Your child’s Halloween costume doesn’t have to be a budget-buster. Use these creative and fun homemade and store-bought costume ideas, and you’ll save money.

Your child can already imagine themselves as the world’s best — now let them play the part! Dress your child as an Olympic athlete and enjoy a great side benefit: You probably have most of these items already, and those you must buy, your child can use later.

An easy option is a swim champ:

• You’ll only need a swim cap, a red or blue swimsuit, goggles, a white T-shirt and a white towel. Use fabric paint and write “USA” on the towel and the T-shirt. If it’s a chilly Halloween night, the towel can keep your little champion warm. 
• Want to add a gold medal? Use the base of a drinking glass to trace a circle onto cardboard, and cut it out. Spray-paint the medal gold. Then, use a permanent marker and write “USA’s #1 Swimmer” on it. Punch a small hole in the top and string a red, white and blue ribbon through it.

Store-bought pointy black hats and black dresses are standard witch wear. Refresh this classic with a shiny pink or purple wig instead of the standard black. Splash glitter on the costume to make your little witch fashionable and fun. Then add colorful scarves and stickers to increase the glamour factor.

A great mummy costume is easy to create. Wrap your child in a few rolls of gauze, being careful not to cover their face and to make sure they can see clearly. Fake blood soaked through the gauze increases the fright factor.

A scary monster needs a scary face. Masks are an easy and effective option, but makeup also works well. The green-faced Frankenstein look is a classic. Paint small corks silver or gray, and attach the bolts to Frankie’s neck with spirit gum.

Using hair gel, spike and mess up your child’s hair. Want to go the extra mile? Apply colored hairspray that matches the face paint. Dress Frankenstein in black sweatpants and an oversized, black long-sleeve shirt.

Cowboys and cowgirls might not be terribly spooky, but kids like pretending they’re part of the Wild West. Plus, you might already have some of the supplies. Does your little wrangler already have a pair of jeans or a denim skirt? Now, all you need is a white T-shirt, a plaid, button-front shirt and some cowboy boots. A cowboy hat and a big belt buckle complete the look. Your kids will holler “Yee-haw!” all night long.