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Kids dressed in costumes wait for candy while trick-or-treating during Halloween in Port Washington, New York, Oct. 31, 2014. Reuters

The scariest thing about Halloween might be how much it costs to dress up and buy candy. Americans spend roughly $78 each year on Halloween, but there's another, more budget-friendly way. This year, stay away from full-price costumes at expensive holiday stores and instead embrace your inner spendthrift. Below are 29 cheap Halloween costume ideas for 2015.

Hit the clearance rack now for the best discounted options. PartyCity has a $9 baby biker costumer, a $10 Darth Vadar costume for boys, a teen girl rebel fairy costume for $10, a Rihanna costume for women for $10 with a black sexy bra, an Angry Birds costume for men for $10 and a Medusa costume for plus-size women for $20. At Walmart, you can buy a girl's vampire costume for less than $4, dress a boy as a clown for less than the price of lunch and embrace your ninja fantasy for pocket change. This girl's angel costume is also dirt cheap.

Wear normal clothes with Halloween accessories for a costume that says, "Hey, I sort of tried." Walmart has a nylon cape for women for $3 to don over black clothes for an easy vampire costume. You could also add a Cinderella tiara to a pretty dress to complete the princess look for less than $4, spend $4.50 on a monster hat or 5 bucks on Minnie Mouse sequin ears for a fun look. Meanwhile, don't forget that women have been turning lingerie into Halloween costumes with the help of a cat tail for years. This one costs $5.

Not sure what to wear with your new cat tail or mouse ears? For women, never doubt the sturdy black dress in your closet. PopSugar has four costume ideas based on your favorite little black dress.

Parents with some time on their hands can always go the do-it-yourself route. Hit the dollar store to make a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with a roasting pan, or for plastic flowers to create a walking garden. Use leftover fabric to turn your child into a famous wrestler, or brown craft paper to create a snail. Use cardboard to become Ms. Pacman.

Get even more creative. Toilet paper creates mummies. A cheap white sheet still makes for an easy ghost. Buy glasses and a button-down shirt from the thrift store to become a nerd. If you have long hair, straighten it and carry around a donut to embody Ariana Grande. Brown and white face paint can turn you into Grumpy Cat.