You’re going out on a limb this year, throwing your first-ever Halloween party for your child and his friends. Remember that emailing party invitations from a site like pingg.com can save money—and paper. Next consider the age of the kids, says Phyllis Cambria, co-president of PartyPlansPlus.com and co-author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Throwing a Great Party. “It’s best to keep the party more cute than scary for toddlers,” she says. “You want them to have fun—not nightmares.” And be sure to ask children of all ages to forego the weapons that come with some costumes, so that nobody gets hurt accidentally. Cambria shares these tips on how to throw a party that’ll be boo-tiful—and affordable.

1. Decide on a theme
The easiest approach is a costume party: Give guests instructions on what type of costume you would like them to wear—such as a character theme (Disney princesses or Superheroes) or a movie theme (Harry Potter). If you go this route, you can incorporate your theme into different aspects of the party, starting with the invitation. “The goal is to plan something that’s easily accessible at your local store or party shop online,” says Cambria.

Budget Tip: Sidestep the need for expensive store bought costumes by asking guests to wear homemade creations. Visit coolest-homemade-costumes.com for a list of homemade costumes with directions and photos.

2. Set the scene
There’s no need to go overboard: All you need are simple homemade crafts to turn your home into Halloween party central. Use pumpkins alongside your walkway to welcome your guests. Scatter little spiders made with pipe cleaners to create the perfect creepy mood. Make floating ghosts by inflating white helium balloons and covering each with a white sheet. Create a festive atmosphere by hanging orange and black streamers from the ceiling in the party area. According to Cambria, “it’s easiest if you stick with black and orange for everything.”

Budget Tip:  Remember that stuffed clothes can be made into scarecrows and cardboard boxes can be turned into tombstones. Of course, you can go light on the homemade decorations if you go all out on mood-setting music and lighting. Download Halloween themed music for free at all-about-halloween.com and play it on your computer during the party.

3. Serve spooky treats
Use Halloween cookie cutters to turn kid-friendly peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into spooky shapes, like ghosts and bats. Take hotdogs, make diagonal slits and fill them up with ketchup, relish and mustard for a slithering snake. For a sweet treat, take ladyfingers and spread strawberry jelly on top to get Bloody Fingers. For an extra special touch, “serve drinks and dry snacks in pumpkin or plastic cauldron containers,” says Cambria. Place gummy worms around anything you serve for instant gross-out fun.

Budget Tip: Serve whatever your budget allows but give the treats a scary sounding name to add to the fun. For example, call the orange juice or beverage you serve a “Witches Brew.”

4. Get the games going
A variation on “Hot Potato” involves taking a white balloon and using felt markers to draw an eyeball—then have kids pass the “eyeball” around. An arts and crafts corner is great for kids as well, says Cambria. Buy plain masks from a party store and let kids decorate them with school glue, sequins, pom-poms, stickers and paint pens. You can make a contest out of it and award a pumpkin to the “funniest mask,” “creepiest mask,” “most creative mask,” and more. That way, every kid wins for a reason. To get them moving, play freeze dance to Halloween tunes like the Monster Mash. When the music plays, the children dance. When the music stops, they freeze. Whenever someone moves during the time that they’re frozen, that person is out of the game. The winner is the last child dancing.

Budget Tip: Borrow Halloween-themed books from the library, and set up a ghost-story-telling corner. Dim the lights and read to the kids while propping a flashlight under your chin. Then let the children take turns telling spooky tales.

5. Don’t forget favors
End your party with a bang by passing out fun favors. Instead of candy, go to a party store and pick up Halloween-themed pencils, erasers, coloring books, stickers, or orange play dough. Fill up a small pumpkin bucket with these goodies. You can also set up a “tattoo parlor” and have kids get washable tattoos on their face, hands or arms before leaving. Pull out your instant camera or digital camera to take a picture of each guest in front of a Halloween-themed background, Cambria suggests. You can use orange and black curtains, or your computer to create a background. Have your child look into the web cam and click.

Budget Tip: Don't spend a lot of money on plastic candy holders when you can make your own for a lot less. Cover toilet tissue tubes with orange or black paper and fill with a selection of candy and small treats. Once you have filled the rolls tie both ends closed with curly ribbon. “Memorable parties don’t have to cost a lot,” Cambria says.