30+ Best (Easy) Halloween Costumes on a Budget

With just under 6 weeks left until Halloween, it’s time to start getting serious about costumes.

Let’s be honest all you need for a successful Halloween is candy, at least one viewing of Hocus Pocus, and a good costume.

But a good costume doesn’t have to mean an expensive or complicated costume.

In this post I’m breaking down 30+ easy and budget friendly costumes. Many of them you can put together with stuff you already own. So let’s dig in and get our costume on…

1. Witch

Perhaps one of the most iconic Halloween costumes. All you need is to dress in all black, and throw on a witches hat that you can get for cheap online or at a local costume shop

Need:

• Black clothing
• Witches Hat

2. Pan Am Stewardess

Got a blue skirt suit? If not you can put one together by hitting up a thrift store, that’s what I did for Halloween 2015. Using some felt, a cheap hat, and a hot glue gun I put together the hat, and had picked up the bag a few years before. But if you don’t have the bag, you could easily make one or pick up one on Amazon (though the Amazon route, will definitely cost more).

Need:

• Blue Suit
• Sheet of Blue felt
• White ribbon
• Hat
• Print out of PanAm Logo
• This tutorial on creating a Pan Am hat

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3. Bob Ross

Who doesn’t love Bob Ross? An afro wig, a white t-shirt, jeans and a cardboard paint pallet with a brush will do the trick.

Need:

• White button up shirt
• Jeans
• Wig
• Cardboard to make a “paint pallet”
• Paint Brush

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4. Athlete

Whether you used to be an athlete or still are one, you can use your gear to play the part on Halloween. Maybe you’re a soccer player, or rugby, whatever the sport dress for the game and carry the ball around, and bam! Halloween costume complete.

Need:

• Sports gear for whatever sport you currently or used to play (shorts, shirt, cleats, ball)

5. Graduate

Put that aging cap and gown in the back of your closet to good use. It’s easily one of the easiest and most comfortable Halloween costumes.

Need:

• Cap
• Gown

6. Rosie the Riveter

Iconic? Check. Easy? Check. Budget friendly? Check. Denim and an updo with a bandana and you’re in business.

Need:

• Denim/blue button up with sleeves rolled up
• Jeans
• Bandana

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7. Audrey Hepburn

There are so many options when dressing up like Audrey Hepburn, but perhaps the most iconic is Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The trickiest part of this costume is getting your hair up right.

Need:

• Black dress
• Pearl necklace
• Cigarette

8. Flo/Jamie from Progressive

The only downside of this costume is that it’s primarily white, so if you’re going to a rager where you are likely to have a drink spilled on you, you may want to choose another costume. But otherwise, this one is super easy and super comfortable.

Need:

• White polo shirt
• White pants
• Finally, a white apron
• Printer/iron on of Progressive
• Sneakers

9. Mime

A classic Halloween costume. A striped shirt, black pants, and a little face makeup and you’re done.

Need:

• Black pants
• Black and white horizontal striped shirt
• White and red face paint
• Beret

10. Harry Potter

You could make this costume really in depth and complicated, but you don’t need to. Some round glasses, a lightning bolt “scar” and you’re done. If you want to take it up one level, create a wand and maybe a house scarf.

Need:

• Round Glasses
• Use makeup to create a lightning bolt scar
• Wand

11. Christmas Present

This is throwing it back to my childhood. But all you have to do is take a large box (you can get one from Home Depot for about $2) cut holes for your arms and head. Then tape wrapping paper to the box, add a bow to your head and you’re done.

Need:

• Box
• Wrapping paper
• Bow

12. Arthur/John Legend

Blue jeans, a yellow sweater, red shoes, and some glasses and you’re good to go.

Need:

• Blue jeans
• Red Chucks
• Yellow sweater
• Round Glasses

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13. Minnie/Mickey Mouse

Wear anything black, red, and white along with some mouse ears and gloves and you’re automatically Minnie or Mickey Mouse.

Need:

• Mouse ears
• Mouse gloves

14. Smartie Pants

This is a pun costume. All you do is tape smarties candies to a pair of pants.

Need:

• Pants
• Tape
• Smarties

Bonus: Any smarties you don’t use for your costume you can use as candy to give out.

15. Sheldon Cooper

Bazinga! Could this costume be any easier? Pants, a long sleeve shirt, and a flash t-shirt over it and say, “Bazinga!” a lot.

Need:

• Pants
• Long sleeve T-Shirt

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16. Mary Poppins

This is both a classic costume and modern one since they are remaking Mary Poppins.

Need:

• Umbrella
• Bowler hat
• Black skirt
• Red bowtie
• White button up top

17. Barbie Dolls

Hello Barbie! Put on your best dress, then pop a Barbie box over you and you’re all set. Check out the video below for a tutorial on creating a great Barbie (or Ken) box.

18. Devil

Let your bad side out on Halloween. Dress in all red, throw on some horns and a tail and voila!

Need:

• Red clothes
• Horns
• Tail

19. Forrest Gump

Pick your favorite look from the movie and then make it happen. It could be a blue button up with slacks, or running shorts, a large t-shirt, crazy hair and ball cap, or a messy white tank and pants from the boat. Complete your look by carrying around a box of chocolates.

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20. Clue Characters

Was it the maid or the professor? This can also make for a great group costume. Check out this post for inspiration on creating the costumes.

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21. Bank robber

Really all you need to do is dress up a burlap bag, by adding a dollar sign to it, or buy one already dressed up.

Need:

• Black clothing
• Money bags
• Mask

22. Hans Solo

AKA fall wear for women. Pants, boots, white shirt, and vest. Done. Complete the look with a blaster and Chewbacca by your side.

Need:

• Dark pants
• Boots
• White long sleeve shirt
• Vest
• Blaster

23. Rachel Green

A tank top, some overalls, and a Central Perk apron and you’re one of the gang.

Need:

• Tank top
• Overall shorts
• Central Perk Apron

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24. Gunther

Spray your hair bleach blonde/white and wear a button up with a tie, obsess over Rachel and you can be Gunther for Halloween.

Need:

• White Hair Spray
• Slacks
• Button up shirt
• Tie

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25. Regina George

Get yourself a cheap tank top cut some holes in the front and carry a burn book and you’re on your way to being the top mean girl.

• White tank top
• Colored bra
• Black mini skirt
• Burn Book Cover

26. Damian from Mean Girls

Quite possibly the most perfect costume for an introvert. Wear a blue hoodie and sunglasses and occasionally shout, “she doesn’t even go here!”

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27. State Farm

All you need is a red polo shirt and some khakis. Then throw on a name tag that says you’re from State Farm.

Need:

• Red polo shirt
• Khakis
• Name tag

28. Wheres Waldo

Another comfy and easy and budget friendly costume? Yup, what can I say, I love being comfortable. All you need is some blue jeans, a red and white striped shirt and a red beanie.

Need:

• Blue jeans
• Red & White striped shirt
• Red or red and white, hat
• Round Glasses

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29. Cowgirl

Yeehaw! If you’re not an actual cow girl, now is your chance to pretend. Put your hair in braids, get a hat and some boots and then you can pretty much wear whatever you want. Jeans and a plaid top, or a dress.

Need:

• Cowgirl/boy boots
• Cowgirl/boy hat

30. Bag of Jelly Beans or Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans – it’s all about the logo

All you have to do for this one is get a large clear plastic bag, cut out holes for your extremities and fill it with balloons. Finally, add your preferred logo.

31. Pink Lady

Grease Lightning! Put on your favorite poodle skirt or just all black (pants and shirt) along with a pink jacket. The last thing you’ll need is attitude.

Need:

• Black pants
• Black top
• Dark shoes
• Pink Lady Jacket

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32. Thing One/Thing 2

There are a lot of ways you could go with this costume. But the simplest would be to rock a Thing One or Thing Two t-shirt.

Need:

• Red pants
• T-shirt

What Will Be Your Halloween Costume?

With all these great, easy and budget friendly Halloween costumes, which will you choose? Let me know in the comments!