Once stores start putting out their Halloween displays in July and August, it’s time to celebrate Summerween — a mashup of Halloween festivities and summer fun. But if you aren’t feeling financially flush, you can still throw a spooky party on the cheap.
We sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how people have affordable Summerween shindigs. We used an AI tool to help analyze and summarize the feedback. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
Here are some of Redditors’ best tips:
You don’t have to choose a costume theme, but these ideas help keep things accessible.
Send summer camp invites: Encourage guests to come as summer camp counselors, either before or after a slasher attack (a la “Friday the 13th”). This party benefits from scary s’mores and a campfire.
Invite the undead: Guests can come as zombie tourists in tropical shirts and dresses, zombie surfers or zombie lifeguards. In other words, wear summer clothes plus face paint.
Host a murder mystery: Let guests assume roles and track down the murderer. Kits are available to help you run this show for less than the cost of a paperback book.
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Whip up spooky decor and snacks
You can make a big splash with simple supplies from a discount or craft supply store, or by repurposing things from other holidays.
Make fruit-o’-lanterns: Skip the hunt for pumpkins (they’re not in season yet) and make silly faces out of watermelons or pineapples. Bonus: You can eat whatever you scoop out.
Put up creepy flamingos: Pick up some cheap plastic lawn flamingos and spray-paint them black, then use white paint to add skeleton bones. (Look up instructions online if needed.)
Buy one-color decor: Search for discount black, purple or orange party supplies, like plates, cups, and napkins. You can always use extras for other events.
Serve “blood” punch: Mix a batch of red sangria. You can use inexpensive red wine, orange juice and chopped up summer fruit. Or make an alcohol-free punch with cranberry or pomegranate juice, fruit punch frozen concentrate and lemon-lime soda. For extra fun, float some gummy worms in the bowl.
Create orange soda floats: Use store brand orange soda and vanilla ice cream to create a Summerween float that tastes like a creamsicle.
Host affordable activities
Ghost-style tie-dye: Ask guests to bring a black T-shirt and use a mix of household bleach and water to make tie-dye designs instead. You only need bleach, rubber bands and plastic bowls.
Sing “scaryoke”: That’s karaoke with a playlist limited to spooky or dramatic songs.
Tell ghost stories: Work the summer camp vibe with a bonfire and scary stories. Extra points for holding a flashlight under your chin.
Watch a scary movie. Hang a sheet (or use the side of your house or a garage door) and project a horror flick outside. You can stream a recent release or go for a classic.
Summerween doesn’t have to lead to spine-chilling spending. You can tweak a few summer staples or discount store finds to hit a spooky note without bleeding your budget dry.
About the author
Kate Ashford is a writer and spokesperson for NerdWallet. She is a wealth management specialist (WMS)™ and certified senior advisor (CSA)® and has more than 20 years of experience writing about personal finance. Previously, she was a freelance writer for both consumer and business publications, and her work has been published by the BBC, Forbes, Money, AARP, LearnVest and Parents, among others. She has a degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. Kate has been quoted by outlets including the Associated Press, MarketWatch, NBC and Fortune. She is based in New York.
