The scariest part of Halloween might just be the price tag on decorations. However, with a little creativity and some everyday household items, students can transform their homes into spooky haunted houses without spending a fortune. The Daily Texan compiled these budget-friendly DIY Halloween crafts to save your bank account and help the environment. 

Toilet Paper Roll Bats

Turn empty toilet paper rolls into a flock of mischievous bats! Paint the rolls black, then glue black paper wings, googly eyes and small fangs made from white paper. Crafters can string them up with twine to create a creepy bat cave effect in any room. 

Spiderweb Doormat

Use any plain doormat and white puff paint to draw a spider web pattern. This simple upgrade greets guests with the Halloween spirit right at the doorstep.

Ghost Lanterns

Don’t toss that empty pasta sauce or jam jar! Give glass containers a new life by covering them with a layer of white tissue paper and gluing black paper cutouts for eyes and a mouth to create ghost faces. Take it to the next level by placing a battery-operated tea light inside for a soft glow. 

Tissue Paper Pumpkin Garland

Orange and green tissue paper can easily turn into mini pumpkins strung onto a garland. Crumple the orange tissue into ball shapes for the pumpkin and twist the green paper into stems then glue them together. Attach the pumpkins to string or twine to make for a festive garland hung from doorways or walls.

Bottle Cap Spiders

Repurpose metal bottle caps to create little spiders! Paint them black and use either small beads or googly eyes for the face. For the legs, use pipe cleaners or strips of black paper and glue them to the underside of the cap. Scatter them around the room or on tables for a quirky touch.

Yarn-wrapped Mummies

Wrap cans in white yarn, leaving some space for googly eyes to peek through. Use these cute mummies to store candy or to decorate tables for a bit of Halloween charm. 

Pumpkin Mason Jar Vases

Those used mason jars lying around can easily become festive jack-o’-lantern vases! Paint the jars orange and use a Sharpie to draw jack-o’-lantern faces. Fill them with autumn flowers, straws for a Halloween drink station or candy for trick-or-treaters.

Cardboard Tombstones

Next time an online delivery comes, save the box! Transform cardboard boxes into realistic-looking gravestones by cutting out tombstone shapes, painting them gray and using markers to write funny or spooky epitaphs. Prop these DIY tombstones up in the yard or around the home to create a miniature graveyard.

Bloody Handprint Windows

Crafters can dip the palms of their hands into red washable paint and press them onto windows for a terrifying effect. After Halloween, the washable paint comes off easily with a wipe.