Festive Fall and Halloween Decor on a Budget

Photo: Nia Washington 

Um.... we are already halfway through October. That's insane. I definitely want to slow down and take more time to enjoy this month. I tend to focus on my next goal and zone out anything else, but that causes me to miss out on the small, beautiful moments life throws at us. Whether it's walking through the park with a warm drink, smelling the crisp air and watching the leaves turn a bright orange color, or walking through a neighborhood instead of riding the subway and trying to spot townhouses decked out in seasonal decor. These are simple, but enjoyable moments that I've been skipping over because I'm "too busy" to take a break.

Well, life has a way of forcing you to take a break if you don't do it willingly. Each year, I decorate for Halloween and Fall, but this year, I've been slacking. Don't worry! This Sunday, I'm getting my freak on with all the festive decor...at a reasonable price, and you should too. Below are a few tips I've used for years to turn my humble abode into a festive retreat, and all on a dirt cheap budget. Check out my Pinterest decor board for even more inspiration.





Tips and Tricks

1. Hit up your local dollar store.
For those of you lucky enough to live close to a Dollar Tree, freaking run there! I've gotten so many amazing halloween and fall decor pieces from there, and they are all one dollar! You can find leaf banners, door signs, little figurines, festive tableware and more. Unfortunately, my holiday decor box with those cute items is somewhere in my childhood home back in Georgia. My mom has searched for it, but I'll have to fly home if I really want to find it. Luckily, there's a dollar tree only 30 minutes from me via the PATH (the jersey city and hoboken version on the subway), so we know where I'm going this weekend. I'll be sure to share the items I find with you guys!

Some of my favorite things to pick up at Dollar Tree:

• flowers 
• place mats 
• seasonal plates 
• random finds like seasonal garland 

2. Find a digital coupon.
If you're going to the holy lands (aka Hobby Lobby or Michael's), use the online coupons! I refuse to buy anything at these craft stores without a digital coupon. Pull it up on your phone at checkout! Hobby Lobby always has a "40% off one item" coupon. Michaels doesn't have them as frequently, but both stores have pretty awesome clearance sections or sales 24/7. If I'm really not here to play games, I'll take a friend with me to one of these stores and give them money to pay for an item so I can beat the system and use two coupons instead of one! Or, you can find the items you like, pay for one, and then come back in a few minutes to check out with a different cashier. This is time consuming, so I only do this for more expensive purchases. Here's the link to the Hobby Lobby coupon! You can search for coupons at your local Michael's here.

3. The Target dollar section is your best friend.
I'm warning you now: you will want to buy everything! But can you really go home without that "Give Thanks" wood cutout for your bookshelf or those "Trick or Treat" coasters for your coffee table... yeah, I didn't think so. This is my favorite part of Target, but also the most dangerous. Go in with a limit to how many items from this section you're allowed to buy, and stick to it! I usually limit myself to 5-7 pieces max!

4. Use Retailmenot.com or Honey to score discounts online.
Don't want to leave your house to go shopping? No problem! Use retailmenot.com to find online coupons for sites or get the honey plugin and it will find discounts/better prices for you!! I've found some cute and affordable decor pieces down below. The section below does include affiliate links, which means if you shop from it, I receive a small compensation. Whether you shop some of the links below or you find great deals on your own, send me a picture of your new decked out space on Instagram! I'm excited to see what you guys find and create! Thanks for reading and supporting my blog!