FAMILIES will spend more than £300m on Halloween this year -a figure only beaten by the amount we splash out on Christmas.

But not everyone can afford expensive costumes, flashing lights, pumpkins and authentic broomsticks.

That doesn't mean you should miss out on all the fun. Here are eight top tips for Halloween on the cheap

  • 1. Make a ghost costume. Got a spare white bed sheet? Cut out a couple of eye sockets and hey presto instant ghost costume. If it's windy make sure you use a piece of string to stop your costume going walkabout on its own!
  • 2. Don't buy decorations - make them yourself. Here's some instructions on how to make a frightening spider's web from a few pipe cleaners, embroidery hoops and some tape.
  • 3. Re-use a plastic bucket for carrying sweets. If your children go trick or treating don't splash out on a special bag to carry their candy. Grab a bucket from the garage and hand them that instead. (Just make sure you give it a good rinse out first!)
  • 4. Don't buy apples and pumpkins from the supermarket - grow them yourself (granted this one takes a bit of forward-planning... probably one for next year)
  • 5. Make a bloody candle by melting red candle wax down the sides. Similarly, a blood-stained towel can be achieved by using red paint-- just remember to use water soluble paints.
  • 6. If you have any of those transulence medicine cups that come with cough medicine in the back of a cupboard use a felt pen to draw a scary face on it then pop it on top of a battery-powered tea light for a scary decoration.
  • 7. If you're struggling to buy a pumpkin draw a spooky face on white balloons with a black felt pen. Alternatively, use a football...
  • 8. Don't waste money on fake cobwebs - just don't do the dusting between now and October 31