Thrift shopping for Halloween

ATLANTA - We all know Halloween parties are fun and trick-or-treating is even better, but the cost of Halloween costumes can be downright scary, especially when you're shopping for several children.

That's why FOX 5's Portia Bruner teamed up with Siobahn Dawkins-Khalik of Gwinnett County. The thrifty mother of five takes a lot of pride in her thrift shopping skills and showed Portia how she sifts through second-hand treasures at thrift shops to craft her own Halloween costumes.

"If you think about it, you wear Halloween costumes once a year and it doesn't make sense to spend 40 or 50 bucks on a costume when you can spend 20 and you can wear the different items you bought separately for future outfits. Or, at least if you end up painting all over it for Halloween, you don't have to feel bad about only being able to wear it once," said Dawkins-Khalik. "It's all about pulling the right pieces together. And since most of the stuff costs five or six bucks, you just can't beat the price compared to what you pay for a brand new costume," she added.

The Gwinnett County mother has been handcrafting costumes out of second-hand items for years. This year she pulled together the perfect outfit for her 8 year old daughter who wants to be a moth.

"I just look at different pictures on Pinterest and other sites and spend my time sifting through thrift shops. It's always worth it and it's really a lot of fun," she said.

If you're not the type to craft your own costume from different pieces, you're still in luck. Most thrift stores have a large selection of Halloween costumes that are in great condition. Most stores have their costumes and other Halloween decor on display as soon as you walk through the front door.