9 Budget Friendly Halloween Ideas That Are Surprisingly Eco-Friendly

Some of the ways we celebrate Halloween can be pretty spooky! From candy wrapped in plastic to wasteful Halloween home decor, there is definitely some room for improvement in regards to waste and overspending.

I put together some ways we can reduce our carbon footprint while still enjoying Halloween, and no, you don’t have to skip your favorite traditions! An added bonus is that you can save some money as well!

Keep reading to find out all the ways you can enjoy Halloween this year with the environment and your budget in mind.

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Best Tips For Your Sustainable Halloween Festivities

1. Thrift your Halloween costume 

Buying a new Halloween costume every year can be pretty wasteful and expensive. So many resources (water, electricity, gas for transportation etc.) go into making new costumes every year. 

Instead, try checking out your local thrift store for this year’s costume! Sometimes they have costumes from larger stores that did not sell, or you can piece your costume together from various items you find!

Here are a few costume ideas to get you started: 

• The classic ghost: using a white sheet 
• Scarecrow: jeans + flannel + boots + hat 
• Pumpkin: orange shirt. Draw a face with a black marker.
• Witch: black outfit, hat, paint broomstick black 

If you want more trendy costumes, check out the post below!

{RECOMMENDED POST: 11 Super Easy Thrifted Halloween Costume Ideas}

Once you thrift the perfect budget-friendly costume, you can add some accessories to complete it!

2. Give out eco-friendly and intentional goodies for trick or treating 

Opt for brands that are vegan, organic, use paper packaging etc. Yes these will be more expensive but you can pair them with a gift tag with a Halloween message, poem, or joke.

And then also add a small thrifted toy. It isn’t the same as a big handful of candy, but it’s a bit more intentional and may be cheaper in the long run!

Vegan candy is another great option!  Some vegan candies include Nerds, Swedish Fish, Skittles, Twizzlers etc.

You could also pass out small gifts instead of candy. Just make sure they are not made of plastic, or find some that are second-hand.

Here are some fun options:

• pencils
• erasers
• wooden toys
• Stickers and temporary tattoos
• second-hand toy cars etc. 

3. Use a reusable bag for trick or treating 

If your kids are going trick-or-treating, use a reusable bag or repurpose one you already have. Even a brown paper bag from the grocery store can be decorated in a cute way.

There’s no need to waste a plastic bag for one night when you can use one that has already been produced. 

If you want a cute Halloween bag that can be used each year or passed down, I think these are adorable and seem pretty durable!

4. Try making a vegan Halloween dessert 

Check out this full post with TONS of vegan Halloween treats!

With a little orange or purple food coloring you can make a festive Halloween treat to celebrate. This year I am going to make mini pumpkins using vegan rice krispy treats and some orange food coloring!

If you are looking for a healthier Halloween treat to try, check out my Healthy Halloween Juice here. 

{RECOMMENDED POST: 23 Vegan Halloween Party Food Ideas Your Guests Will Love}

5. Halloween nail art, but make it eco-friendly! 

Some nail polishes have toxic ingredients that can be harmful to your body and the earth.

I love these organic nail paints because they come in a bunch of colors and are a fun budget friendly way to celebrate Halloween without spending a bunch of money!

6. Use sustainable makeup for Halloween costumes (elate and package free glitter) 

Make-up can have so many toxins that can harm your skin and the environment. If your Halloween costume includes the need for makeup, check out Elate Cosmetics.

If you need plastic-free glitter it can be found here.

7. Skip the disposables for Halloween parties 

If you are throwing a Halloween party, go for reusable cutlery, plates, and cloth napkins.

Yes, it can be a lot to wash, but you won’t have to buy a bunch of single-use plastic. If you want your items to be Halloween-themed stop by the thrift store to see if they have fall-themed items that you can save for years to come. 

8. Decorate with natural elements instead of plastic 

Pumpkins. Leaf wreaths. Gourds. Twigs and branches. Maybe throw in some thrifted twinkle lights and you’ve got a cozy fall-themed decor. An ethically made Fall-themed candle doesn’t hurt either! 

9. Carpool to haunted houses, pumpkin patches & corn mazes 

I will not be joining your carpool ha (I can’t stand scary stuff), but if it’s your thing, pile into one car instead of riding separately. Reducing the number of cars on the road is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint. 

Have any other budget friendly Halloween activity ideas? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay well, 

Maggie

Other Halloween posts you may like:

14 Easy DIY Halloween Garland Ideas Using Materials From Home 

8 Super Fun Halloween Movie Night Ideas At Home 

9 Easy Backyard Halloween Party Ideas For Hosting on a Budget

If you would like to save this budget friendly Halloween activities post for later-pint it!