20 cheap, low-effort Halloween costume ideas: 'Time traveler [...] wears the same clothes you wore yesterday'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Oct 4, 2024 4:00 PM EDT

It's spooky season and if you're like many of us, you probably are already panicking about your Halloween costume. Perhaps you were planning on sitting this one out, and then your friend invited you to a costume party that you can't get out of no matter how hard you try. Perhaps you've tried brainstorming what you could be this year, but everything seems far too complicated and expensive. At the same time, building something from scratch seems excessive and time-consuming. Who has the emotional, mental, and literal bandwidth for all of that extra work?

If you relate to this line of thinking, then it's time to start looking at cheap, low-effort Halloween costumes that will come across as clever and not lazy. This way, you can have your cake and eat it too. You can look like you belong at a Halloween party, but you don't have to make it the social event of your life for the month of October.

Keep scrolling below for this list of costume ideas from the following Redditors. For more Halloween-related stories, check out these fun spooky memes.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10412406016
    via Alexander Mills (Unsplash+)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Contex... Steal some of your friend's clothes and do a bad impression of them all night. "Oooh look at me I'm Dan, I work in the library, do you like books?"
    via LSB123
  • 03
    [deleted] ⚫ Your own Evil Twin. Just draw a moustache under your nose. Even if you're a girl. Especially if you're a girl.
    via LSB123
  • 04
    [deleted] Just take a white shirt and write "Go Ceilings!!!" If anyone asks about it just say that you are a ceiling fan.
    via LSB123
  • 05
    a_marie95 Once i got all dressed in up black tie style, and taped a piece of paper that read "I'm sorry" on it, and went as a formal apology. Everyone loved it!
    via LSB123
  • 06
    BrookingsCato A sim! Make green diamond by paper mache or similar, attach to wire, and wrap around head. Easier if you're a gal and have a bun to attach it to.
    via LSB123
  • 07
    R-Geezy Three hole punch Jim
    via LSB123
  • 08
    TheSoapbottle I always likes the undercover cop. Just put a badge under your jacket and show it to people when they ask what you are
    via LSB123
  • 09
    Woe2TheUsurper Well if you have red hair like myself you could buy a loaf of bread, tie it to your waist. Boom! Ginger Bread Man.
    via LSB123
  • 10
    EZRocker Get a white shirt, write numbers all over it, be someone you can count on.
    via LSB123
  • 11
    ... Steve Irwin, just wear tan shorts, a tan button down shirt and boots. For added bonus you can carry around a stuffed alligator. I did this for a costume contest in college and won second place. We don't talk about what the first place winners costume was lol.
    via LSB123
  • 12
    Optimus_Pitts. If you order enough stuff from Amazon, make yourself a cardboard box robot costume!
    via LSB123
  • 13
    Bloodyrave. Georgie from IT. Rain coat, rain boots, red balloon and you're done.
    via LSB123
  • 14
    technicalityNDBO Time traveller - wear the same clothes you wore yesterday.
    via LSB123
  • 15
    Discodonut89 Take 24carrots, string them around your clothes, put a wizard or witch hat on. Boom! 24K Magic
    via LSB123
  • 16
    Eternal_Septe... Elf, just get elf ears. You can also call yourself a Vulcan.
    via LSB123
  • 17
    rattfink Cut leg and arm holes in a black trash bag. Put on sunglasses. You're a california raisin.
    via LSB123
  • 18
    Arusht . Last year, I wrote "Life" on a black shirt, with duct tape. I walked around all night with a bag of lemons, and handed them out to people.
    via LSB123
  • 19
    PolarEngineering Hawaiian Punch: 1.) Hawaiian Shirt 2.) Boxing Gloves Worked like a charm
    via LSB123
  • 20
    opship462 For like 5 years in a row I just made a tin foil hat. Occasionally with a sign saying "They're listening" and on the other side saying "I'm from the future, ask me anything."
    via LSB123
  • 21
    Anonigmus Dress in normal clothes and go as a poor college student. Bonus points if you carry around a can of ramen.
    via LSB123

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FAILS halloween costumes spooky season halloween spooky askreddit october reddit thread Reddit cheap funny
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