// BBC BUSINESS NEWS — FINANZA
Parents turn to costume swap to cut Halloween costs
Lola Roberts said donating unwanted Halloween costumes would help other families save money
Parents in Merseyside are turning to a free Halloween costume swap scheme to avoid prices one mother described as "completely extortionate".
Lola Roberts, who visited Prescot Library with her children, said her son had chosen a clown costume costing £40, so she showed him free alternatives.
Knowsley Council is running the scheme during half-term to help families save money and reduce the number of costumes thrown away after Halloween.
Organisers said the scheme had proved popular, with children trying on costumes and taking part in craft activities.
Lola Roberts said donating unwanted Halloween costumes would help other families save money
Roberts said she had originally visited the library after seeing a poster advertising an activity where children could decorate their own bags.
After discovering the swap shop, she said she was pleased to see so many families taking part.
She said she had already put aside a bag of unwanted costumes at home and welcomed the opportunity for other families to reuse them.
"There's such a good sense of community here," she said.