Learn how-to make cheap costumes here

Billie Jo Kubat

Billie Jo Kubat

Most college students do not have very much money to spend on Halloween costumes. Many end up making their own get-ups.

Some of the usual costumes that can be seen on Halloween night are pirates, witches and gypsies. Depending on how into a costume someone gets, these costumes can turn out remarkably well.

There are other interesting ideas that a person can do. One idea from costumes.familyeducation.com is a rainy day costume. This costume is very simple and easy to make. All that is needed is a raincoat, rain boots, an umbrella, tinsel or silver ribbon, glue and sparkly body spray or paint. Attach the tinsel or ribbon to the umbrella to make it look like rain. Put the raincoat and boots on, and spray the sparkly paint on your body. Now you have a new and fun costume that most students have probably never thought of.

If you are a card player, why not dress up as your favorite card, such as the King or Queen of Hearts? To make this costume, all you need is two construction boards, a red or black marker, some glitter (preferably red or blue), red or black ribbons to tie the two boards together and some face paint. Have fun with being creative, but stay true to the royal nature of this costume.

How about going as a giant gumball machine? For this costume, all a person needs is to get a big, clear garbage bag and cut arm holes, leg holes and a head hole. Then blow up a variety of different colored balloons with air and fill the bag with them. Put a red cap on your head to look like the top of the machine. Try not to let your friends eat your balloons.

Another idea for a Halloween costume is dressing as a Dalmatian. Go to a thrift store and buy a white pair of pants and a white long-sleeve T-shirt. Using a black marker, make spots all over the pants and shirt. With black face paint, make black spots on your face and arms. Perhaps fashion a baseball cap or beanie into a spotted head with doggie ears.

A different idea would be going as a tourist. Everyone has probably seen that person wandering around with a camera glued to their hands, a loud T-shirt and a lost or amazed look on his or her face. If you dress like this, make sure to stay away from tourist traps or public attractions. You do not want to be mistaken for a real tourist.

If none of these suggestions are useful, then how about going as your favorite movie character, such as Edward Cullen from Twilight or a Disney princess.

Or, try going as your favorite book character. There are thousands upon thousands of different books that have been written. Most likely, it would be relatively simple to make a creative costume that still impresses your friends.

These are some affordable costume ideas for college students who want to be original but have minimal money for Halloween in the bank account. Whatever you choose, try to make it as original as possible. A big part of the fun of Halloween is standing out from the crowd in an exciting and unique costume that you designed yourself.