Keep It Cheap With These Dollar Store Halloween Ideas

Dressed up skull decor

Juliana, the author of the 17 Turtles blog, offers this fabulous tutorial on how to dress up Dollar Store plastic skulls. Decorate and “dress” your skulls with whatever you have on hand… or what you find in the Dollar Store, of course! Be sure to read the whole post, as she offers great tips on how to get everything to stay on those slippery plastic skulls.

Ping pong ghost lights

This fun project from the Unoriginal Mom blog uses only a few inexpensive supplies to make a string of ghostly lights. Make your ghosts silly or scary by letting the kids draw the faces on the ping pong balls while a parent can insert the lights. 

Raven wreath

Who’s that knocking on the door? Ravens have long been associated with Halloween, and this elegantly spooky door decor uses the blackbird as a centerpiece. The author of the V Blog used colorful Dollar Store chains, which she painted black for her wreath. You could customize your own by using a feather garland, autumn leaves or pretty ribbon.

Spiderweb votives

Dollar Store votive candle holders become homes for spiders in this project. Not only do these look cool in the daytime, when lit up at night they cast really creepy shadows on the walls! Check out the easy tutorial at the blog Chicken Scratch NY. 

Copper pumpkins

For a more elegant centerpiece that can grace your table right up through Thanksgiving, check out this post from the Up To Date Interiors blog. In this project, Dollar Store plastic pumpkins are transformed with spray paint and flowers. Best of all, the blog’s author says this centerpiece only cost about two dollars to create! 

Skeleton dish

This spooky dish can be used to hold a tea light or trinkets for your trick or treaters. Buy enough supplies to make several to put around the house or even on your front porch. See the complete tutorial at the Four Front Doors blog.

Last-minute pumpkin garland 

Need a last-minute, super easy garland for Halloween? Check out this blog post from The House of Hepworths! All you need are two packages of mini foam pumpkins from Dollar Tree, a hole punch and string. Check out the post for complete instructions.

Halloween village

Set up a spooky village on your mantel or scatter haunted houses around your home to set the tone for Halloween. Simply pick up a few Christmas houses and figurines from the Dollar Store and transform them with a little paint. Check out the post at the 36th Avenue blog for great tips to glam up your village.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published several years ago, and updated most recently in 2022.