I created my entire costume from stuff around the house, though a better fitting cap would have helped. Still, I think my beer belly looks pretty real!

My 2011 Halloween costume!

PS. It was my hubby who suggested scattering the chips on my leg and stuffing my hand in my pants!

PPS. Send me your frugal costume (or your kids costume) and I’ll post them here.

Carrie writes: "I made this "top" for my daughter from a pillow sham...just cut the head and arms, stitched up the back, sewed on black shapes to look like "Pebbles" and done! good thing she was so tiny!! her boyfriend's mom made his from recycled items at their house too...sweats, and a ugly sweater cut down the front, and arms removed...his necklace and bone/club I picked up for next to nothing at a summer garage sale along with the pillow sham... from 2010"

Carrie writes "The "Romans" were just as easy too. I picked up a slinky night gown, cut off the sleeves, and hot glued the 'gold' accents around the neck and arms and picked up extra for her hair and to wrap her arm. The belt is like a snake of circles and I got that from a friend. HIS is even easier, just a SHEET! from 2009"

Happy Halloween deals to you!

There are 31 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

Still looking for a costume? Candy? Or decorations at a fabulous price? Links to ALL our Halloween coupons and freebies are here.

HOT! $2 Chipotle Burrito - Dress in a farm-inspired costume (think tractor, pig, hay) and get a burrito, bowl, salad, or tacos for just $2 at Chipolte. That’s one hot Halloween food discount!

Today! Free donut - Get a free Halloween or pumpkin spiced donut at Krispy Kreme when you show up in costume on Oct. 31, 2011. Yum!

Free wrinkle cream - Get a freebie sample of Kinerase wrinkle reduction night cream when you fill out a request form. While supplies last (100,000 freebies are being given away).

Free + cashback deal - My friend Kelly at Faithful Provisions found a HUGE deal on Aveeno at CVS. If your store sells travel size Aveeno lotion, you stand to make $4 on this deal! Note, some readers at FP have reporter managers are not honoring this advertised deal.

Free photo prints - Get 40 free photo prints at Walgreens with coupon code DRUGSTORE40. Get in store pick up to avoid shipping charges. Expires Nov. 1, 2011.

This weekend! Free museums - On the first full weekend of every month, Bank of America card holders get into dozens of museums across the country for free. The next one is Nov. 5-6, 2011.

Free Cruising World mag - Get 14 free issues of Cruising World magazine in digital format through ValueMags.com.

Free meals w/purchase - Get up to two free kids meals at Chili’s when you purchase one adult entree. Valid Oct. 31, 2011. Coupon is on Facebook.

HOT! Office Max coupon - Get 20% off your entire online purchase with Office Max coupon code CART20. Expires Nov. 5, 2011. Unclear if there are exclusions.

Bath & Body Works coupon - Get $10 off $30 and free shipping when you spend $50 or more with this Bath & Body Works coupon. Expires Nov. 20, 2011.

El Pollo Loco coupon - Print this El Pollo Loco coupon to receive a free carnitas taco when you spend $5, not including Combos. Expires Nov. 14, 2011. One per person.

Best Buy sale - Get 40-50% off select digital cameras and camcorders with this click through Best Buy coupon. No expiration date given. FREE shipping on EVERYTHING starts Nov. 1, 2011 as part of the competition for your holiday dollars!

Ends today! Kohls free shipping - Get 15-20% off with Kohl’s coupon code PUMPKIN15 or PUMPKIN20. The bigger discount is for tabs of $100 or more. Expires Oct. 31, 2011. Plus, get free shipping with no minimum with coupon code FUN4FREE.

Michaels coupons - Print two Michael’s coupons for 50% off (expires Oct. 31, 2011) or 40% off (Nov. 1-5). Both coupons are for one regular priced item. Some exclusions.

Ends today! Shoe sale - Get 25% off $50 or more with ShoeMall coupon code HALLOWEEN. Expires Oct. 31, 2011.

Home Depot coupon - Are you on the Home Depot email list? I just got a one-time use only coupon for 15% off a composter.

Kids clothes via mail - Join ThredUp and get a free $5 credit, plus earn $10 for boxes of gently used kids clothes you send to other members. That amounts to one free box, which costs $15 to receive.

Snapfish coupons - Get 300 prints for $3 or 100 prints for Snapfish coupon code SPOOK300 and coupon code SPOOKY100, respectively.

Ulta coupon - Get 20% off any one item with this click through Ulta coupon. Expires Nov. 5, 2011. Excludes Benefit Brow Bar, salon services, fragrance, hair artistry brands, prestige cosmetics including Bare Escentuals, prestige skincare, Dermalogica, Philosophy, Clarisonic, Thermaclear, T3, previous purchases, and gift cards.

Land’s End coupon - Get 30-50% off all outer wear with Land’s End coupon code TRICK and PIN 2610. Expires Nov. 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Ends today! Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $2 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code PUMPKIN through Oct. 31, 2011. Most gift cards (different than gift certificates) are $3 with the discount.

Beauty deal - Get five free Smudge sticks that sell for $100 when you spend $100 or more and plug in Stila coupon code SMUDGE11. Expires Nov. 2, 2011.

Family Fun mag deal - Get an extra 20% off with Family Fun magazine code WKLYSPEC through Nov. 6, 2011. You pay $3.76 for the year!

Yoga Journal deal - Get an extra 20% off with Yoga Journal magazine code WKLYSPEC through Nov. 6, 2011. You pay $3.76 for the year!

Mag deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.39 for a year subscription – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Oct. 31 Elle; Nov. 1 Natural Health; Nov. 2 Road & Track; Nov. 3 Clean Eating ($9.39); Nov. 4 Budget Travel ($5.39); Nov. 5 Shape; Nov. 6 Outdoor Photographer.

Zovirax coupon - Get a Zovirax coupon for up to $35 off. I have no idea what Zovirax is or treats!

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

LAST CHANCE! Mega Swagbucks – I’ve got a super special code to share that will get you 100 Swagbucks (instead of the normal 30) for signing up. Use Swagbucks code BARGAINBABE (in all caps) when you join. Expires Oct. 31, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. PST/12:30 pm EST TODAY. This site feeds my Starbucks habit!

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com.

HOT! $2 Chipotle Burrito - Dress in a farm-inspired costume (think tractor, pig, hay) and get a burrito, bowl, salad, or tacos for just $2 at Chipolte. That’s one hot Halloween food discount!

Today! Free donut - Get a free Halloween or pumpkin spiced donut at Krispy Kreme when you show up in costume on Oct. 31, 2011. Yum!

Our dog Darwin at the pumpkin patch.

Can’t wait to give our candy and see great costumes tonight!

tuxstorm / Flickr

I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.

Entertainment options – Free and cheap way to entertain your child when they are at home. (Wisebread)

Don’t get harassed – How to deal with debt collection agencies (The Digerati Life)

Halloween decorations – 10 cheap DIY Halloween decorating ideas to get your home looking great! (MoneyCrashers)

Holiday budget – How to create and stick to a holiday budget so you don’t miss anyone on your list this year. (MainStreet)

Car Insurance – Find out how age affects your car insurance rate and what you can do about it. (Free From Broke)

Last minute Halloween deals below!

There are 31 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

HOT! Last minute Halloween coupon - Get discounted next day shipping with Halloween coupon code DAY1 at CostumeDiscounters.com. You need to spend $65 or more for the coupon to be valid. Expires 3 p.m. EST/noon PST Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. Go here to see the latest Halloween coupons. Halloween candy deals  are here. And lastly, don’t forget about pumpkin carving ideas.

Free Dove smoothing cream - Get a freebie sample of Dove smoothing hair cream and oil. Great for frizzy and dry hair! While supplies last. You will need to join the Dove loyalty program to get this free sample.

Free CVS ExtraBucks - Get $2 in free ExtraBucks, which are like cash at CVS, when you pledge not to throw out your ExtraBucks! You only need to share your email and loyalty card number to get the free $2. HOT STUFF!

Freebie pads - Get a freebie sample of Tena pads from Walmart while supplies last. Offers for free lens cloth and cleaner and a Zyrtec coupon are still there.

Kmart coupon - Get free shipping on all purchases $49 or more Oct. 30-Dec. 19, 2011 with Kmart coupon code HOLIDAY. Online only.

Avenue coupon - Get 30% off your entire purchase plus free shipping on $100 or more with Avenue coupon code AV111283. Expires Nov. 1, 2011.

Danskin coupon - Get 20% off fall styles with Danskin coupon code SHOPFALL. Expires Nov. 1, 2011.

Boots sale - Check out the women’s boots sale at The Walking Company. Free Shipping! Don’t feel bad men, there’s a shoe sale for you, too with free shipping.

Snapfish coupons - Get free shipping on $30 or more with Snapfish coupon code FSOCT30. Ends Oct. 31, 2011.

CVS gift card - The summer promotion where you spend $30 to get a $10 gift card is back at CVS. Now through Dec. 25, 2011 you can get a $10 gift card to Macy’s, Gap, Applebee’s, Shell Stations, American Express, Barnes & Noble or CVS/pharmacy when you spend $30 on products marked “Earn Free Gift Cards” promotion. This is heavily advertised in the weekly flyer so you won’t miss it. I found the eligible products too narrow and pricey to make sense for me, but it may be different for you!

Fleece deal - ThermaCheck fleeces with a half zipper (down part of your chest) are just $15-$20 at Land’s End today only! Hot deal!

Boot sale - All tall boots are 40% off with Nine West coupon code AV111283. Expires Oct. 30, 2011.

Esprit coupon - Get 30% off your entire purchase with Esprit coupon code ENDOCT11. Ignore the 10% off coupon mentioned on the landing page of the link above. Expires Oct. 30, 2011. Not valid at the outlet or in stores. Online only.

Michael’s coupon - Get 20% off your entire in store purchase with this Michael’s coupon. Some exclusions. Expires Oct. 28, 2011. You can also get 60% off your entire custom framing order. Hot!

Harry & David coupon - Use this Harry & David coupon code HDFALLTD to save $10 off $75, $20 off $125, or $30 off $150. Expires Nov. 16, 2011 so order your holiday presents now!

Picaboo coupons - Use Picaboo coupon code REDPARKA to save on holiday card orders: 20% off $50, 30% off $100, or 40% off $200. Expires Oct. 31, 2011.

Overstock coupon - Get flat $1 shipping with this click through Overstock coupon. Valid Oct. 28-31, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. No time zone given.

Carter’s coupon - Save 20% off $40 or more in store with this Carter’s coupon, good through Nov. 2, 2011. Online, get up to 50% off holiday outfits for babies and tots!

TGI Friday coupon - Get a free entree with this TGI Friday’s coupon when you buy a regular-priced entree and two drinks. Expires Nov. 1, 2011. Some exclusions.

HOT! Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $2 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code PUMPKIN through Oct. 31, 2011. Most gift cards (different than gift certificates) are $3 with the discount.

Babies R Us/Toys R Us deal - A new promotion gives loyalty members 10% back on qualifying purchases made Oct. 30-Dec. 24. If you spend $200 or more in this time period, you’ll get a free 2012 Super Savers Pass, which entitles you to $100 in coupons spread over monthly emails.

US Weekly mag coupon - Get 10% off your entire purchase with magazine coupon code HOLIDAY10 at DiscountMags.com. You can also save $5 off $30 with DiscountMags coupon code 5OFFMAGS and save 57% with this US Weekly mag deal. Coupons expire Dec. 23, 2011, so you can use them for holiday gifts!

Fitness mag deal - Get an extra 20% off with Fitness magazine code WKLYSPEC through Oct. 30, 2011. You pay $3.76 for the year!

Mag deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.39 for a year subscription – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Oct. 27 Whitetail Journal; Oct. 28 Dance Spirit ($5.39); Oct. 29 Garden & Gun ($3.89); Oct. 30 Bridal Guide.

Budget Travel deal - Get a year of Budget Travel on sale for $4.79 with coupon code BUDGETSAVE. Ends Oct. 30.

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

Mega Swagbucks – I’ve got a super special code to share that will get you 100 Swagbucks (instead of the normal 30) for signing up. Use Swagbucks code BARGAINBABE (in all caps) when you join. Expires Oct. 31, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. PST. This site feeds my Starbucks habit!

Free museums - On the first full weekend of every month, Bank of America card holders get into dozens of museums across the country for free. Next one is next weekend!

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com.

JillOW / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

A while back I shared a pumpkin bread recipe that till now had been my favorite to bake when the crisp autumn air rolled in. I recently discovered a new favorite. Here is the recipe. If you are looking for pumpkin carving ideas, we got dozens.

This pumpkin seed bread stays moist because of the applesauce that I use instead of oil. The pumpkin seeds also give it a surprising crunch. The best part about this recipe is that it calls for fresh pumpkin. All you have to do is shred the pumpkin using a cheese grater or food processor. The bread is great with coffee in the morning. Can’t get enough pumpkin? Keep warm with this pumpkin soup recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar (or regular if that’s what you have)
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin flesh (not the hard skin)
• 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions

Start by toasting the pumpkin seeds in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven. (I bought my seeds without a shell at Trader Joe’s.) Make sure not to burn them. Set aside when done. Then sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. (I switched in one cup of whole wheat flour the second time I made this and it was just as delicious.)

In a different bowl, mix the sugar, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. (You can always use oil, but I feel extra guilty using it when I bake.) Then add the shredded pumpkin and seeds to the wet ingredients. Unlike other recipes, fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a spatula. (The wet ingredients are dense and won’t mix well if you do it the other way around.) Don’t use a mixer or you’ll break the seeds. Afterwards, pour in a loaf pan. If you are not using a nonstick pan, first butter and flour the pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes or till a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let it cool on a baking rack.

The original recipe is by Alton Brown. I adapted it to suit my taste and you can do the same.

Yields 1 loaf

MegaMind mask on cool dude

With Halloween only moments away, here are six last minute frugal activities, costumes, and decorating ideas.

• The MegaMind website. This site is full of activities that will keep you and your kids busy through Halloween week and beyond. Click above to enter the site, then click or skip intro (or watch it because it’s cute), and click on games, and activities. This will land you on a page where you can select an action figure to download. There are other activities as well – a board game, comic books, bookmarks, brainteasers, card games, and coloring sheets. There is enough cool stuff here to make an entire MegaMind party. A truly great site for a MegaMind fan who is young or old, as you can see from the picture to the right.

• Unique and frugal costumes. At the same time that Halloween has become commercial and huge costume stores have sprung up, creative homemade outfits are also on the rise. The internet lets us share these gems. Certainly the ideas sent to Bargain Babe for her costume are a treasure trove of ideas.
• Make a mask out of denim. Here is one idea that is different. Most of us have at least one pair of jeans hanging around that could be made into a mask in a few easy steps.
• Homemade tombstones. Flattened cardboard can be painted grey and cut into the shape of tomb stones. Use sharpie or black paint for inscriptions. Use wooden stakes or sticks to secure into the ground. These tombstones won’t last till next year unless you  make them out of wood.
• The closer we get to Halloween, the cheaper pumpkins get. If you aren’t up for the mess of carving your pumpkin, spray paint the pumpkin a solid color and paint on designs or use stickers.
• Make black and orange paper chains and hang them inside your house or use to decorate the front door. I think that paper chains are a wonderful craft. They are easy and cheap to make. Cut 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of construction paper into 1 x 11 inch strips. You can decorate the strips before you circle them together. Even the youngest child can manage to get the circles to interlock with a piece of tape, staple or glue stick.

Hope you have a fun Halloween.

This tiger hat is just $1.74!

This post is brought to you by PureCostumes.com where you’ll find the latest in halloween costumes. Use coupon code BARGAINBABE65 to get free UPS ground shipping on orders over $65.

I’m counting down to Halloween with tons of candy deals, coupons, and freebies! For pumpkin carving ideas, go here.

Halloween Freebies - Catherine at Frugal-Freebies compiled a list of great Halloween freebies, including a free masks, free Halloween computer games, and free carving patterns. Nice!

Kroger candy coupon - Get $2 off $5 of candy when you load this electronic Kroger candy coupon onto your store loyalty card.

Fake eyelashes - Get a fake eyelash kit for fairy, Cleopatra, spider woman, goth princess, fortune teller, and black magic costumes through Sally Beauty for $5-$7.

Decor sale - Lowe’s is offering 20% off Halloween decor like a fog maker, window spider, and light up black cat until Oct. 27, 2011. Starting Oct. 28, Halloween items are 40% off through Oct. 30.

Pet costumes - Pet costumes, treats, and toys are up to 75% off online and in stores at Petsmart. A tiger hat costume for cats is $1.74 (orig. $6.99) but is back ordered so you won’t get it in time for this year. Plan ahead and save big! Shipping is a flat $6 unless you hit $60.

Target candy deals - A Thrifty Mom found these candy deals at Target:

Walgreens Hershey deal - A Thrifty Mom found this $.99 deal on Hershey’s at Walgreens:

• Hershey’s candy is $1.99 with in store ad coupon (look for it in the store flyer)
  
• use the $1.00 off any size of Hershey’s Snack Size Bags of Halloween Candy 9oz or larger
• Final price only $.99 a bag

Rite Aid candy deals - Hip to Save found these hot candy deals:

Hershey’s, Reese’s, Mars, or Nestle 8 Pack Candy $1 – Fun Size or Snack Size Candy or M&M’s 9.9-12.6 oz. 2/$5
Buy 2 Halloween M&M’s 12.6 oz.
Use the $1.50/2 coupon from the All You Magazine September issue
Use the $1/2 coupon from the October Video Values
Final Cost $1.25 each!

Hershey’s or Mars 6 pack $3.49
Buy 2 Hershey’s 6 packs
Use the $1/2 coupon found here
Final Cost $2.99 each!

M&M Mars Club Bagged Candy $9.99 (regular retail $12.99-$14.99)
Use the $2/1 coupon from the Rite Aid Flu Shot Coupon Booklet
Final Cost $7.99!

Hershey’s, Reese’s, Mars or M&M’s Big Bags 19.75 oz. $4.99
Use the $1/1 coupon from the Rite Aid Coupon Booklet
Final Cost $3.99!

Pottery Barn sale - Get up to 40% off costumes, treat bags, accessories and more Halloween items at Pottery Barn. Order by 2 p.m. EST/ 5 p.m. PST today for standard delivery in time for Halloween!

Halloween cookies - Get 25% off Halloween mini cookies with coupon code HALLOWEENMINI through Oct. 31, 2011 at Smiley Cookie.

Halloween recipes - MyDailyFind shares a free cookie cutter quesadilla recipe with snacks that look like carved pumpkins!

WinCo candy - The grocery chain WinCo has marked down their bulk candy bins to $.98/lb just in time for Halloween. Man I wished I lived near a WinCo! Thanks, Shop4Freebies!

Celebrity costumes - Get 10% off celebrity Halloween costumes at HeadlineCostumes.com with coupon code BREAKINGNEWS. Ongoing.

You’ll find more than a dozen Halloween costume coupons. Plus, check out last week’s Halloween candy deals and our pumpkin carving ideas.

How are you going to carve your pumpkin? I haven’t bought one because I’m hoping to get one through our local CSA!

If you are looking for Halloween candy deals, here you go!

Candy deals are here! Credit: Rochelle, just Rochelle/Flickr

Reader Tiffany made an excellent point:

Thanks for the links for the costumes but what I really needed that you supplied were the deals on the candy! We seem to spend a lot more on candy then we do on anything else doing Halloween.

I’ve been sharing a lot of costume coupons, but hardly any for candy. Here is a start – more deals coming early next week! If you are looking for Halloween costume coupons, here ya go!

Albertsons - Wonka Mix Up bags 200 count/53.3 ounces are on sale for $7.99 through Oct. 25. Use $1.40/1 Nestle or Wonka Halloween Candy, $1/2 Wonka Halloween Candy Fun Size, $1/2 Wonka Halloween Candy, or $1/2 Wonka Fun Size Halloween Candy 10/16/2011 RP Insert (exp 10/31/2011) to pay as low as $6.59 per bag. Thanks, A Thrifty Mom!

99 Cents Only - For $.99 each, you can buy 8-packs of mini candy bars of Butterfinger, Brunch, 100 Grand, and Baby Ruth, plus bags of Smarties, Pixy Stix, Lemonheads, Charms, Blow Pops and Tootsie Rolls.

CVS - With coupons, get Extra Gum 15-count for $.50, Hersheys 9.34-12 oz or Twizzlers 22 ounce Snack Size Candy for $1.38, Mars Fun Size Candy Bars 9.34-12 ounce for $1.38, and Starburst/Skittles Singles 1.6-2.17 ounce free. Free with Extra Bucks: a candy sale Oct. 23-25 (Sun-Mon) makes Gold Emblem Candy Corn Autumn Mix or Pumpkins 8 ounce pack free. A Pumpkin Masters Carving Tool is also free. CVS is having a kids Halloween event this Sunday Oct. 23. Make any purchase and your kid will get a gift bag with a “$5 value of candy” and other perks. Not sure if this means the bag includes candy or coupons for candy.

Dollar Tree - $1 bags of Tootsie Pops, Tootsie Rolls, Dots, Whoppers, Gummy treats, Candy Corn, Dum Dum Pops, Caramels, and Smarties. Plus, $1 8-packs of Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, and M&Ms. See the Halloween candy sales flyer.

Family Dollar - Bagged candy for $1, $2, $3, and $5, including major candy brands and lesser known brands. Print a $1 off candy coupon valid on a $5 candy purchase Oct. 26-31, 2011.

Fred Meyer - Get a 3.5 pound bag of mixed candy for $5 with this Fred Meyer candy coupon. Expires Oct. 22, 2011. Valid in store only.

Target - Four Target coupons for candy (look under the groceries category): $1 off Skittles bags size 13.3-14 ounces (print two coupons and each bag ends up being $1); $1 off two bags of candy 17.1 ounces or larger; $1 off three bags of candy 11 ounces or bigger, and $2 off three bags of select candy 26 ounces or more.

Toys R Us - Bags of Halloween candy (Hershey’s, Snickers, M&Ms, Reese’s and more) are as low as $.99 each with the sale and coupons. Sale ends Oct. 22 so hurry! Thanks, Hip to Save!

Get into the Halloween spirit with these coupons! Credit: BEE FREE/Flickr

This post is brought to you by PureCostumes.com where you’ll find the latest in halloween costumes. Use coupon code BARGAINBABE65 to get free UPS ground shipping on orders over $65.

Find pumpkin carving ideas here. Halloween candy deals are here! The shipping deadline for many online Halloween costumes shops is today, tomorrow, or very soon so if you plan to buy online, do it now.

Bobbi has 10 ideas to save on Halloween costumes, including raiding your grandparent’s closet. If you want to have an old fashioned Halloween, we’ve got you covered. Fruit snacks are a cheap Halloween treat you can pass out (reader tip). Today is the last day to enter the Halloween costume contest! And now for the coupons…

Free candy w/ Safeway grocery delivery - Get two bags of free Halloween candy and free grocery delivery with an online Safeway order of $99 or more. Make sure to use coupon code SWEETTOOTH, valid through Oct. 27, 2011. This deal may also work at Vons, which is owned by the same parent company as Safeway.

Walgreens coupon - Get $5 off all costumes with Walgreens costume coupon code COSTUME5, good through Oct. 22, 2011. Free shipping kicks in at $25.

Ends today! Halloween cards - Get 20% off all Halloween cards at KodakGallery.com. Expires Oct. 19, 2011.

Wholesale Costume - Get flat $5 shipping on all Halloween costumes and orders.

Sears - Get $5 off $50 or more of costumes with Sears coupon code SBOO. Expires Oct. 29, 2011.

***Previously posted Halloween coupons that are still valid***

Free Halloween crafts - Get a booklet of 14 free Halloween crafts and costume ideas from AllFreeHolidayCrafts.com.

Pottery Barn - All costumes and treat bags are 20% off at Pottery Barn. Order by 5pm on Oct 25 for delivery before Halloween.

Michael’s Halloween coupons - Check out the Halloween discounts at Michael’s.

Flapper costume sale - Get 15% off a flapper costume plus free mask and beads. Ends Oct. 31, 2011.

Hollywood Toys & Costumes - Get 20% off sitewide with Hollywood Toys & Costume code UNDEAD-P20. No minimums! Expires Oct. 24, 2011. Or, buy one costume at regular price and get 30% off the second one with coupon code BUYONE-B30. Expires Oct. 31, 2011.

Kmart coupon - Gets costumes on sale by up to 40% off plus an extra $5 off $50 with Kmart coupon code KBOO. Expires Oct. 22, 2011. Or get $10 off $60 with coupon code OCT3SAVINGS.

Costume Discounters - Get $10 off $50 with Halloween coupon code WOW10. Or use WOW15 to save $15 off $75, and WOW20 to save $20 off $100. Ends. Oct. 31, 2011.

Melissa & Doug coupon - Get 15% off Halloween costumes with coupon code costume15. Expires Oct. 31, 2011.

WowMyHalloween - Get $20 of Halloween costumes and supplies for $10 through the daily deal site FamilyFinds.

Halloween make up - Spend $15 at ELF and get a free 32-color eyeshadow in Halloween makeup colors. Use coupon code HW. Expires Oct. 31, 2011.

HalloweenCostumes.com - This site has dozens of Halloween costumes on sale, plus $5 flat shipping on US orders weighing up to 30 pounds.

Spirit Halloween - Get 20% off a single item in your cart with Spirit Halloween coupon code SPAFF20. Expires Oct. 26, 2011.

Target - Get free shipping on $50 or more, including costumes with this click through Target coupon.

99 Cents Only - For $.99 each, find bat silhouettes, creepy 3-D spider stickers, costume accessories like a set of wings, fairy tutu, ladybug headband, or a princess tiara and wand set. There are also pirate accessories, cowboy hats, scary masks, and more.

QVC - Even QVC is getting in on the Halloween action! The TV retailers has plenty of Halloween decor items on sale.

Costume Express - Use these Halloween coupon codes at CostumeExpress.com to get $5 off $50 (cosex5), $10 off $75 (cosex10), $15 off $100 (cosex15), or 10% off $40 or more (cosex2011). All coupons are before taxes and shipping. Expires Oct. 31, 2011. Shipping is free with $75 or more.

BuyCostumes - Use these Halloween coupon codes at BuyCostumes.com to get $5 off $50 (buyc5), $10 off $75 (buyc10), $15 off $100 (buyc15), or 10% off $40 or more (buyc2011). All coupons are before taxes and shipping. Expires Oct. 31, 2011. Shipping is free with $65 or more.

Today is the last day to enter the Halloween contest!

Today is the last day to enter the Halloween costume contest to determine what Bargain Babe is going to be for Halloween. This year I’m preggo so I’d like to incorporate my belly into the costume. So far, 80 readers have entered. Here are the most popular ideas so far (bonus points for a joint costume with my husband).

Pumpkin carving ideas are here. If you’re looking for Halloween costume coupons, we’ve got you covered!

Nun and Priest (suggested by Michele Simon, Carrie, Holly, Larissa, Desiree, and many more readers!)

Bun in the Oven and Baker (suggested by Bridgette)

Pumpkin (suggested by Michelle)

Skeleton T-shirt showing my spine and baby’s, pictured above (suggested by Liz and Gloria)

Juno and her dorky boyfriend Paulie Bleeker (suggested by Mvbg and others)

Bacon and Eggs (suggested by Margaret and Marty)

Cat and fish bowl (suggested by N. Davis)

Cross dressing beer gut guy and dolled up lady (costume suggested by Claudia Williams)

Here’s how the contest works:

You suggest your most zany and frugal Halloween costume for me to wear. I’ll prance around town in in the most unusual and fun costume suggested, no matter how silly it is! Plus, I’ll post a picture of me in costume.

Comment with your idea for a Halloween costume by today, Oct. 19, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. EST. That gives me about a week to put the winning costume together.

Terry.Tyson / Flickr

This post is brought to you by PureCostumes.com where you’ll find the latest in halloween costumes. Use coupon code BARGAINBABE65 to get free UPS ground shipping on orders over $65.

Here are this week’s Halloween costume coupons and deals! Bobbi has 10 ideas to save on Halloween costumes, including raiding your grandparent’s closet. If you want to have an old fashioned Halloween, we’ve got you covered. And don’t forget to enter the Halloween costume contest!

Wholesale Costumes - Get the lowest Low Wholesale Prices on Halloween costume with coupon code SAVENOW.

Free Halloween crafts - Get a booklet of 14 free Halloween crafts and costume ideas from AllFreeHolidayCrafts.com.

Pottery Barn - All costumes and treat bags are 20% off at Pottery Barn. Order by 5pm on Oct 25 for delivery before Halloween.

Michael’s Halloween coupons - Check out the Halloween discounts at Michael’s.

Flapper costume sale - Get 15% off a flapper costume plus free mask and beads. Ends Oct. 31, 2011.

Hollywood Toys & Costumes - Get 20% off sitewide with Hollywood Toys & Costume code UNDEAD-P20. No minimums! Expires Oct. 24, 2011.

Decor - Get up to 75% off 625 Halloween items at Oriental Trading as part of its Halloween decor sale, plus shipping is free on $49 or more with coupon code WCE2369. Expires Oct. 18 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Kmart coupon - Gets costumes on sale by up to 40% off plus an extra $5 off $50 with Kmart coupon code KBOO. Expires Oct. 22, 2011. Or get $10 off $60 with coupon code OCT3SAVINGS.

Costume Discounters - Get $10 off $50 with Halloween coupon code WOW10. Or use WOW15 to save $15 off $75, and WOW20 to save $20 off $100. Ends. Oct. 31, 2011.

Many of last week’s Halloween coupon codes are still valid.

~Julia
aka Bargain Babe

creativedc/Flickr

This post is brought to you by Reader’s Digest. Find more great tips on saving money from Reader’s Digest.

By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.

Halloween can be a fun family time. But, with all the costumes, decorations, parties,

and candy giving, the costs add up, even if you are having an old fashioned Halloween.

My advice for Halloween is the same for any annual holiday – think ahead. Look for costumes and accessories all year long. Anything that you have to buy in a hurry will cost more. That being said, here are the 10 best places to go looking for Halloween items NOW.

1. Yard sales – search on Craigslist for sales that include “costumes.” At this time of year, people advertise if they will be selling costumes. During the rest of the year, you can pick up outfits for a fraction of original cost. In October, you will most likely pay more, but you can still get great deals in people’s driveways. I know that some local theatre companies have costume sales during the year to raise money for their next production. Keep your eyes open for these listings.
2. Freecycle – if you know the exact costume or size that you are looking for – ask. Freecycle is the very best free swap on the planet. Utilize it.
3. Your friends and neighbors – similar to freecycle, you have to ask. You never know what people have stored. Even though most people only wear a Halloween costume once, they don’t immediately give it away. They just stay in the closet until a move or major clean out.
4. People whose children are in dance recitals – these folks have tons of costumes that they paid a small fortune for. They may be willing to let you borrow or rent them. My mom lent out our old dance costumes to many of her friends. Those sequined outfits had long and happy lives.
5. Thrift stores – right now, all of the second hand stores have racks of costumes in the front of their stores. All sorts of outfits at a very reasonable cost. I have found amazing handmade outfits at the Goodwill. Someone spent a lot of time and money making a Minnie Mouse outfit. I was glad that my daughter was able to wear it and I didn’t have to make it.
6. Drug stores – CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens have extensive holiday merchandise that they put on deep discount as you approach the end of the season. If you catch it just right you will get up to 90% off. This is a good place to stock up for next year.
7. Dollar stores – good place to get candy, glo sticks, decorations and flashlights.
8. Prop house estate sales – just learned about this one. When a TV show gets cancelled, all of the set dressing get sold off. For those of you in the Los Angeles area, check out the weekend sales at 2911 Winona (near the airport) in Burbank.
9. Your grandparent’s closet – hate to say it, but deep in the recesses of your relatives closets are antiques. I know that I still have one or two items from my 60′s hippy days.
10. Seasonal Halloween stores – OK, if you MUST shop at one of the retail stores, then for goodness sakes use one of the zillion coupons that are in every newspaper and mailbox. Don’t you dare pay retail!

What did I miss? Is there another great place to get deeply discounted costumes?