Fun, Memorable Halloween Costumes On A Shoestring Budget

Halloween is quickly approaching, which means two things: You need candy, and you need a costume. But who has the time or energy for elaborate preparations?

Take the easy way out with these fun, festive -- and simple -- homemade Halloween costumes.

Keep it light, keep it fresh, and let your sense of humor shine. Christy Strawser

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen is funny. There was a brief time when he seemed to be careening crazily toward the edge, and his outcome was unknown. But with help from his spot-on Comedy Central roast, Sheen can safely serve as the butt of jokes and the source of costume mockery.
Dress yourself as Sheen with a quick trip to the nearest Salvation Army store or Goodwill where you should easily find an ugly bowling-style shirt from the 1990s that represents Sheen's style on "Two And A Half Men."
Pair it with comfortable pants and a bottle of vodka. Put some flour on your nose for extra flourish.

Hugh Hefner

Everyone owns a bathrobe. And that's really all it takes to be Hef. To make it realistic, visit your nearest secondhand shop and upgrade to a silk robe.
Paste the Playboy logo on the nearest magazine at hand, and call it a costume. Extra points if you're accompanied by a young, blonde woman of dubious IQ.

Snooki

Anyone can become the trainwreck known as Snooki from "Jersey Shore" in a few easy steps. Grab a hair clip from the nearest pharmacy and bump the center part of your hair as high as it will go. Hairspray it into oblivion. Don the shortest, tightest skirt you own. overdose on bronzer, and everything else in the makeup bag. Bring a pickle, wear your slippers. Whine.

Tweak it slightly with white face paint to become Amy Winehouse. Tweak it even less to become a Kardashian (ditch the pickle and slippers; Grab a Ring Pop for your finger.)

Royal Family

Remember the Royal Wedding? Pretend like you're a member of the wedding party with a wacky hat and dowdy skirt suit from a secondhand shop. You should be able to spend $10 or less. Can't find a hat? Grab a bag of pipe cleaners, form it into a wacky shape and put it on your head. Now, you're Princess Beatrice.     

Static Cling

Totally out of ideas and lacking time? Put on a sweatshirt and pin socks, underwear and other fuzzy things to it randomly. Voila -- You're static cling.

Black-Eyed Peas

Forget Fergie and her elaborate stage costumes. You don't have time for that. But you do have time to put on a green outfit and paint black circles around your eyes. That's right, you're a black-eyed pea.

Flashdance

The movie is making a return, so it's prime time for a costume resurgance. Grab a pair of legwarmers or thick socks, a cheap sweatshirt and a pair of scissors to slice it up.

Empty a can of Aqua Net on your hair to make sure it's nice and high. Collect extra points if you dance for your friends Flashdance-style.

Angelina Jolie

Show your sexy and funny side by spending Halloween as Angelina Jolie.

Get dolled up bombshell-style, preferably in black. Better yet, toss on some black leather.

Then grab every baby doll you can get your hands on and bring them with you.