A fun night without the low bank balance fright

It’s reaching the time of year again, where shops replace their yellow and red paper turkeys with black and orange jack-o-lanterns. But having spent your last pennies on pumpkin spice lattes and a bus ticket home for Thanksgiving, you might be finding it financially difficult to get into the spooky spirit. Fear not my friends, for I present to you: Halloween on a budget.

Crafty Costumes

Whether you’re paying tribute to your favourite comic book character, flaunting your pop culture prowess, or recreating a Halloween classic, rocking a costume is a staple of Halloween. However, there’s absolutely no reason to spend more than $10 on a costume you only plan on wearing once. When putting together an affordable outfit, the dollar store becomes your new best friend. Animal apparel gets a lot of hate for its lack of originality, but it’s a cliché for a reason. Grab a Sharpie and a red shirt you don’t mind dotting up, make a pair of antennae with a headband and some pipe cleaners, and you my friend, are a ladybug. Is being Instagram a little lame? Absolutely! But at least you’re guaranteed a few modest chuckles while you remain smug in knowing that your costume did not blow your grocery budget.

All Dressed Up with Nowhere to Go

Donning a DIY costume is great, but what’s the point of getting dressed up if no one’s going to see it? If you’re looking to spend Halloween night on campus, you might consider going to the Hart House of Horrors Halloween party (19+) for some killer dance floor action. If you’re one for spooky stories, the Royal Ontario Museum offers fantastic walking tours of the streets of Toronto and the university itself, and gives you a chance to learn about the city’s haunting history. If you plan on taking this terrifying tour, make sure to go with some friends because ticket prices are reduced to $10 each if you go in groups of four or more.

Netflix and Thrill

If parties aren’t your scene and you’re looking to keep it simple this Halloween, you could try curling up with a scary movie and some easily frightened friends. Everyone’s favourite cinema site, Netflix, offers a variety of classics from the bone-chilling blood bath that is Brian de Palma’s Carrie, to creepy classics like Sleepy Hollow, and some not-so-freaky flicks like The Addams Family. Regardless of the film, you’re bound to have a great night as long as you’ve got a solid group of pals and some discounted Halloween candy.

Realistically, Halloween comes with a price tag, but there’s no reason this eerie evening has to break your bank account. Whether you plan on Monster Mash-ing it up or hosting a movie Scream-ing with your gang, I hope your Halloween is both spine-chilling and easy on the pocketbook.

Netflix and Thrill List:

Scream (2015)

Bates Motel (2013)

Goosebumps (1992)

Are you afraid of the Dark? (1990)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)

The Walking Dead (2010)

Supernatural (2005)

Hemlock Grove (2013)

Sleepy Hollow (2013)

Hannibal (2013)

From Dusk Till Dawn (2014)

The X Files (1993)

Featured image courtesy of  Tess King