Halloween Celebrations on a Student Budget

Freshers’ week has come and gone, and we get it, you’re back to budgeting properly in order to make it through to the end of the first term… and then your housemates decide to plan some budget-busting Halloween celebrations! Now don’t stress, we’ve got you covered. Read on for money-saving tips, tricks, treats and costume ideas to help you the most of the scariest holiday of the year, without spending a horrifying amount!

1. Plan Halloween outfits as a group 

Do you happen to have those few housemates/ friends that don’t want to dress up? Planning a group outfit can reduce the stress of finding things to wear, and you can make them all together. Think a group of minions or smurfs, or get creative and turn yourselves into Pac Man and his ghosts – ask the uni book shop if they have any cardboard going spare from deliveries and get painting! Paint a front and back and attach at the shoulders with ribbon, sandwich board style, then pop on over black or similar paint-colored clothing and boom! An outfit made in an afternoon that everyone is getting involved in.

2. Plan your Halloween celebrations in advance

If you’re heading to a bar/club to celebrate Halloween, try and buy your tickets in advance. There are usually people that base themselves in the Student Union buildings or bars that can sell you advance tickets between lectures. There’s a chance they will be cheaper if you buy beforehand, plus you won't have to join the full queue and you won't need to worry about finding your money inside your costume whilst waiting in said long, cold queue. Perfect.

3. Head out a little earlier

Can’t find tickets in advance? Head down earlier in the evening. Most venues give free or discounted entry until a certain time, especially if you’re in fancy dress, saving you a little cash and ensuring you actually get into the best Halloween party in town. Also, have a good explore – you never know what scary surprises that may be around the corner! 

4. Embrace the year of the emoji 

Not the biggest fancy dress fan? Left this until the day before you’re going out? We’ve all been there. Instead of defaulting for the standard cat/ vampire/ witch outfits, try and experiment a little more. The year 2015 thus far has 100% been the year of the emoji, so grab a yellow t-shirt and a few sharpies and turn yourself into your most-used emoji (heart eyes and smirks are firm favorites). Or grab a pink jumper, pop on a fringed wig (or fake it by pinning long hair under) and become everyone’s favorite customer service emoji girl. Practice all the poses and walk around all night with that sass she so clearly portrays on your phone.

5. Show off your pumpkin carving skills 

Pumpkin carving is a great way to up the spookiness of any student house; just make sure you have bags handy to clean up their insides. Get creative and leave them lit up in the windows or outside your front door on Halloween itself. In the UK, many supermarkets now do carving sets for just £1 each. If you’re feeling lazy, so you could even add a pumpkin and carving set onto your online shopping order for the week, and you won’t even have to leave the house in order to create a masterpiece!

6. Create your own “spooktails” 

Add a bit more spook to your drinks by concocting some inventive punches and spooktails before you head out to join the Halloween celebrations in your incredible outfits. Pinterest is great for this, but anything apple or cherry flavor will ensure that you’re all drinking a slime-colored creepy drink while getting ready and admiring each other’s outfits. Also food-wise, brands now create pumpkin and slime-colored everything – from Cadbury’s Scream Eggs to Fiendish Fancies, and best of all, they’re all on offer at this time of year. If all else fails, stock up on trick or treat sweets. Everything is better when it’s in mini bags right?

So that’s it, so what are you waiting for? Let’s get spooky on a budget!