When thinking about how to haunt your house for Halloween, it is best to start simple. One of the simplest props you can make is a sign of some sort like this:

This was the sign that we put up outside the garage this year and making it is rather simple and cheap.

First, I took some scrap pine planking that I had laying around from some work that I am doing on the game room:

This planking runs about $15 a pack (6 8ft pieces) at Home Depot if you need to buy it.

I took the table saw to the edges to jagged them up a bit:

Just ram the edges of the plank against the blade and it will chop up nicely!

Then you just nail them to a 2×4 or other piece of wood with a single nail per plank.

Then you use just some red paint like this to make the lettering:

I used washable paint because 1) it was handy and 2) it is easy to get off your fingers which is how I applied it to the wood.

Then I took a plastic skull like this one:

It is cheap and I bought itat Wal-Mart for $5.00. In the base of the skull I carved out a hole and a notch in the base:

The purpose of this is so that it can be attached (and removed) from the top of the post where I inserted a small screw:

You just place the larger end of the hole over the screw head and then slide it into the narrower part to lock it in place.

And there you have it! A simple haunted sign for under $25.