Cheap and Easy Decorations for Halloween on a Budget

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I don’t know about you, but I’m not really in a position to spend a ton on decorating for Halloween this year.

I’m also not really in a position to spend a bunch of time DIY-ing clever Halloween decorations. Are you? No? Didn’t think so.

So we need some cheap and easy decorations for Halloween on a budget. Cheap and easy means:

• no trips to the store
• no budget-busters
• nothing requiring sewing or “crafting” (I can use a glue gun and kindergarten scissors – that’s about it)
• nothing that takes longer than an hour to set up

Ideally, we’re opening a package, then just strategically placing items around the apartment 😉

Side note: if you don’t already have a budget, you’re missing out! Budgets give you the freedom to spend guilt-free on the things you love! Check out our Budget Calculator for Budget-Haters for more info!

Start with What You Already Have

You have a couple basic picture frames, right? Fill them with creepy, old-timey photos.

All old-timey photos are creepy, but you can go next level by using photos like the ones in Mrs. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The images in that book gave me nightmares (and, yes, I was an adult when I read it).

And clear glass jars and canisters are always useful! You probably already have a couple, but if not, we highly recommend getting some. Plain old apothecary jars are awesome for everyday storage, then they can be recruited for parties as needed.

And then fancier, footed canisters are awesome for decorating year-round because you can fill them with anything. Think candy corn for Halloween, ornaments for Christmas, grass and eggs at Easter…you get the idea.

Halloween on a Budget Basics

It’s not Halloween without spider webs and spiders. They’re cheap, you can reuse them for years to come, and a little goes a long way. The webs look great stretched across wall art and draped (carefully!) around light fixtures.

Spooky, melt-y candles set a great Halloween mood. We recommend the LED flameless candles. Not just for obvious safety reasons, but also because they last so long and can be reused year after year. Get a set of larger candles for the mantel or centerpiece, and some votives to place around the house.

You also need candy. Not just for the trick-or-treaters, but for decorating. Throw some candy corn in your clear glass jars (cause no one actually eats that anyway, amiright?!) for an instant centerpiece.

And of course, pumpkins! Confession time: I hate real pumpkins at Halloween. They’re heavy and they rot. So I go fake pumpkins all the way! Just like with the candles, I like to get a bunch of smalls and one or two big. Hate the finish on the cheap plastic pumpkins? No worries, you can spray paint them metallic, black, or even glow-in-the-dark!

Then Add Some Fancy Halloween on a Budget Decorations

Cake stands add some dimension to your party table. You can use them to display desserts, of course, or you can use them just for decoration, propping up your big pumpkin or skull or something.

 

Speaking of skulls, really, what better Halloween decoration than a proudly displayed human skull?

How about swapping out your everyday sofa pillows for something more festive? A lot of people buy special holiday pillows, but those suck because they take up a lot of storage space the rest of the year. If your everyday pillows are the standard 18″x18″, you can just spend a couple bucks on covers for those pillows! And they won’t take up any space in storage after Halloween!

Ta-da! Just like that, you have a super festive Halloween apartment, cheap and easy. Now you can spend your time enjoying your holiday instead of stressing about it.

And Don’t Forget Your Fancy Halloween Sangria!

Did you see our Sangria of the Month for October? Carmel Apple Sangria! What?! You’re gonna wanna make a pitcher asap.

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What did we miss? Do you have other ideas for cheap and easy decorations for Halloween on a budget?