Anonymous wrote:Hot tip: check out thrift stores in September and early October for cheap but great costumes. This year my kid is wearing a costume we found at a thrift store for $3. I bought some tights and a headband to complete the costume so it will be about $12 total. A steal!
Though I will say that we don't really mind spending $30-40 on a costume if it will go into the dress up collection and get heavy use. Disney costumes get tons of use in our house so we've splurged on some of those which have also been used as halloween costumes. I don't think my kid has had a costume that didn't wind up in the dress up rotation since she was a year old -- she loves dress up.
The thrift stores near me even have a section with costumes and suggestions for how to use regular clothes in a costume way.
We always make costumes and just buy little add-ons, hopefully from a thrift store. Sometimes they're free with stuff from around the house, sometimes we'll spring for a bigger add-on if the kid is putting in time to make it.