50 Halloween costume ideas for a broke student

Looking at your bank account balance after Halloween doesn’t have to be frightening, so don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’re too broke to dress up for Halloween this year.

If you’re struggling to think of a cheap and easy Halloween costume, here is a list of 50 costume ideas for students who are on a strict budget:

Typical costumes

1. Mime – Wear black clothing and cover your face with white face paint. Bonus points if you perform a mime routine throughout the night.

2. Pregnant woman – Get some string and tie a pillow around your stomach. Carry around some junk food for extra effect.

3. Nerd – Wear clothes that are WAY too small, put on some glasses, and slick your hair to the side with hair gel. (And make sure your paints are pulled up really, really high).

4. Cowboy – All you need is a Cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and jeans. If you haven’t made fun of a friend who already dresses like this, then ask him or her if you can borrow their clothes for the night.

5. Tourist – Buy a Hawaiian shirt (if you don’t own one already), and put on a pair of shorts and some sandals. If you can, try and find a visor to wear and tie a camera around your neck.

6. Spirit of Halloween – Dress up in black and orange clothing. Try attaching some Halloween decorations to your clothing using tape or string.

7. Monster – Wear a monster mask. (or a Nixon mask, if you can find one).

Costumes for the creative

8. Sugar-Daddy/Sugar-momma – Buy some cheap clothes at a thrift store, and then attach some sugar cubes and/or candy to your pants and shirt using super glue.

9. Baked potato – Wrap aluminum foil around your legs, arms, and stomach. If you can, try gluing some bacon bits to the aluminum foil.

10. Highway – Wear all black clothing and then tape yellow/white stripes down your arms and legs.

11. “Done” – Put a piece of Styrofoam under your shirt, (try using tape or string to make sure it’s secured), and then *carefully* stab a fork through it over your shirt.

12. Refrigerator magnet – Attach a black shoe box to the back of your shirt using tape or string.

13. Self-absorbed – Buy some super glue and attach sponges to your clothes. Whenever someone tries to start a conversation with you, just talk about how awesome you are.

14. Static cling – Pin some socks, dryer sheets, or towels to your clothes.

15. White trash – Wear white clothing and then tape some candy wrappers to your arms and legs.

16. Law suit – Dress up in a nice suit, and then attach pieces of paper to your clothing that say “LEGAL DOCUMENTS” on the top. (You may need to print a couple off from your computer).

17. Muffin Man – Attach a muffin onto your head or hat with glue or string.

Celebrity costumes

18. Black-Eyed Peas – Draw the letter P around your eyes with black eyeliner. Try to sing a little “Boom Boom Pow” while you’re at it too.

19. John Travolta as Danny Zuko –  All you need is black pants or jeans, an old black leather jacket, and some hair gel.

20. Men in Black – Dress up in a fancy suit, or wear some dark sunglasses and all-black clothing.

21. Peter Pan – Dress up in green clothing, (green leotards preferably), and try to find a green hat as well. If you’re feeling cheap and lazy, then just tie a pan to your belt.

22. Pam Anderson – Put two basketballs or pillows under your shirt. If you’re a guy, put on some make-up and try to buy a fake blonde wig.

23. Johnny Cash – Get a name tag that says “Johnny” and tape/glue Monopoly money to your clothes. Carry around an acoustic guitar if you own one.

24. Blues Brothers – Wear a fancy suit and put on a black hat and sunglasses.

25. Grim Reaper on Vacation – Buy a flowered necklace and put it around your neck, and carry around a camera and some postcards or maps.

26. Harry Potter – Put on some thick-rimmed glasses and carry around a broom. (And don’t forget to draw a lightning bolt on your face).

27. Justin Bieber – All you need is a purple hoodie.If you can, slick your hair over the side of your face, Bieber style. Extra points if you put some blush on your cheeks so you can tell people that you have “Bieber fever.”

28. Michael Jackson – Cover your face with white face paint, dress up in black clothing, and wear one white glove.

29. Balloon Boy – Wear silver/green clothing, and carry around a big, silver balloon.

30. Britney Spears – Put on a tank top, shorts, and cowboy boots, (and make sure your hair look as messy and greasy as possible).

31. Dr. Drew – Buy some silver hairspray and put on some glasses and a nice suit.

32. Lady Gaga – Cut out pictures of meat from grocery store flyers and/or magazines, and then tape/staple them over your clothing, (preferably a skirt or a dress).

33. Kim Kardashian – Get a pair of larger sized pants and then stuff the “buttocks” area with pillows.

Eye-rolling costumes

34. Black Mail – Wear black clothing and put a postage stamp on your shirt.

35. “God’s gift to women” – Wrap your entire body up in wrapping paper and wear a sign that says “From: God, To: Women.”

36. Pot head – Get a pot from your kitchen cupboard and put it on top of your head.

37. Quarter pounder – Carry around a quarter in one hand, and a hammer in another.

38. Deviled egg – If you have enough money, then buy some devil horns and a pitchfork. Then dress up in white clothing and paint a yellow circle on your stomach.

39. Zebra – Wear a bar over your shirt and write a letter “Z” on one of the cups. (Males may have to purchase a bra or borrow one from a friend).

40. Pumpkin pie – Buy a pumpkin or get a piece of paper and cut it into a pumpkin shape. Then, write the number “3.1415926” on it.

41. Gold finger – Paint one of your fingers with yellow, orange, or gold paint.

42. Cross-dresser – Draw crosses on all of your clothes with eyeliner.

43. Paper shredder – Carry around some paper. If someone asks you what you are, tear one up.

44. Catcher in the rye – Wear a catcher’s glove and then carry around a loaf of rye bread.

45. Pop quiz – Draw a large question mark on your t-shirt and carry around some popcorn.

46. Nudist on Strike – Dress up in your everyday clothes and carry around a sign that says “On Strike.”

47. Undecided – Draw a question mark on your shirt with black eyeliner or pen.

48. In the Shower – Wrap a towel around your body (be sure to wear some clothes underneath, just in case) and put on a shower cap. If you have some extra money, buy a rubber duck and/or a back scrubber to carry around.

49. Fried Egg – Dress up in white clothing and color a yellow circle on your stomach.

50. Ceiling Fan – (This one is my personal favorite…) Write “Go Ceilings!!!” on your shirt, and then cheer if anyone asks you what you are. Try to get some pom poms to help with the enthusiasm.