Halloween can be expensive.

Once you add the cost of Halloween candy, decorations and costumes, the price tag can get a little tricky.

This year, you can give yourself a treat. Instead of shopping for your children's Halloween costumes, go swapping.

The Spout Springs library branch will participate in National Costume Swap Day.

Parents can bring last year's gently used costumes to the Spout Springs branch this Saturday and trade with other families for a new costume. Bring the old infant-sized costume and trade for a toddler's size or upgrade from a green Power Ranger to a red.

"It's a really neat idea to save some money and just be thrifty," said Adrianne Junius, youth service manager of Hall County Library System.

More than just saving the money, by swapping costumes you're helping to save the environment.

According to GreenHalloween.org, if half the costumes kids wear were swapped it would reduce landfill waste by 6,250 tons.

Families are welcome to bring costumes by the library early but most are expected to bring costumes the day of the swap. The costumes will be sorted by size so parents can easily find their child's new one.

Junius said the costumes aren't necessarily just for Halloween. She said they are also great for playing dress up.

"Fill up your role-playing toy boxes," Junius said.

Junius said that while people are encouraged to bring costumes, they won't turn anyone away.

Families can also bring everyday clothing items to be swapped.

"Our motto is ‘bring what you can, take what you need,'" Junius said.