Here are five ways you can keep Halloween budget-friendly

We’re not just carving pumpkins this fall.

With Halloween decorations starting to haunt neighbourhoods before Thanksgiving ends, festive ornaments are being hung in earnest. You’re sure to see a 12-foot towering phantom, skeleton or werewolf this October.

It can be expensive to participate in all the excitement.

These are just five of the ways you can keep it inexpensive.

Stop by your nearest dollar discount shop

You don’t have to be a loonie to find trinkets you love. These are the items we found.

This barebone fork will give you a frightful look on your romaine.Jennifer Moore

Dollarama offers Skeleton hands for salad forks starting at $2 The taste of caesar salad won’t be the same.

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Dress up for just $1.25 with this Clown Makeup kit at Dollarama.

This Clown Makeup Kit from Dollarama will make you look fabulous for only $1.25Jennifer Moore

Dollarama offers a Clown Makeup Kit for $1.25.

Surround your house in a murder of crows with these lovely creatures found at Dollarama.

This lovely creature from Dollarama can be used to surround your home in a murmur of crows.Jennifer Moore

Your house will be adorned with hundreds of crows. Dollarama sold these smart creatures for a mere two dollars.

Line your sidewalk or stairs with these ultra creepy creations mummy hands. Watch they don't grab your ankles!

This eerie creation of mummy hands will be a perfect addition to your walkway or staircase. Watch they don’t grab your ankles!Jennifer Moore

Dollarama sells walking mummy hands for $5. These creepy creatures come in three versions: skeleton, witch and mummy. They are supposed to hold a tea light but you don’t need one to keep the vibe.

These bony apparitions will be a hit with trick-or-treaters.Jennifer Moore

Give your trick-or treaters a big thumbs-up and put these Dollarama bony creatures around your yard.

Amazon Jump Onboard

You can infest your porch and garden with spiders. A web of spiders is a delight for everyone, but it’s the one that makes the most noise. For less than $10, you can order 100+ plastic spiders and sprinkle them all around your yard or on top of a pumpkin.

Create your own

Scare your neighbors in shadow. A flashlight and a cutting board are all you will need. Go to EtsyYou can also look in other places for cut-outs of zombie shapes or designs. Mark the template on heavy cardboard. You can paint it black so it will look good in daylight. To make a spike, glue or nail it to your back. Place a flashlight ahead of it and poke the hole in the ground. They don’t have to be giant but hey, why not?

For a fast door wreath, spray paint grapevine wreaths with flat black. Add whatever you like.

Thrift stores galore

Many thrift shops are located in Hamilton, which is a great place to get into the spirit. You’ll have to scour but you can create your own one-of-a-kind designs from a range of preloved items. Here’s a list of Hamilton area thrift stores you can peruse.

There are many Spirit Halloween shops popping up all over town. In Hamilton there’s one in the old No Frills at 499 Mohawk Rd. E., at 1565 Upper James St. on the Mountain or 200 Centennial Parkway N.

Keep it foggier

To create a creepy atmosphere, dry ice works well. A little bit of water can be added to any cast iron vessel or cauldron. You can get dry ice at Linde Canada, 171 Brockley Dr., Hamilton 905-560-4110 or, 750 Darline Crt., Unit 1, Burlington 905-637-2206. The cost is approximately $2 for each pound. You’ll likely need around 10 to 20 pounds for the evening.

Tip: Shop early to avoid disappointment. Items sell quickly.

Here are five ways you can keep Halloween budget-friendly