If you don’t feel like spending your retirement money that matching pirate gear, there are still fun and cheap ways to create creative group Halloween costumes.

Use everyday items to help create themes for your group costume. One of the best things about dressing up as a group is that it usually gets the theme across much quicker than dressing up alone does. You can spend less time on the costume details and more time having fun.

The quickest and easiest group theme is your basic chain gang or group of prisoners. Have everyone find some white pants and a white shirt. Paint black stripes across the clothes, maybe add a prisoner number, and you’re good to go.

If you happen to have a large supply of ripped clothes and fake blood, try going as a gang of zombies. Everyone should dress in old and frayed garments. Smear some fake blood on your clothes and face, start moaning and you’re ready.

A group of pirates is another easy theme to pull off. Buy a few cheap eye patches and three-cornered hats. Everyone should dress in some ragged pants and a white peasant shirt or dark vest. Use scarves or bandanas for belts or head covers. Borrow a few plastic swords from the kids and you’re set for the high seas.

If you have some cash to spend, try some themes where you only need to buy an item or two, such as some Halloween masks or wigs. Dress up as Scooby Doo and the gang, the Brady Bunch, the Seven Dwarves, the Smurfs or a group of silly clowns.

There are tons of group costume choices for the television savvy. Dress up in work clothes and go as the cast from the sitcom, The Office. Pull out some cocktail dresses and go as the cast from the fashion dramas Sex and the City or Lipstick Jungle.

If you happen to be going to a Halloween party that will offer karaoke, you have the stage set for a great group costume. Have everyone make their hair look wild and their clothes look trendy. Grab a microphone and some attitude to go as the contestants from American Idol.