Inexpensive Halloween Costume Ideas

This year, the economy is too bad to go out and spend $30 each (or more) on a costume for four kids for Halloween. We can't afford it. The kids want to dress up but we needed budget-minded ideas so I started planning over a month ago.

At our village's Labor Day festival, the peewee cheerleaders were selling their old cheerleading uniforms for $5 each. I grabbed two of them for my girls (my youngest already has one as the mascot of the cheerleading team). All I have to do is grab some make-up and they're going trick-or-treating as zombie cheerleaders. My four-year-old is going back and forth about hers but we have old costumes in the closet so she may just use a hand-me-down snow white costume. As long as it doesn't cost me anything else, it doesn't matter to me.

My son is going as a zombie soccer player - his soccer uniform and the same make-up I'm using on the girls. For about $20, the kids are all set for Halloween this year!

Do you have any inexpensive Halloween costume ideas to share?

• Parents (or extended family) who work at the hospital can pass down a lab coat and they can go as doctors.
• There is always the hobo/bum idea that has been around since we were kids too.
• Grab some of mom's old clothes, poof that hair, and dress up as an 80's girl...might want to go easy on the "Madonna" style if you live in a conservative town.