With the commencement of fall, it’s good to keep in mind that Halloween is less than two weeks away.

Now is the time to think about costumes so you can start preparations with minimal pressure from an imminent deadline. After all, picking a costume often starts by answering a number of questions. For instance, are you choosing a theme for the entire family or a group of friends? Do you want your kids to match or are you celebrating with a significant other? What are the latest cultural or social trends from which you can draw ideas?

Remember, putting together a costume, or several, should be fun. Limit the stress, cost and time-consumption of preparing for the Halloween holiday with these last-minute, do-it-yourself tips.

1. Know Your Price Point

Unless you’re planning to attend a high-stakes costume contest with a lucrative prize, you probably don’t want to break the bank making a costume. Decide on your maximum budget right from the start. Especially if you’re new to the DIY game, it is easy to get carried away and plan an elaborate costume without accurately estimating how much it will cost.

2. Be Resourceful

Before you purchase anything, scan your closet for items to incorporate into your costume with little to no extra work. You might be surprised what basics you already possess that you can use. Even if they’re not a perfect match for the look you’re replicating, you’ll save by using these items, which allows you to spend money on the more specialized aspects of the costume. Also, take advantage of Goodwill and local thrift stores where you can find wonderful yet inexpensive articles. You also can make costume parts with craft supplies, and getting a head start gives you time to collect coupons to purchase cloth, glue, elastic and more.

3. Think Creatively

Expect to see several “Game of Thrones” and “Beauty and the Beast” characters, as well as Wonder Woman replicas, trick-or-treating this year. Hit movies and television shows often provide a wealth of timely ideas. However, you may be better off thinking outside the box as a little creativity can go a long way. From PersonalCreations.com and NBC’s “Today,” here are a few of our favorite concepts that are interesting, as well as easy and relatively cheap to make:

  • Frida Kahlo. This costume is fairly simple to create, thanks to Kahlo’s signature and recognizable brow. Complete the look with a floral headpiece, scarf, statement jewelry or Mexican dress.
  • Where’s Waldo. This one works for an individual or for an entire group. Red duct tape can be used to make stripes on a white shirt and beanie if you’re in a pinch.
  • Flower Pot. This costume probably is most fitting for children, but there are ways to mature it, as well. Clumsy Crafter has a tutorial that involves only four materials.
  • Eighties Prom Queen. For this outfit, stop by your local vintage store and find the most outrageously ’80s dress. Pair it with old costume jewelry — whatever you can find in your closet or borrow from a friend — and a flashy pair of shoes you already own. Remember that ’80s-style hair and makeup are especially important for this look.
  • Silent Film Actors. This unique and simple outfit requires vintage black dresses, suits and shoes (all clothing items must be white, black or a shade of gray). Add a fun dialogue card to hold up. Then follow this tutorial for the makeup to complete the look.

This Halloween season, get in the spirit with a crafty, clever DIY costume that will stand out from the run-of-the-mill costumes for purchase from a store. Most importantly, however, determine how much time and money you have to spend ahead of time so you can enjoy the creation process and not get stressed out along the way.