9 Not-Too-Scary Halloween DVDs for Kids

October 1, 2012 By 3 Comments

When my son was a toddler we couldn’t take him to our local Kroger around Halloween because they had this super-scary life-sized zombie thing at the front of the aisles that would make him scream and cry.

Let’s face it. some Halloween stuff is too scary for little kids. At the same time, youngsters are fascinated by all the Halloween excitement. Here are nine fun Halloween DVDs for the five-and-under set that won’t make them worry about what’s hiding in the closet.

I’ve linked to the movies at Amazon so you can learn more about them. See if you can check them out from your local library or pick them up used.

Have any other suggestions? Let us know in the comments!

Filed Under: *Halloween*

How to Scare Up the Best Deal on Halloween Costumes for Kids [Part 2]

September 27, 2012 By 1 Comment

In part 1 of this article you learned a few Halloween costume shopping tricks. Now, find out where to find the best deals NOW.

The competition for your costume dollar is heating up. There are dozens of places to shop for your kids’ Halloween looks.

I wanted to find out where parents could find the best deals on new Halloween costumes, so I compared prices of two popular toddler costumes, the bumblebee and the dragon, at a variety of stores.  You’ll find the results below, but first, a few reminders:

  • New toddler costumes cost anywhere from $10 to $50.
  • Clearance prices will show up in mid October.
  • Costumes at stores like Walmart, Target, and Amazon and the specialty stores are made by only a few manufacturers, like Morris, Rubies, Fun World and  Seasons (read this post to learn more). Costumes at stores like Old Navy or Gymboree are different.
  • As always, check for coupons and watch shipping costs before you buy.

PRICE COMPARISONS:

Kid-Clothes Stores and Discount Department Stores:

Note: Wide range of prices below is due to varying varieties/brands of costumes.

Target (good selection)

Current deal: Up to 20% off select costumes with free shipping on $50 purchase.

  • Bumblebee: $19.96 to $20.19
  • Dragon: $15 to $53.99

 Amazon (really good selection)

  • Bumblebee: $20.79 to $25.95
  • Dragon: $11.51 – $56.95

Gymboree

Current Deal: Redeem Gymbucks for $25 off $50

  • Dragon: not available
  • Baby Bumble Bee: $17.49

Old Navy

Current deal: 15% off with ONSAVEBIG

  • Dragon: $17.20 ($14.62 plus shipping after coupon)
  • Bumblebee: $17.20 ($14.62 plus shipping after coupon)

The Children’s Place

Current deal: 15% to 30% off with coupon

  • Dragon: not available
  • Bumblebee: not available

Specialty Stores

BuyCostumes.com

Current deal: 25% off with code MADNESS25 today.

  • Bumblebee: $12.99 to $34.99 before coupon
  • Dragon:$19.99 to $59.99 before coupon

CostumeSupercenter.com

Current deal: 15% off costumes of $30 or more with code GHOSTLY

  • Bumblebee: $19.99 to $39.99 before coupon
  • Dragon: $19.99 to $49.99 before coupon

HalloweenExpress.com

Current deal: BOGO 50% off orders of $35 or more OR 25% off orders of $45 or more. Details.

  • Bumblebee: $16.49 to $36.99
  • Dragon: $26.99 to  $36.99

Party City

Current deal: 25% off through today with code PCQ3V.

  • Bumblebee: $19.99 before coupon ($14.99 after coupon)
  • Dragon: $19.99 to $49.99 before coupon

OrientalTradingCompany

Current deal: Free shipping through October 2 plus $10 off $75 or more.

  • Bumblebee: $15 to $25
  • Dragon: $12.99 to $60

The verdict? Overall, I like the selection and prices at Amazon and Target the best.  Amazon, of course, has better shipping options. Old Navy had great prices after coupon but a smaller selection.

As the big day approaches, I’ll keep you informed of the best deals on kids’ costumes.

Have any Halloween shopping tips? Be sure to share them in the comments.

See more Halloween posts.

 

Filed Under: *Halloween*, Deals & Sales

How to Scare Up the Best Deal on Kids’ Halloween Costumes [Part 1]

September 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

There are dozens of retailers on line and off selling Halloween costumes. How on earth can you make sure you’re getting a good deal?

In Part 1 of this revamped and expanded popular BC post I’ll share my best Halloween costume shopping tricks, and in Part 2, you’ll find out which stores have the best deals right now.

PART 1: THREE STEPS TO FINDING THE VERY BEST DEAL

Step 1: Head to the store to browse

It’s really not that hard. The first step, assuming you haven’t been able to find a great costume second hand and don’t care to DIY, is to head to a brick and mortar store with a good selection and just browse to get an idea of what your child wants to be.

Choose a costume and look at the tag to find the manufacturer. There are really only a few manufacturers out there (that’s the secret retailers don’t want you to know). Once you know who makes the costume and what it’s name is, you can easily do a price comparison.

It’s also a good idea to find your child’s size while you’re in the store so that you can order online without fear that the costume won’t fit.

Step 2: Compare prices online

Next, go to the price comparison site of your choice and type in the exact name of the costume (for example, “Skelebones” instead of “skeleton costume”. That should bring up a list of the retailers that carry it. Expect prices to vary widely.  Don’t be surprised if you find that prices on the same costume vary by $10 or more.

It’s a good idea to manually check for the costume at discount stores like Walmart.com, Target.com, and Amazon.com. Be sure to get free shipping.

Check for coupon codes at the store (just Google the name of the site plus “coupon” to pull them up). If you like shopping through cash back programs (Upromise, eBates, etc.) be sure to do so.

Step 3: Wait for the best savings

Right now you can expect to find discounts of 25% to 30% on costumes. If you really want to save, it’s best to wait until after October 1 to buy. That’s when retailers start getting nervous about clearing costume inventory and marking down prices.

You should easily be able to find discounts of 40% or more on October 1, with discounts increasing to 70% or so by a week before Halloween. One year, Old Navy had Halloween costumes for $2 four days before the big day. Of course if the costume is hard to find, it may be better not to wait, since selection will be better now.

What are your best Halloween shopping tips?

Find out where to find the best deals NOW in Part 2.

See more Halloween savings tips on Baby Cheapskate.

Filed Under: *Halloween*, Shopping Secrets

National Halloween Costume Swap Day is Coming Up

September 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Why buy a Halloween costume when you can swap one for free? It helps the earth AND your wallet.

Find dozens of local swaps in 30 or so states here. Most of the swaps are on the weekend of October 6th or 13th, though a few are a bit earlier or later.

Can’t find one nearby? See this post for many more second hand Halloween Costume ideas.

 

Filed Under: *Halloween*, Deals & Sales

Shopping Secrets: Finding Scary-Good Deals on Second Hand Halloween Costumes

September 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Enjoy this updated re-posting of a popular article from last year:

Halloween costumes don’t get a lot of wear, so it’s pretty easy to find great deals on gently used costumes on the second-hand market, especially if you start looking now. In fact, you may be able to get your child’s costume for free! Here are my best tips for saving 50% or more on Halloween costumes for babies, kids and toddlers:

  • Costumes often don’t change much from year to year. Start your search by browsing new costumes online and choosing a few favorites to hunt for on the second hand market.
  • Check your local Freecycle board for freebies. Mine had a few when I looked this morning. If you don’t see anything, post a “wanted” message and see if anyone responds.
  • You might also organize a costume swap with friends, your neighborhood, church, or preschool. You could do it via email or get together in real life.
  • Call your local consignment stores to see if they have any in stock. They might cost a little more there, but they’ve been checked over more carefully than some of the other second-hand sources.
  • There are lots of costumes on Craigslist right now. eBay.com is a great place to look, too. Each has its plusses and minuses. With Craigslist, you’ll have to arrange to pick up the costume from the seller. On eBay you’ll have to contend with bidding or buy it now and possibly pay a higher price. I searched for  two popular toddler costumes– the bumblebee and the dragon– on Craigslist and eBay to see what I could scare up: The Bumblebee was as low as $8 on my local Craigslist. On eBay, it was as low as $12.99 in the Buy it Now section. The Dragon was as low as $15 on Craigslist and as low as $8.95 on eBay.

Keep in mind that you can also use these sources after Halloween to recoup some of your costume costs.

Related posts:

Filed Under: *Halloween*, Deals & Sales, Shopping Secrets

70% off Kids’ Halloween Costumes: Disney, Superheroes, More

September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A whole bunch of kids’ costumes are 70% off at 6pm.com right now. Choose from Disney Princesses, Ironman, Winnie the Pooh, Spider Man and much more. The Ariel costume shown here is just $8.10. It’s $25 at Walmart.com. Shipping is $6.95.

Filed Under: *Halloween*

Who’s Got the Best Deal: Toddler Halloween Costumes

September 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Now that Labor Day’s over, the competition for your costume dollar really heats up. There are dozens of places to shop, and the process of finding the best costume at the best price can be overhwhelming. Hopefully, this post will point you in the right direction.

I wanted to find out where parents could find the best deals on new Halloween costumes, so I compared prices of two popular toddler costumes, the bumblebee and the dragon, at a variety of stores.  Take a look:

Things to know before you shop:

  • New toddler costumes cost anywhere from $10 to $50.
  • Costumes at stores like Walmart, Target, and Amazon and the specialty stores are made by only a few manufacturers, like Morris, Fun World and  Seasons (read this post to learn more). Costumes at stores like Old Navy or Gymboree are different.
  • As always, check for coupons and watch shipping costs before you buy.

Price Comparisons:

Kid-Clothes Stores and Discount Department Stores:

Note: There are several varieties of each costume.

Target (good selection)

  • Bumblebee: $12.60 to $19.99
  • Dragon: $19.99 to 29.99

Amazon (really good selection)

  • Bumblebee: $12.99 to $39.95
  • Dragon: $11.78 – $29.99

Gymboree

  • Dragon: $32.95
  • Baby Bumble Bee: $39.95

The Children’s Place

  • Dragon: (Dinosaur, actually) $15.90 after coupon
  • Bumblebee: n/a

Specialty Stores

BuyCostumes.com

  • Bumblebee: Starts at $24.99 after 15% off coupon.
  • Dragon:$25.49 after coupon.

CostumeSupercenter.com

  • Bumblebee: $22.97
  • Dragon: $28.97 to $49.97

HalloweenExpress.com

  • Bumblebee: $24.99 to $30.99
  • Dragon: $26.99

OrientalTradingCompany

  • Bumblebee: $25
  • Dragon: $25

The verdict? Overall, I like the offerings at Amazon and Target the best. Each store had a good selection and good prices. Amazon, of course, has better shipping options. As the big day approaches, I’ll keep you informed of the best deals on kids’ costumes.

Have any Halloween shopping tips? Be sure to share them in the comments.

Related:

The Early Shopper’s Guide to Halloween Costume Savings

DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids (my board at at Pinterest)

How To Find Scary-Good Deals on Second Hand Halloween Costumes

 

Filed Under: *Halloween*, Deals & Sales

How To Find Scary-Good Deals on Second Hand Halloween Costumes

September 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Halloween costumes don’t get a lot of wear, so it’s pretty easy to find great deals on gently used costumes on the second-hand market, especially if you start looking now. In fact, you may be able to get your child’s costume for free! Here are my best tips for saving 50% or more on Halloween costumes for babies, kids and toddlers:

  • Costumes often don’t change much from year to year. Start your search by browsing new costumes online and choosing a few favorites to hunt for on the second hand market.
  • Check your local Freecycle.org board for freebies. Mine had a few when I looked this morning. If you don’t see anything, post a “wanted” message and see if anyone responds.
  • You might also organize a costume swap with friends, your neighborhood, church, or preschool. You could do it via email or get together in real life.
  • If you don’t mind a little hunting, thrift stores and consignment sales (there are probably some near you this weekend) are great places to score costumes on the cheap.
  • Call your local consignment stores to see if they have any in stock. They might cost a little more there, but they’ve been checked over more carefully than some of the other second-hand sources.
  • There are lots of costumes on Craigslist right now. eBay.com is a great place to look, too. Each has its plusses and minuses. With Craigslist, you’ll have to arrange to pick up the costume from the seller. On eBay you’ll have to contend with bidding or buy it now and possibly pay a higher price. I searched for  two popular toddler costumes– the bumblebee and the dragon– on Craigslist and eBay to see what I could scare up: The Bumblebee was as low as $6 on Craigslist (via Craiggers.com). On eBay, it was anywhere from $4 to $20 in the Buy it Now section. The Dragon started at $6 on Craigslist and went for $6 to $30 on eBay.

Keep in mind that you can also use these sources after Halloween to recoup some of your costume costs.

Coming soon: Who’s Got the Best Deal: Toddler Halloween Costumes

Related posts:

 

Filed Under: *Halloween*, Deals & Sales

The Early Shopper’s Guide to Halloween Costume Savings

August 26, 2011 By 1 Comment

See my board at Pinterest for DIY costumes.It’s the end of August and many of us have noticed that the Halloween costumes are already out at stores. I asked readers on BC’s Facebook Fan page when they’d like to start seeing Halloween costume deals and I was surprised to hear many people say, “Now!”. Well, you got it. Here’s an early shopper’s guide to Halloween costume savings. Enjoy!

  • If you like the idea of a handmade costume but don’t think you can do it yourself, check Etsy.com for handmade costumes for less. Etsy also offers lots of accessories to spice up costumes that you may be making or buying. Search for “Halloween Costumes” to find thousands of offerings. Order early.
  • Start watching your local Freecycle.org board now for costume freebies.
  • Try ebay.com for good deals on second-hand costumes.
  • Start shopping consignment stores and thrift stores now for the best selection. Checking in at your local Craigslist board’s not a bad idea either. Used costumes are a great savings. After all, most kids only wear them once or twice.
  • Want a new costume? Do your research now, but wait until you can save at least 30% to buy. If you must browse costumes in the dog days of summer, start by making a list of possibilities and scout out a few retailers that carry your top picks. Write down the prices, and make your target price about 70% of full price (or less). Then keep an eye out for sales
  • If you like shopping flash sale sites like Zulily and TheMiniSocial, keep an eye out there for costumes there. I’ve already started seeing them. Be sure to take shipping charges and shipping dates into consideration.
  • When should you buy? I’d wait until mid September or later unless you find a fabulous deal. Disney had free shipping on their costumes in mid September. Costumes at the Children’s Place were 40% off in store during the third week of September last year. Retailers will also offer shipping deals and extra savings via coupon codes to help move their wares.
  • Procrastination means better prices, but less selection. Wait until mid-October to buy a costume and you’ll find prices of around 40% off.

Readers, Share your advice below! Do you make your own costumes? If so, what are some easy ones to make? Do you buy your child’s costume? How much do you pay? Where do you find the best deals?

Filed Under: *Halloween*

5 Fiendlishly Unique Trick-or-Treat Goodies

October 1, 2010 By 1 Comment

New at my Upromise deal blog, Mommy Saves Best:  5 Fiendlishly Unique Trick-or-Treat Goodies. Five Halloween treat ideas that will make yours the coolest haunted house on the block.

Filed Under: *Halloween*
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