Halloween

Thrifting your costume can make cost of Halloween less scary

Goodwill stores are among the places where thrifty shoppers can pay less while preparing the perfect Halloween costume

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Pumpkins, skeletons, witches and ghouls, there’s no doubt that spooky season is upon us and Halloween will be here before you know it.

All that candy, decorations and costumes can add up.

According to the National Retail Federation, people plan to spend more than $100 to celebrate the spooky season.

Luckily, NBC10 Responds has your guide to make the cost of getting in the Halloween spirit a little less scary.

A good bet to finding that perfect Halloween costume could be hitting up your local thrift store. The lead-up to Halloween is a busy time at secondhand stores, Goodwill of Delaware and Delaware County CEO Colleen Morrone said.

“We've got great prices on putting together a Halloween costume at a low cost," Morrone said. "And, you have a one-of-a-kind costume.”

“There's so much more you can do at Goodwill for Halloween -- or any costume that you're making -- in that you're going to find pieces that look similar to what you're doing and be able to work with it,” shopper Tabitha said.

What are the top Halloween costumes this year?

The top adult costumes this year are expected to be a witch, vampire and cat.

Tabitha can relate: “One of the last dresses I made from here, it was a witch costume actually for Halloween. And, it looked similar to what I needed… it was perfect."

For kids it is Spider-Man, a ghost and a princess.

How do thrift stores make it easier for costume seekers?

At Goodwill they put out displays to help with your choice and even have developed a costume generator.

“How can you be a farmer?” asks Morrone. “Well, we'll show you how to take a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans and roll it up and become a farmer for a low-cost Halloween costume.”

Goodwill has several locations in the Philadelphia region (click here for the store locator), plus there are many thrift stores where you can do the same kind of shopping and save money.

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