Retailers are going crazy with Christmas decorations, but I think counting down to Halloween is much more appropriate. So I’m kicking off October with 11 ways to save on Halloween, courtesy of CouponShack.com. No. 7 is particularly good!

1. Buy early or buy late to get the best deals on candy, costumes and decorations.
2. Look for a Halloween coupon first before making any purchase.
3. Check the Sunday circular and mailers for local coupons, Google costume coupons online.
4. Browse sites like CostumeDiscounters.com, AnytimeCostumes.com, BuyCostumes.com, and CostumeHub.com for the top 2009 Halloween costumes: Michael Jackson, Harry Potter, Wolverine, Star Trek characters, and Hannah Montana.
5. Retailers continue to mark down prices as it gets closer to Halloween, so hold out for extra discounts and special coupons before purchasing.
6. Shipping adds up, look for stores with a standard free shipping policy.
7. Pull out costumes from past Halloweens and update them for this year. A vampire cape can easily be transformed into a Hogwart’s cloak with a few new accessories like wands, owls and a Nimbus 2000 for a Harry Potter costume. Try BuyCostumes.com for deals on last year’s costumes.
8. Make your own costumes using crafts and supplies from stores like Joann.com or Michaels.
9. Buy candy in bulk online and use a coupon, try Candy Crate Stores, CandyWarehouse.com or the 99 Cent Only Stores.
10. Make your own Halloween decorations and look for coupons for MisterArt.com or Fabric.com to help get you started.
11. Buy costumes and decorations for next year after Halloween for huge savings.