mallory's hobo costume.  The shirt we got from the local Resource center for free, the hat from a wedding, and I had a new pair of pantyhose in my drawer for the mask.  We did buy him a gun for $6.00.

 

Total for Ezie:  $6.00

 

 

Mallory's Dorothy outfit was a little more expensive, but it can all be worn separately throughout the year.  We decided to make an apron instead of a dress so that she could use the apron for cooking.  The fabric cost me $6.00 for the apron, she had a white shirt, we bought a pair of capri white leggings at Wal-mart for $5.00 and the shoes at Payless for $10.00.  I had the ribbon in my stash.   

 

Total for Mallory:  $21.00

 

 

Jace's Tin Man costume included buying him a long sleeved t-shirt for $4.00, a pair of sweat pants for $5.00, a funnel for the hat cost $1.00, the oil can (watering can) cost $6.00, a can of spray paing for $1.00 and we had the hat. 

We made the heart out of an old pocket watch, the plastic lid to a coffee can, duck tape, and old chain and spray paint.

 

Total for Jace:  $17.00

 

 

 

So for all three kids we spent $44.00 on costumes and these things can be reused throughout the year:

 

apron, capri's, shoes, t-shirt, sweat pants, watering can, funnel, hat, panty hose

 

The suit can be donated back to the thrift store or saved for another year.

The gun was the only thing that was kind of a waste of money,

but the boys have had fun playing with it....so that is worth the $6.00.

 

 

I don't know the exact cost of the kids costumes from last year, but I'll try and remember.

 

 

Ezie's costume was a reuse from Mallory's costume the year before.  I had made a cape out of a cheap black sheet and the mask I'm not sure where that came from.

 

Mallory's suit came from the thrift store for $3.00, the suspenders, shirt and tie were another couple of dollars.

 

Jace's Powe Ranger outfit I got off of Ebay for a couple of dollars.

 

I think Halloween that year was under $10.00 for all 3 of the costumes.

 

 

We have had kids be babies that we used jammies for, bomb victims that we just used old clothes for and burned a few holes in, Catholic school girls that we used clothes we had on hand, G.I. Joe with clothes that we had on hand and I was a chef one year with clothes that I had on hand too.

 

 

 

a Zombie baby

Reusable: Jammie's and hat

Bib was an old stained one that we bloodied up

purchased a pacifier.

 

Devil and Witch

clothes that they could wear again, made capes and bought cheap accessories.

 



 

So my Saturday Savings Tip is:

 

Try to make costumes out of things you have on hand or things that can be reused and then accessorize those items.  You'll come up with some really cute and creative costumes and feel good about what you've created!