10 cheap Halloween decorations

Want to throw a party on a college kid budget? Here are 10 cheap tricks to get savvy Halloween decorations that don’t look like they were made in a dorm.

1. Skeletons

This is one of the ones I actually did myself. I found these very cheap looking skeletons at the Dollar store and gave them new life just by painting them. Even if you don’t paint the actual faces, brushing them with a few coats of matte white paint made them look a lot more expensive than when I bought them.

2. "Spiderwebs"

Via amazon.com

Another dollar store find would be this bag of fake cobwebs. Most people just keep them all together, and hang then as a large web. To make them look less cheap I suggest that you break them up and use them for little sectors of decorations in companion with other small decorations.

3. Banners

Another that I have done for many occasions besides Halloween. The hardest part is cutting the letters. These I made to be a little more cartoonish, but if you make them out of cheap poster board, you can paint them, decorate them or Mod Podge anything you would like (my favorite is glitter) to them. Then simple glue them to some fishing line and hang them anywhere.

4. Bug Jell-o

Via pinterest.com

Instead of buying at the store, bug Jell-o is actually really easy. After the Jell-o has been made a liquid, place the gummy bug in the Jell-o. If you want to stop the bugs from sinking to the bottom, you can wait for the Jell-o to cool slightly, but don’t wait too long or they wont sink at all. It s also possible to hold toothpicks into the gummies the then hold as it chills more.

5. Sugar Skulls

Via corporate.target.com

a.This is a very simple craft, but I does take some time to make. It is easy to find a sugar skull recipe anywhere online, I got mine here: http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/how-to-make-sugar-skulls-calavera-de-azucar/c12860df-02bc-4901-a2e4-46efbf570322 . I didn’t have a lot of time to decorate them like these so I simply put food coloring in the sugar before poring it in the molds to create my skulls.

6. Milk Jug Ghosts

Via moneycrashers.com

This is a great idea I have seen a lot but never actually tried. This one is really simple as well, and you don’t need much artistic skill to complete.

7. Cakes and Treats

Via people-holidays.com

This cake is very intricate, but simply making any kind of cake with Halloween colors is much less expensive than buying a super designed one.

8. Mummy Candles

Via funholidaycrafts.com

This is one of my favorites and looks a little more difficult, but all you need is cheap Dollarstore candles or candle holders. Then you simply Mod Podge the gauze to the candles, and done!

9. Mini Pumpkins

Via uniqsoblog.blogspot.com

When you buy a lot of them, the mini pumpkins can get a little expensive. Instead, buy Oranges or tangerines and paint them, or sharpie them, like pumpkins. The can be paired with the cobwebs from before for a cute scene.

10. Melted Candle

Via : pinterest.com

I have seen these a lot and never known how to make them. Simply take more dollar store candles and welt some crayons over the top so that they drip down the candle. This one is done simply in Halloween type colors. I have also seen them with just red drippings to look like blood.