How to Get a Deal on a Halloween Costume

If you're a wannabe Jack or Sally and think other holidays pale in comparison to Halloween, you'll want to break out all things festive this month. Luckily, some of your favorite stores offer impressive discounts on costumes and decor to suit all levels of gruesome or cute!

We took a look at spooky seasons past to help you sort the Halloween deals from the duds in 2018.

Shop for Deals NOW

In 2016 and 2017, Halloween favorites like Spirit Halloween and shopDisney started their festive promotions in the first two weeks of October. This year, they already had deals going by late September. But we recommended holding off until at least October 15, when the better sales and lower prices were expected to hit our site. (Obviously, the very best deals come around November 1, but that only matters if you're looking ahead to next year.)

Now that October 15 has passed, you can expect to see up to 75% off Halloween costumes and decor at ThinkGeek and up to 50% off costumes at Urban Outfitters, where pop culture fiends can look for Bob's Burgers and Bob Ross costumes at significant discounts. eBay is also likely to cut 20% off orders of $25, leading to some of the lowest prices of the month. (Typically, these coupons cut costs on many home, electrical, and clothing items, so you can shop more than discounted masks!)

Get Full Costumes to Cut Down Costs

If you want to buy your complete look online, we recommend you shop full costumes, rather than individual pieces and accessories that can hike up the cost. You're likely to nab a good deal on a variety of full superhero and character costumes at Amazon, as competitive deals will show up in its daily deal section throughout the month. Also consider Walmart, which should move Halloween items to its clearance section by October 27.

SEE ALSO: 18 Last-Minute DIY Halloween Costumes

But if you're throwing a festive bash and looking for ways to decorate your house on a budget, shop places like Kohl's and Target that'll allow you to pick up products in-store — and thus avoid shipping fees on otherwise cheap items.

Know Where to Score Costumes for Cheap

Besides full costumes, expect Walmart and Amazon to offer lots of deals and low prices. Last year, more than 40% of the deals we listed for Halloween items came from either of these stores. But it was Walmart that dropped prices of full costumes as low as $8. (To get the very best deals, expect to make the trip to your local Walmart to pick up your order after purchase!)

While these stores boasted great prices for single items, Hot Topic hosted the best Editors' Choice sale of the season last year, knocking a flat 75% off a selection of costumes in just the second week of the month. And JCPenney was a prime spot for kids' costumes, as the prices of Disney ensembles were slashed by an extra 60%.

Another top spot to consider is Spirit Halloween. This dedicated fancy dress and decor store embraces all things scary. Last year it cut 20% off sitewide in the first week of the month, but hold out as long as possible this October, as it offered a 25%-off-one-item coupon come the third week!

Readers, what are you going to be for Halloween this year? Where are you planning to shop for your costume? Let us know in the comments below!