Thrifty Thursday: To Make or To Buy... What is the answer?

Happy October!!!  It is almost Halloween.  Are you ready?  Get back to basics and go for a classic Halloween for the kids.  What do you remember from your childhood?

I have been thinking about the costs of Halloween costumes (especially after my son walked through the aisle at Target).  The least expensive costume for kids his age was around $30.  I couldn't believe that they cost that much and they were so cheaply made.  I read a bunch of reviews online and they said the costumes were cheap and broke immediately so I started to have a little flashback to costumes when I was a kid. 

Just as background for the story, remember that I lived in Upstate NY so there was always snow and it was freezing by the time that Halloween rolled around so we always had to accommodate sweatshirts and sweatpants under our costumes. So no matter what we were, we kind of looked like a snowman who couldn't bend his legs.  Plus we lived in a big development so there was always comfort to think of because you were going to be doing a LOT of walking (even if my dad was there to do all the heavy lifting by carrying the haul in themed pillowcases for my brother and myself).

Costumes from the store were usually a plastic mask with two eye holes and a slit to breath through and a plastic one piece get up that you had to step into to wear (which made noises while you walked and was luck to last through through the night).  I always wanted one of those costumes like Wonder woman or Woody Woodpecker- there wasn't a large selection of costumes either so don't judge.  I was not lucky enough to get one because my mother made my costumes and thought the store costumes weren't safe. Looking back I was a horrible ungrateful child who didn't know how lucky I was to have a homemade lunch everyday and a well made homemade costume but kids will be kids.  Early on in my trick or treating adventures, I asked to be a witch and my mom made a black dress thing, a black cape complete with fabric covered stiff collar, and bought a hat at the store... I guess there is a limit to her craftiness (or time).  The fabric was so heavy duty that it was warm and it could be used all year round for many years without falling apart.  It got a little shorter as the years went on but I wore that costume for many years.  I do remember my mom telling me that I would have to get another costume but I really don't remember any other costumes from my childhood.  I had a very thin layer of greenish paint on my face with really black eye brows (not sure why that was necessary because I look like I have a unibrow).  Do you like my costume because this is the only picture from all the years that I can find?  My mom wasn't great with the camera so most childhood pictures are of the kid next to me :)

Super sad note, we moved to Eastern Shore of Maryland when I was in the 10th grade and they didn't allow anyone over 16 to trick or treat because they were the trouble makers (the police would stop any kid that went out and trick or treated)...so I never got to trick or treat again :(

Fast forward to the present, I have been confused on what to suggest for my son since he really isn't at the age to care what he dresses up as.  Do I figure out what I can make with my limited craftiness and work from there?  Do I go and buy one of the expensive and poorly made store bought costumes?  We did get a dinosaur costume once and had him in superman pjs completed with cape.  Last year, I refused and my cousin said I was silly and picked out a costume from Party City and went out and bought it.  My son refused to wear it and went in a caveman shirt that you couldn't even see because it was under his jacket!! 

With the introduction of Jake and the Neverland pirates with his ipad app from Disney, I figured that it would be great to introduce the pirate again and kill two birds with one stone.  My little man tried it on and I think that he liked it...What do you think??

It took a little while longer to warm up to the hat and the eye patch but then he did!  Doesn't he look like a pirate??  Well, maybe a little too little and cute but I think that the eye patch is going to stay above the eye for safety since he is bad enough on depth perception.  The eye patch didn't come with the outfit but was in the Jake and Pirates DVD that Grandma bought so it was an added plus.

The great thing is this costume only for $10 so it was probably cheaper then making a costume.  Don't get me wrong, I am not a 100% in favor of buying costumes going forward but planning for a toddler is difficult but I need to know how early I need to plan for Halloween if I am going to be making a costume next year and make sure my little one doesn't change his mind. 

Any ideas out there on what you are doing for your kids???  Do you start suggesting things that sound good to you early and make it seem like it is their idea?  I am hoping to come up with all the answers because this pirate costume isn't going to make it another year :)