60 Halloween Dollar Store Hacks That Give You More Boo For Your Buck

Expensive decor is hocus pocus. These budget-friendly dollar store DIYs show how scary-easy it is to turn ordinary items into the cutest and spookiest Halloween decorations, costumes and more.

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By: Deanne Revel and Chelsea Faulkner

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Boo-tiful (and Affordable!) Halloween Decor

Already blown your Halloween budget on candy? We get it. But you can still get into the spooky spirit on the cheap with our low-cost Halloween decorating hacks. Just head to your local dollar store — you’ll be surprised what can be upcycled into eerie decor. First up? These floating fabric ghosts made from inexpensive paper lanterns. Haunt your yard or front porch with the step-by-step tutorial in the link below, and browse through our gallery for more DIY dollar store Halloween decorations.

GET THE HOW-TO: Outdoor Halloween Decoration: Hanging Ghosts

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Magic a Mum Into a Monster

Give your entryway a not-too-scary Halloween update with this easy-to-craft blooming beastie.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Front Porch Fix-Up: Magic a Mum Into a Monster

From: H. Camille Smith

Mummy Beverage Tub

Need a quick and simple decorating idea for an upcoming get-together? Turn a galvanized tub (or any beverage tub) into a friendly mummy, ready to keep ice and cold drinks at the ready.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Entertaining: Make a Mummy Beverage Tub

Monstrous Candy Bowl

Terrify trick-or-treaters with this creepy candy cauldron made from a terra cotta pot, black paint and a garden glove.

GET THE HOW-TO: Sinister + Sweet DIY Terra-Cotta Candy Bowls

3D Pumpkin Art

Found in the party aisle of the dollar store, these honeycomb decorations are great for more than just hanging. With a few basic craft supplies and an old picture frame, transform one into a piece of pretty 3D art you can display all season long.

Wicked Witch Planter

Plant more than mums on your front porch this year. With the help of a pool noodle and some dollar store stockings, you can craft a pair of these witchy legs to give planters or a Halloween tree a kooky, spooky boost.

GET THE HOW-TO: 3 Ways to Put Outdoor Planters to Good Use This Halloween

Double-Duty Pumpkin

This faux pumpkin pulls double duty as fabulous fall decor and a totally adorable candy dish. Leave it out for trick-or-treaters or fall guests, or close it to hide the candy from sneaky kiddos before Halloween.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Pumpkin Candy Dish

Mummified Front Door

Looking for a project you can whip up in no time? Using party streamers or even toilet paper, turn your front door into a giant, not-so-scary mummy in 30 minutes or less.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Mummify Your Front Door for Halloween

Apothecary Potion Bottles

Upcycle empty glass bottles or turn party beverages into evil potions, concoctions and secret spells by printing and attaching our free, creepy apothecary labels.

Ghostly Flames

Transform basic white pillar candles into a gaggle of ghouls by cutting out and attaching adhesive vinyl jack-o'-lantern faces. The best part? Vinyl is easily removable, meaning your Halloween decor can vanish without a trace once the holiday is over.

For Decoration or for Fun

Kids are sure to get a kick out of these spooky bouncy ball "eyeballs." Craft a bunch and scatter them all over your front yard to create a Halloween spectacle.

Chic Specimens

Who says Halloween decor has to be ghastly? Made from a dollar store frame and toy bugs, these mounted gold insect specimens are surprisingly chic and cost a whopping $2 to make.

GET THE HOW-TO: 5 DIY Dollar Store Halloween Decor Ideas

Mitt Monster

Hit the automotive aisle to fix up this crazy-cute monster wreath made from car-washing mitts and Ping Pong balls.

GET THE HOW-TO: 5 DIY Dollar Store Halloween Decor Ideas

Giant Rope Spider Web

White clothesline rope is found in abundance at the dollar store. Grab a basketful and follow our step-by-step instructions below to weave this easy, giant spider web on your front porch.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Giant Rope Spider Web for Halloween

Spooky, Dripping Candles

Spook-up inexpensive white pillar candles by using red candle wax to recreate this blood-curdling design.

Monster Treat Tent

Be the coolest house on the block this Halloween by using dollar store scores to turn a pop-up canopy into a friendly monster that's stocked with grab-and-go snacks and beverages for both adults and the littlest trick-or-treaters.

GET THE HOW-TO: Monster Up a Pop-Up Canopy for Outdoor Halloween Fun

From: H. Camille Smith

Pretty Scary Plates

Upcycle thrift store or dollar store plates into chic, Halloween decorations with this easy image transfer technique. But beware: Our method uses regular decoupage glue to seal the images, which isn't food safe. If you plan to use these dishes for more than decoration, opt for a food-safe sealer.

GET THE HOW-TO: Turn Classic Dinnerware Into Stylish Halloween Plates

See the Light

Acrylic paint, a sharp edge and Ping Pong balls are all you need to transform classic Christmas lights into a frightening strand of bloodshot eyeballs.

Trash Bag Spider Webs

Cover your porch in creepy spider webs — all you need is a black trash bag. Yes, really! We used the same technique used to make paper snowflakes to create this creepy crawly design.

GET THE HOW-TO: Trash Bag Spider Webs

Out-of-This-World Ferns

Do your hanging Boston ferns still look good after a hot summer? Follow our tutorial to inexpensively turn them into googly-eyed aliens just in time for Halloween.

GET THE HOW-TO: Easy Halloween Spook-Up: Transform a Fern Into an Alien

From: H. Camille Smith

Pumpkin Can Toss Party Game

Take a page from the book of classic carnival games to fashion this fun, almost-free can toss. Clean out 10 metal soup cans, cover them in sparkly orange cardstock and add fun jack-o'-lantern faces with a marker or black cardstock. Stack the cans in a pyramid shape on top of some hay bales and let the bean bag tossing begin! The player to knock down the most cans in five rounds wins.

SEE MORE: 31 Fun Halloween Party Games for Kids and Adults

Hanging Bats

Enlist the kids to help craft a flock of these wild, weatherproof bats made from black craft foam, googly eyes and fishing line.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Kids' Craft: Hanging Foam Bats

No-Carve Pumpkin String Art

Round up the kiddos and settle in for a night of fun with this easy pumpkin string-art project. Start by drawing the outline of your design, like a black cat or ghost, in pencil or chalk. Then, gently hammer small 1-inch nails into the pumpkin around the outline, spacing the nails about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch apart. Using yarn from the dollar store, wrap your design, and keep wrapping, weaving between the nails, until you're happy with the yarn coverage.

SEE MORE: 60+ No-Carve Halloween Pumpkin Ideas

White T-Shirt Costumes

Grab a white tee, dish gloves and a permanent marker and you’ve got all the essentials for a mad scientist costume that you can literally throw together in the parking lot of the dollar store. Get more white t-shirt Halloween costume ideas at the link below.

GET THE HOW-TO + MORE: 5 Easy Halloween Costumes You Can Make With a T-Shirt

Temporary Jack-o'-Lanterns

To make these not-so-spooky Halloween pumpkins, download, print and cut out our free jack-o'-lantern templates. Use a white colored pencil to trace designs onto felt, then cut out the pieces and attach to faux dollar store pumpkins using removable mounting squares. When Halloween is over, simply remove the felt and enjoy your faux pumpkins all the way to Thanksgiving.

SEE MORE: 5 DIY Decorations That Transition From Halloween to Thanksgiving

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Spooky Ghost Town Village

If you love a good Christmas village on the mantel, you can create one with a spooky Halloween twist using birdhouses or toy houses from the dollar store. Give everything a coat of matte black paint for an eerie look.

Get More Ideas: Our 100+ Favorite DIY Halloween Decorating Ideas

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Bunting That Bites

Using paper bunting to deck out your party space is nothing new, but have you ever noticed how much those pointed pennants resemble teeth? At this year’s Halloween bash, adorn a bare wall with bunting as usual, then add oversized eyes just above to give the banner an entirely different look. Guests will shudder upon first seeing the scary face, and best of all, it couldn't be easier to make. Snag the instructions below.

Witch's Broom

Let your imagination take flight by crafting a bewitching besom, or traditional twig broom. This variation on the classic Halloween decoration puts dollar store floral filler, twine and a large stick from the backyard to use.

GET THE HOW-TO: 5 DIY Dollar Store Halloween Decor Ideas

Plank Poltergeists

Deck your front porch in a gaggle of grinning ghosts made from pieces of scrap wood. Cover wood in a coat of white paint, then create a frightening face using a stencil or freehand friendly features with a pencil. Fill the stenciled eyes and mouth with black paint, then lightly sand the entire surface to give your perfect poltergeist a distressed look. Create multiple ghosts and style them together for a frighteningly cute display.

See More: 73 Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Halloween

Front Door Monster

Turn your door into a not-so-scary monster with fun colorful eyes, hair and teeth made from construction paper and tape.

GET THE HOW-TO: DIY Halloween Outdoor Decor That Will Have "All Eyes on Boo"

Mini Bat Pumpkins

Cover your mantel or dining table in a colony of these adorable bats made from petite pumpkins, craft paint and card stock.

GET THE HOW-TO: Mini Bat Pumpkins

Glowing Eyes

These creepy, glowing eyes are extremely easy to make — simply cut the eye shapes out of paper towel rolls, then place a plastic glow stick inside. Tuck a few sets of eyes in bushes around your front walkway to give passersby a fright.

Tin Can Mummies

Upcycle tin cans into adorable mummy jars with cheesecloth or medical gauze from a dollar store first aid kit. Filled with candy, these cute cans make great Halloween party favors or surprises for your favorite trick-or-treaters.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Party Favor: Mummy Candy Cans

Kooky Spider Candy Bowl

An inexpensive terra cotta pot gets a Halloween-worthy makeover with a little bit of paint and glitter. Add some pipe cleaner legs and Ping Pong ball eyes and you’ve got a creepy crawly container just the right size for sweets. Display on your front porch for a no-contact way to hand out candy or “boo” your neighbors with a scary-sweet surprise.

GET THE HOW-TO: Sinister + Sweet DIY Terra-Cotta Candy Bowls

Bloody Footprints

Lead trick-or-treaters to your door with a trail of bloody footprints. Simply step into washable red paint with bare feet, then carefully walk towards the front door. Make sure to carry your paint supply with you, should you need to redo your feet, and don't forget to have a towel waiting for you at the end of your walk for easy cleanup.

Treat Yo' Self Sign

Encourage trick-or-treaters to help themselves (to one treat a piece, of course) with this DIY sign made from an upcycled dollar store plaque.

GET THE HOW-TO: 5 Farmhouse Halloween Decorating DIYs

Jack-o'-Lantern Luminaries

Add an ominous glow to your walkway or porch steps with a pack of these kid-safe, fireproof lanterns made from dollar store buckets and battery-operated tea lights.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Jack-o'-Lantern Luminaries

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe

Move the festivities outside to play this oversized version of tic-tac-toe that uses orange and white petite pumpkins in the place of x's and o's. To recreate at home, use decorative duct tape to create a grid on a flat area, like a driveway or patio, then place pumpkins in a basket or stack them up beside the gameboard.

SEE MORE: 31 Fun Halloween Party Games for Kids and Adults

Bats!

Spook up your Halloween decor with a swarm of scary, screeching bats attached to your walls, doors or windows. Download our free, printable template, then trace onto black cardstock and cut out for a shriek-worthy display.

GET THE FREE PRINTABLE: 100+ Printable (and Free!) Halloween Templates

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Fishnet Stocking Pumpkin

This no-carve pumpkin decorating technique is as easy as it gets. First, grab a pair of fishnet tights from the dollar store. Then, paint your pumpkin black and let it dry completely. Wrap one leg of the tights around the pumpkin and add a coat or two of silver spray paint. Let dry, then remove the stocking to reveal a spooky-chic, lacy pumpkin design. For an even easier project, simply wrap the stocking around a silver pumpkin, tie it off at the bottom and snip the excess.

GET THE HOW-TO: No-Carve Pumpkin Designs

Witchy Place Card

Made from a twig, raffia and a scrap of paper, these diminutive brooms add an enchanting touch of whimsy to any Halloween get-together, plus they're a fun party favor that guests can take with them.

GET THE HOW-TO: Witch's Broom Halloween Place Card Holders

From: Marian Parsons

Where'd Ya Get Those Peepers?

Jeepers creepers — pair ink-black plumage with a pack of disembodied peepers to craft this ultra-easy and ultra-scary front door sight.

Just Add Webs

Put your everyday decor to work this spooky season with this hair-raising hack. Snag a few packs of faux spider web from the dollar store and stretch it across front porch pumpkins, mums, wreaths and more. Finish with a few plastic spiders for an extra creepy look.

Tin Tombstones

Grab your glue gun to craft these petite tombstones made from dollar store baking tins.

GET THE HOW-TO: 5 DIY Dollar Store Halloween Decor Ideas

Candy Decor

Candy corn is already a colorful mascot of the season, so why not decorate with it? Buy a bag or two from the dollar store and display around votives, in apothecary jars or let your kids make fun, frameable art by spelling out Halloween words with candy corn.

SEE MORE: 5 Quick Crafts and Recipes to Make With Candy Corn

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Easy Magnetic Spiders

Snag a bag of plastic spider rings to fashion a creepy cavalcade of spiders across your door, fridge, stove or any other metal surface.

GET THE HOW-TO: Easy-to-Make Magnetic Spiders

Spooky Splatter

A great way to involve the kids in party prep, these splatter paint balloons are fun, interesting, and above all, easy! In an outdoor space, liberally dip a paintbrush in black paint, and flick towards a white helium balloon. Repeat until the splatter design is to your liking, then allow to dry. For an even creepier look, you could use red paint instead of black to resemble blood.

Picture Frame Lanterns

Guide your guests to the front door with these illuminated picture lanterns. To make them, four inexpensive picture frames were nailed together to create a square, then Halloween drawings were printed on vellum paper and inserted into the frames. Get the full tutorial at the link below.

Shattered Windows

Create the look of a shattered window with a clever use of frosted contact paper. Just attach contact paper directly to the window then use a craft knife or razor blade to cut away jagged areas until the window or door looks like it's been shattered.

SEE MORE: 35 Creep-Tastic DIY Halloween Wreaths

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Spider's Nest Luminaries

Easily turn Mason jars into creepy glowing spiders' nests. Just wrap large and small jars with white medical gauze or cheesecloth, securing the fabric's ends with hot glue or pins. Next, glue a few plastic spiders to the gauze to create the look of a spider's nest then fill each jar with a pillar candle or flameless luminary.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Stylish Serpents

Cover your grapevine wreath in yarn and bendable toy snakes from the dollar store to create this ghoulish and gloomy front door decoration.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make a Rubber Snake Wreath

Bat Mat

This doormat project uses stencils to create a batty design. This project can be done any time of the year with any design and is an inexpensive way to customize your front entry.

Quick Cat Costume

Need a costume quick? Run to the dollar store or shop your junk drawer for a headband and cardstock to craft these cute kitten ears.

GET THE HOW-TO: Kids' Craft: Witch's Hat or Black Cat Halloween Headbands

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Paper Bag Jack-o'-Lanterns

Paper luminaries can serve as beautiful, simple decor for various holidays and events, and icicle lights can be used to illuminate a long running strand. Cut a hole in the bottom of the bag and insert an “icicle” into the bottom of each bag. You may not need or want to cut a design into the front of the bag, but we love these jack-o'-lantern luminaries, which light a sidewalk nicely for trick-or-treaters.

GET THE HOW-TO: 10 Uses for Icicle Lights After the Holiday Season

Boney Branches

Skip the vibrant autumn blooms and set the tone for Halloween with a bare bones twig wreath and a bold, black-and-white ribbon. The minimalist twig wreath offers a subtly chic and spooky nod to the haunted holiday that lies ahead.

Spider Ring Treat Bags

Skip the over-the-top party favors this year and try this quick trick instead. Drop a treat or toy into colorful paper treat bags, then seal it up with dollar store twine and creepy plastic spider rings.

SEE MORE: 45 DIY Halloween Gift Bags & Party Favor Ideas

Window Silhouettes

This is more of an indoor/outdoor decoration. Cut out popular Halloween shapes in black paper and adhere them to your windows. When the indoor lights are lit, the shapes will come to life.

Glowing Pods

This Halloween eve, greet trick-or-treaters with illuminated paper mache lights that you can hang from the trees or your porch.

Bone-Chilling Doll Head Planters

Follow our frightening tutorial below to learn how to upcycle inexpensive dolls into the creepiest Halloween decor ever.

GET THE HOW-TO: 3 Ways to Make Creepy Doll Head Planters for Halloween

Pool Toy Tombstone

Grab some foam kickboards and gray spray paint, then watch our how-to video below to turn your yard into a spooky cemetery.

GET THE HOW-TO: Dollar Store Halloween Decor

60 Halloween Dollar Store Hacks That Give You More Boo For Your Buck

Related To:

Shop This Look

Boo-tiful (and Affordable!) Halloween Decor

Magic a Mum Into a Monster

Mummy Beverage Tub

Monstrous Candy Bowl

3D Pumpkin Art

Wicked Witch Planter

Double-Duty Pumpkin

Mummified Front Door

Apothecary Potion Bottles

Ghostly Flames

For Decoration or for Fun

Chic Specimens

Mitt Monster

Giant Rope Spider Web

Spooky, Dripping Candles

Monster Treat Tent

Pretty Scary Plates

See the Light

Trash Bag Spider Webs

Out-of-This-World Ferns

Pumpkin Can Toss Party Game

Hanging Bats

No-Carve Pumpkin String Art

White T-Shirt Costumes

Temporary Jack-o'-Lanterns

Spooky Ghost Town Village

Bunting That Bites

Witch's Broom

Plank Poltergeists

Front Door Monster

Mini Bat Pumpkins

Glowing Eyes

Tin Can Mummies

Kooky Spider Candy Bowl

Bloody Footprints

Treat Yo' Self Sign

Jack-o'-Lantern Luminaries

Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe

Bats!

Fishnet Stocking Pumpkin

Witchy Place Card

Where'd Ya Get Those Peepers?

Just Add Webs

Tin Tombstones

Candy Decor

Easy Magnetic Spiders

Spooky Splatter

Picture Frame Lanterns

Shattered Windows

Spider's Nest Luminaries

Stylish Serpents

Bat Mat

Quick Cat Costume

Paper Bag Jack-o'-Lanterns

Boney Branches

Spider Ring Treat Bags

Window Silhouettes

Glowing Pods

Bone-Chilling Doll Head Planters

Pool Toy Tombstone

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