Prepping for Halloween? Here are 10 easy options under $30.

Thanks to our brand partner, Spotlight

In our family, October means two things: my eldest son's birthday and Halloween.

As soon as his birthday is done and dusted in early October, the countdown is on to the 31st — the Halloween celebrations get bigger every year in my house.

Is it the promise of sweet treats, the opportunity to dress up in a totally OTT costume or a heady combination of both that makes this celebration so alluring to kids and adults alike?

If your family is big on Halloween too, but you're dreading the expense of costumes, decorations and sugary bucket-fillers when the cost of living is downright scary, never fear. Spotlight is here with all the costumes and accessories to suit any budget, so you can celebrate Halloween this year without breaking the bank.

Here are my picks of their best easy, savey options.

Costumes.

Embrace your inner witch.

Ask my kids, and they might say my inner witch makes a regular appearance in our house — usually when patience is wearing thin and I'm done with repeating myself (do their ears even work?). Truth be told, I'm looking forward to bringing my inner witch out into the open this year with this Spooky Hollow Adult Witch Dress & Hat Costume Set, which is just $15 for VIP members (or $30). I'll be pairing it with green skin and a loud cackle. Beware!

If you've got a mini-me witch, get them in on the action with the Spooky Hollow Kids Witch Dress/Hat Black ($20, or $10 for VIP). I recommend sizing up so you can get at least a few Halloween wears out of this one — it's a classic.

No bones about it. 

Nothing says Halloween like a skeleton, so get your small humans to show off their bones proudly in a Spooky Hollow Kids Skeleton Jumpsuit in Black & White ($24, or $12 for VIP). With sizes to fit kids from ages three to 13, this is a super versatile and comfy outfit, perfect for running around on All Hallows Eve and filling up treat buckets.

It's also ideal for any kids who feel a bit shy or nervous about dressing up, as their face will be hidden by the mask. This kind of option has helped my shy middle boy in previous Halloween years (and Book Week parades!).

You look like death. 

The Spooky Hollow Grim Reaper Adults Costume in Black ($30, or $15 for VIP) is another simple yet highly effective costume for anyone who wants to be the death of the party.

While the Scream mask still triggers some deep-seated terror in me (am I the only one who remembers watching the Scream movie as a teenager and freaking out?), there's no denying that the combination of this iconic mask and an all-black ensemble gives some serious Grim Reaper vibes.

Fang on.

Is it a Halloween party without a vampire in the midst? I think not. This Vampire Devil Boy Costume in Red ($30, or $21 for VIP) brings just the right amount of dramatic cape swishing while also being comfortable enough for them to stay in character all night (or at least until that sugar high wears off and you can get them to bed).

The Sparty's Vampire Girl Costume ($30, or $24.50 for VIP) is also a winner — just don't forget the fake blood and fangs to really complete the look.

Decorations.

Haunted house. 

If where you live is anything like my neighbourhood, then you probably know the streets and houses that go all out with their Halloween decorations — and the displays only seem to get more impressive and creative each year. Whether it's (scarily realistic) freshly dug graves on the front lawn or a giant spider scaling the roof, some of these houses are a spectacle to behold.

But you don't have to win the best decorated home award to embrace the Halloween vibe. It's amazing how far covering your front step, deck or door with fake spider webs like this Spooky Hollow Web Decoration can go ($2, or $1 for VIP). Grab a few bags, drape them across your front garden or around the door, and stick in a few fake spiders to really get the creepies crawling.

I also love the Spooky Hollow Warning Tape ($5, or $3.50 for VIP). A little goes a long way, and you'll have your house looking like a crime scene in no time.

Accessories.

Trick or treat.

One of the best things about Halloween in Australia is that it lands as the days are getting longer, and it's light well into the evening. So trick-or-treating doesn't mean rugging up and traipsing around in the dark like it does for our northern hemisphere pals — instead, we can safely stroll the streets while the sun's out and in many communities, it's becoming a great way to get out and meet your neighbours.

Each year, my boys use one of these Spooky Hollow Pumpkin Plastic Treat Buckets ($2, or $1 for VIP) to gather their treats. Although we make our best efforts to ensure they all gather around the same number of treats, we still had to write their names on the side in permanent marker; otherwise, the fights over which bucket belongs to which boy are never-ending — especially when one of my kids likes to save his lollies, and the others can't seem to eat them fast enough!

And when it comes to putting out treats, I've got my eye on these Lolliland Halloween Gummy Eyes — deliciously freaky.

Check out Spotlight for all your Halloween essentials, available online or in-store.

Feature Image: Supplied/Spotlight/Mamamia.

Spotlight was founded in the early 1970s as a small establishment at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market. Spotlight's presence has since grown, with stores in Australia, New Zealand and Asia, with hundreds of brands and thousands of products to choose from in the crafting, decorating, textiles and home décor range.

For more information on Spotlight or to view all the product ranges please visit   www.spotlightstores.com