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The Life and Mind of DamnBlackHeart
This is to help me stay actively writing. So expect to see rants, tips on writing, thoughts on subjects, me complaining of boredom, reviews, anime, movies, video games, conventions, tv shows and whatever life throws at me.
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Things You Should NOT Get At The Dollar Store |
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I already made a post about the things you should get at dollar stores, but this time it’s about the things you should NOT get.
1. Electric Appliances
If it has an electric plug, don’t buy it. Dollar stores don’t have a great track record of quality control when it comes to cords and electronics. All the way back in 1999, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned about faulty power strips, extension cords and surge protectors being sold at discount stores.
2. Toys
Dollar store toys could be a safety hazard, and some have been recalled for posing a choking risk. But the bigger issue here is dollar store toys are, quite simply, junk. They’re so cheap that they’ll break if you look at them wrong. The wheels will fall off, the batteries won’t work, or your child will snap it in two before you’ve even hit the parking lot.
3. Medicine and Vitamins
Medications and vitamins at dollar stores may be unregulated and mislabeled, because they don’t meet the same rigorous testing and standards that products at regular stores do. Consumer Reports found that multi-vitamins sold at dollar stores didn’t always have the amount of nutrients claimed on the label. So stick to well-known brands when it comes to your vitamins, or go to your local drug store.
4. Batteries
Batteries purchased at dollar stores often wear out quickly. Ultimately, you end up spending more by having to replace the batteries more often. And if you really need to get batteries, make sure that they’re actually made with lithium as opposed to carbon zinc. A lot of generic batteries are made with carbon zinc — it’s not as superior of an ingredient. They don’t last as long maybe due to leakage.
5. Paper Products
Paper towels, toilet paper, and tissues tend to be of the flimsy, single-ply variety. Plus, you can usually find them cheaper at your grocery store. Just remember that a roll of paper towels for a dollar is not a bargain at all.
6. Pet Food
Seriously, avoid giving your pet food from dollar stores. To ensure the safety of your pet’s food, shop at national chains that tend to have good safety procedures in place. Knock-off food just isn’t worth the risk. And deals can be found on cases of name brand foods at the national chains that are better than the deals you’ll find at a dollar store.
7. Oven Mitts and Potholders
Dollar store mitts are poorly constructed and offer less protection for your hands when pulling hot pans out of the oven, which could lead to burns. Look for thick, well-made, and longer-lasting oven mitts elsewhere.
8. Knives
Knives at dollar stores tend to be dull — and will quickly get even duller. The blades of cheap knives are also thinner and bend more easily, making it difficult to do precision slicing and easy to hurt yourself. Spend a bit more for quality knives elsewhere.
9. Soda
The one-liter bottles of soda in dollar stores are not really a bargain. You can usually pick up a two-liter of the same variety for just a few cents more at your local grocery store. And the same goes for cans and smaller bottles of soda, too. It’s really not worth it.
10. Tools
A $1 screwdriver or hammer is going to break, and quickly. As someone who has a father that does a fair bit of DIY, I can tell you that tools are worth the investment. Don’t go anywhere near the tool section in a dollar store; you are just throwing your money down the drain.
11. Laundry Detergent
Stay away from laundry detergent that isn’t name brand or you haven’t used before. You don’t want to risk your clothes from being ruined by a detergent that you’ve never tried. It’s also not worth it if you are having to use triple of the cheap stuff to get the same result.
12. Toothpaste
Be careful about buying it at the dollar stores. Some of the toothpaste from China was found to have traces of chemicals similar to what you find in anti-freeze. If you really need toothpaste, stick with name-brands and I do know that Dollar Tree carries Colgate and Crest brands, which are safe.
13. Pens, Color Pencils and Crayons
The pens at the dollar store are not great and don’t last that long. The color pencils are awful! They won’t sharpen and they get dull in a nanosecond. The crayons are even worst, they’re just colored wax. You’re better off getting these things at stores like Walmart, Target, or somewhere better; especially get these things in the summer school sales.
14. Air Fresheners
They smell decently enough, but the main problem is that they don’t last long and the scent is weak. I rather gets air fresheners that are strong and can last a while. At my local supermarket, they sometimes have them on sale for 99 or 89 cents. So it would be better for me to get them there instead of the dollar store.
15. Scented Candles
They’re not really worth getting. They have such a weak scent that it’s barely noticeable at times. They do smell great and start off smelling strong, but after a while it fades. The only thing that they’re good for is when the power is out and you need light, or to use as a decoration.
 DamnBlackHeart · Sat Nov 29, 2014 @ 08:48pm · 0 Comments |
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