Every year, my husband and I host a Halloween potluck. Half of the group board games all night. The rest of us just hang out and joke around. We all eat.
Last year, I spent about $50 on our Halloween potluck, but this year I think we will be spending quite a bit more.
Last Halloween
Here’s what I have leftover to use from last Halloween with the prices I paid in 2010:
- 2 Plug-In Jack-O’-Lanterns – $12
- 4 Halloween Tea-Light Candle Holders – $8
- Halloween Serving Bowls – $6
- Halloween Soap for Bathroom – $2
- Black and Orange Hand-Drying Towels for Bathroom – $4
I am so glad I have all of this stuff left! It made our place look really cool for the evening!
This Halloween
Here’s what I am buying or have bought for this Halloween:
- Disposable Dinner Ware – $5
- 2 Halloween Table Covers – $3
- Costumes for my husband and me (haven’t decided yet) - $150 or less
- Pizza for the main dish – $40
- Peanut Butter Monster Fingers – $5 for peanut butter and almond slices for the nails
My husband and I dressed up like sports officials last Halloween since my husband is a ref as his side hustle and had extra clothing for me, but we want to do something different this time around. We are also splurging on pizza for the main dish since I will not have time to cook anything that Saturday – my husband’s family reunion is from 10am-2pm about 90 minutes away from our house and the potluck starts at 5pm. I can already feel the stress building, lol.
My big question for all of you is: what are the best costume ideas for a couple that you can think of? We have already thought of Mario and Luigi, Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, and M&M’s. These ideas don’t necessarily have to be for a couple either - we don’t have to match. Just throw some out there, thanks!
We don’t have much in the way of Halloween decorations, but my wife has informed me that she needs a budget next year to get some stuff to make it a little more lively. I can’t argue as some of the stuff is way cool, plus my wife is a thrifty shopper so I know she’ll make use of whatever budget we come up with
You could go as Steve Jobs and an ipad. A little tribute…
One year a friend and I went as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. You can do Statler and Waldorf, Kermit and Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Carmella the chicken (I like the Muppets. It is obvious?), Rapunzel and Flynn (from Tangled), crayons, Ghostbusters…
Can you tell I was just in a costume store?
You can go as an angel and a devil. I went as an angel one year and went to the store and bought a kids costume (I just needed the halo and wings) and then I wore a white skirt and white shirt. You could do the same with the devil too.
We are the same thing every year. He’s a pirate and I’m a witch. I know that’s so boring but I don’t want spend money on a new costume every year.
I did talk with a friend of mine who wears the same size basically and we talked about switching costumes… at least then you would only have to buy a costume every other year.
Hey – if you want to save some money and still have pizza, you can make the dough before the reunion and roll it out and top it while the guests arrive. The guests could even top their own sections of pizza if they wanted (Or if you wanted to do less work)
As for costumes, try gumby and pokey or popeye and olive oil!
@Money Beagle, yay for thrifty spouses!
@Emily, good idea (but I’m a PC, lol).
@Jana, hahaha. I really pushed for Ghostbusters or Star Trek characters…
@Michelle, thanks for the suggestion, but sadly this idea has been nabbed by two of our guests, lol.
@Ashley, I think I will eventually have 2-3 costumes and just switch out every year.
@Jeff, Popeye and Olive Oil are good ones! As for pizza, it is just easier (and cleaner) to pick up 5 of the $5.99 mediums from Domino’s, lol. I know I am lazy…I have accepted that, hahaha.
You could go as a Cereal Killer—little mini cereal boxes pasted on a white shirt with knives in them. I think it’s clever. Don’t listen to me though–I don’t really celebrate Halloween. Sounds like a fun party though!
I once saw a couple go as a nun and priest. I’m catholic and I’m pretty sure the church would be alright with it
If your husband has a ref shirt you can wear a standard yellow rain poncho and be a penalty flag – we did that last year and it was so much fun! (And cheap!!).
nice
I am waiting for fun at Halloween and my husband also excited and waiting for this event.
My first thought was to recycle the outfits you wore to the Renaissance Festival, but I don’t know how practical they are for moving around and hosting in. (Thanks to my SCA garb, I’ve been a princess/medieval lady to take the kids around or pass out candy on many a Halloween…)
Pirates are another good one.
I think my favorite creative Halloween costume was the year I was a road. Black or gray shirt and pants, white and yellow electric tape to make lanes, a few toy cars pinned on with safety pins (so I could re-use the shirt after Halloween; if you don’t care, you could hot-glue them on), and maybe a few construction paper road signs. I can’t take credit for the idea – I read it in a magazine over 20 years ago – but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else use it.
I’ll try to think of a few more ideas. Have fun at your party, and don’t stress too much!
I’ve always wanted to dress up as Mr and Mrs Potato head (they are on our checks and we love them). My friend did this a few a years ago and it was a great costume, but hard to sit in!
Your party sounds like fun!
I am terrible at coming up with Halloween costumes. One year at the last minute, my husband and I cut a hole in the bottom of a garbage bag for each of us, slid it over our heads, and went as ‘white trash’. Not classy and probably not politically correct, but it cost about 50 cents.
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