Is there anything better than that first crisp autumn day? The air gets chilly, the leaves start to turn, and you can practically smell Halloween coming. It’s a time for spooky movies, cozy sweaters, and, of course, transforming your home into a haunted mansion.
But let’s be real—going all-out on decorations can get scary expensive, fast. Between giant inflatable skeletons and animatronic witches, your wallet can start looking like a ghost of its former self.
What if I told you that you could have a spectacularly spooky home without spending a fortune? It’s all about creativity, not cash. Get ready to embrace your inner crafty goblin, because here are 10 frugal ways to decorate for Halloween that still look absolutely amazing.
1. Embrace the Classic Paper Bat Swarm
This is one of the cheapest and most effective decorations out there. All you need is black construction paper, a pair of scissors, and some tape. You can find bat silhouette templates online for free, or just freehand your own.
Cut out bats in various sizes to make the swarm look more dynamic. The key to making this look incredible is placement. Have them flying up a wall, emerging from a fireplace, or swarming across a doorway. It’s high-impact decor for just a couple of dollars.
2. Craft Ghostly Figures from Cheesecloth or Bags
Forget the perfect, friendly-looking ghosts. We want spooky, ethereal spirits! You can create amazing floating ghouls using cheesecloth, which is inexpensive at most grocery or craft stores.
Just drape pieces of cheesecloth over a balloon or ball propped up on a bottle, spray it with a mixture of half glue and half water, and let it dry. Once it’s stiff, remove the form, and you’ll have a free-standing ghost. For an even cheaper version, use white trash bags and stuff them with newspaper to create ghostly figures for your yard.
3. Go Wild with “No-Carve” Pumpkins
Carving pumpkins is a fun tradition, but the big, perfect ones can be pricey. Plus, they rot quickly. Instead, grab some smaller pumpkins and gourds from the grocery store and get creative without a knife.
You can paint them solid black or white for a chic, modern look. Use a metallic sharpie to draw intricate spiderwebs or spooky faces. A little craft paint goes a long way, and your creations will last the entire season.
4. Create Spooky Silhouettes for Your Windows
Want to give your whole house an eerie glow from the outside? Window silhouettes are the answer. Just use black poster board or paper to cut out classic spooky shapes—a creepy cat, a witch on a broomstick, or a haunted house scene.
Tape them to the inside of your windows. When you turn on the lights in that room at night, the shapes will be perfectly illuminated for all the trick-or-treaters to see. It’s maximum spookiness for minimal cost.
One of the best ways to elevate your frugal decorations from “crafty” to “cinematic” is with smart lighting. Instead of buying bulky, single-purpose props, a set of remote-controlled submersible LED lights can transform your entire setup. These small, waterproof pucks are incredibly versatile; you can drop one into a vase of tinted water for a glowing potion effect, place one inside a jack-o’-lantern for a safer and spookier glow than a candle, or hide a few in bushes to cast an eerie light on your DIY ghosts. You can find multi-packs of these reusable lights on Amazon for a surprisingly low price, allowing you to create a high-impact, haunted atmosphere all over your home with one simple purchase.
5. Brew Up Some DIY Apothecary Jars
Turn your bookshelf into a witch’s pantry with creepy apothecary jars. You don’t need fancy containers; just use any glass jars you have in your kitchen, like old pickle jars or mason jars.
Fill them with water tinted with a little food coloring and add some creepy items. Think plastic spiders, small plastic skeletons, or even cauliflower to look like a brain. Print out some old-timey labels with names like “Spider Venom” or “Wolfsbane” and glue them on.
6. Forage for Haunted Forest Branches
Nature provides some of the best—and totally free—decor. Go on a walk and collect some interesting-looking sticks and branches from your yard or a park. The more gnarled and spindly, the better!
Place them in a large vase or pot in a corner of your room. You can leave them bare for a stark, creepy vibe or spray-paint them black for extra drama. Drape some faux spiderwebs over them, and you have an instant piece of haunted forest decor.
7. Weave Your Own Spooky Spider Webs
Those stretchy, fluffy spider webs from a bag are fine, but they can look a bit fake. For a more realistic and eerie web, use simple white or black yarn.
Tape one end to the corner of a doorway, a bookshelf, or a picture frame. Then, stretch and tape the yarn in a radial pattern, like the spokes of a wheel. Finally, weave more yarn in a circular pattern to create the web. It takes a few minutes but looks much more intentional and creepy.
8. Leverage the Power of Free Printables
The internet is your best friend when it comes to frugal decorating. A quick search for “free Halloween printables” will give you thousands of amazing options.
You can find vintage-style spooky art, banners that say “Boo!”, potion labels, and so much more. Print them out, place them in frames you already own (or thrifted ones), and you’ll have instant, custom art to scatter around your home.
9. Master the Dollar Store Haul
The dollar store is a frugal decorator’s paradise, but you have to be strategic. Skip the obviously cheap-looking plastic items and look for the hidden gems.
Focus on things you can easily upgrade. A bag of plastic spiders can look amazing scattered across a mantle or glued onto a painted pumpkin. Plain black or orange candles, simple glassware, and bags of bones are all fantastic finds that look great on their own or in a DIY project.
10. Drape Everything in Tattered Cloth
One of the easiest ways to make a space feel old and haunted is by using tattered, aged-looking fabric. You can buy a few yards of cheap cheesecloth or burlap, or even use an old white sheet you don’t need anymore.
Tea-stain the fabric by soaking it in a bucket of black tea to give it a dingy, aged color. Once it’s dry, rip it, shred it, and cut holes in it. Drape these tattered cloths over mirrors, picture frames, doorways, and mantles for an instant haunted mansion effect.
Decorating for Halloween doesn’t have to be a financial nightmare. With a little imagination and a few simple supplies, you can create a home that’s festive, spooky, and still looks amazing.
Now that you’ve mastered saving money on decor, take the next step in transforming your finances. Discover the key principles in our guide, How the Wealthy Think Differently About Money—And How You Can Too.
Happy haunting!