Halloween can still be fun despite the scary cost of living - Hayley Matthews

Halloween is my favourite time of year, even more so than Christmas or even Easter.

But many things cost more than they did this time last year – and Halloween seems to be no exception. Nonetheless, I'm still determined to make it fun. I was speaking to a customer service assistant in Morrisons recently who was telling me how shocked she was at the price of things. I'd picked up a few Halloween buckets and some sweeties and she was telling me how the price this year is about 30% to 40% higher than last year. That's a lot.

We chatted about how parents are going to do Christmas this year never mind Halloween as we both shared a sigh of disbelief.

So, with the cost of living hike in mind, I raised the question of Halloween costumes to my children whilst wincing and squinting my eyes. Previously, we've been Pennywise, a Vampire and even Donald Trump! As requests came in for extravagant, expensive, flamboyant costumes, I started to look online for various characters, only to find their price tags quite high. And for what? Plastic masks and a cape?

My eldest recently watched Black Adam at the movies with his friend and I have to admit, the movie was great. Lots of great graphics and special effects - and the costumes are brilliant. So after we watched it, he decided that Black Adam would be the costume of his choice this year.

With the costume being a fairly new character in the movie world, I wasn't sure just how easy it would be to get my hands on one. After a few scrolls through the internet, I realised I would have to get creative as I wasn't spending £89 on a Black Adam costume from Amazon!

So, I set about on the old Facebook marketplace to see what was out there and found a Batman costume for a few pounds that could be altered. So as I looked at the black Lycra costume I decided to adapt it and went for a venture round Hobbycraft. I had the help of a very artistic friend who helped me pick up some gold spray paint, gold card and anything that would help me recreate Black Adam. I only spent just over a tenner and the results are amazing!

I spray painted a pair of old black boots that have been sitting in my wardrobe, cut out gold cuffs and a lightning bolt from the cardboard, sprayed a bit more gold for good measure and boom! It was like DC had come to the Matthews household. I'm quite pleased with my efforts and it just goes to show - Halloween doesn't need to be expensive.

Halloween needn't suffer in the face of the cost of living crisis, writes Hayley Matthews. PIC: CC/Mike Finn.

It's amazing what you can make if you get creative. Now I just need to get my prosthetic nose and pointy hat out so I can be witch Hayley for the night. If you're looking for me, you'll find me sitting on a toadstool, stirring my cauldron, casting spells (or the odd curse or two) on those who've wronged me!

Happy Halloween whatever you're doing and remember, no dinging the doorbell when the kids come knocking! They're just after a wee sweetie or two.