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Things You Should Get At The Dollar Store |
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Dollar stores, they sell almost everything that you might want, and a lot of things that you didn’t know you wanted until you saw it. Of course, there’s a lot of things you shouldn’t ever get at the dollar store, but that’s for another post and if you’re interested then click here. This one is all about what you should get or think about getting and trying it out for yourself.
1. Greeting Cards
There is no reason to spend $4 to $5 or more on a greeting card when dollar stores typically have a wide selection available for a buck. They may not contain music, buckets of glitter, and probably don’t have recognizable cartoon characters. However, they cost a buck or less and that’s a deal. We all know that eventually the cards will end up in the trash and there’s no need to be spending so much on it.
2. Party Supplies
Hats? Streamers? Confetti? Disposable tablecloths? If you need decorations in a common color or for an ordinary event like a birthday or graduation, consider the dollar store. Don’t forget to look for Mylar/foil balloons too. These are an absolute bargain and can easily sell for five times as much elsewhere.
3. Gift bags, Boxes and Wrapping paper
While you’re getting your party supplies, look for gift bags. ribbons, and wrapping paper too. You could end up paying two or three times more for gift bags and boxes at other stores. In addition, wrapping paper can be a steal. You might not get the same thickness of expensive paper, but for something that’s going to end up in the trash, why pay more?
4. Seasonal Décor
From extra ornaments for your Christmas tree to a scarecrow to stake in your front yard for the fall, dollar stores can have a surprisingly robust selection of seasonal décor. Pick up some bargain-priced items to decorate your house for less. But avoid anything with electric components, though, for safety’s sake.
5. Reading Glasses
As we age, we often lose elasticity in our eyes and that makes it more difficult to focus on close objects. In many cases, a simple pair of reading glasses is all you need, and the reading glasses at dollar stores are as good as those found in other stores. However, if you have trouble seeing at a distance, it may be time to schedule an eye exam and see about getting a prescription pair. Otherwise, the glasses at the dollar store are inexpensive and you won’t feel as bad when you inevitably lose them.
6. Hair Accessories
From elastic bands to bobby pins to headbands, you can find hair accessories at a fraction of the price at dollar stores. They’re not the fanciest, but you get some great deals. Combs and brushes can be a bargain too.
7. Pregnancy Tests
Grocery store pregnancy tests will set you back $10 to $15. You might be wondering whether a $1 pregnancy test is going to be accurate. That’s a good question and, according to this news report, the answer is yes. Even MoneyTalks News recommends buying pregnancy tests at the dollar store.
8. Vases
Don’t bother with other stores for vases and decorative bowls. The dollar store sometimes carries a number of styles at a price that can’t be beat. And they’re almost as good as those at the thrift stores.
9. Mugs and Glasses
Like vases and bowls, mugs and glasses are also a good buy at dollar stores. The quality is comparable to what you might get at Walmart or other mass merchandisers. As a bonus, you can typically buy only the items you need rather than being forced to purchase a set.
10. Dishes and Silverware
Dollar stores also often have a nice selection of open stock dishware. This isn’t going to be top-of-the-line quality, but they’re perfectly serviceable pieces. For those with little kids, dollar store dishes can be just what you need to get you through that phase of life when something seems to get broken in the kitchen on a weekly basis.
11. Storage Containers
Plastic storage containers also get a thumbs up when it comes to great dollar store buys. In the grocery store, you can easily pay up to $5 for disposable containers. Get them for a buck at the dollar store instead. But go elsewhere if you need heavy-duty bins, but for lighter items, the dollar-store version will do.
12. Picture Frames
If you’re crafty, dollar store picture frames are an excellent buy. With a little paint or other decoration, bargain frames can look as nice on your walls as their more expensive counterparts. However, quality can vary widely. Check the joints to make sure they are secure and look for stray glue that may be difficult to remove.
13. Bagged or Boxed Candy
Sometimes you can even find discontinued or rare candy at the dollar store that isn’t available elsewhere, like Coffee Crisp in the U.S. And maybe for next Halloween, head there for your treats rather than paying supermarket prices.
14. Socks
Much of the clothing you find at dollar stores is of an inferior quality and not worth the money. One exception may be socks. Dollar store socks can be as good as department store varieties if you buy the right type. Look for ones made with acrylic or spandex for a comfy fit. And novelty socks printed with animals or holiday designs are an especially good deal at dollar stores.
15. Washcloths and Dish towels
You don’t need fancy washcloths: having a clean one matters more. Same with dish towels, though you should keep an eye on the quality. Some towels won’t be absorbent enough to dry dishes. However, even those work great as cleaning rags.
16. Books and Calenders
Surprising enough they do have some decent books (most are hard cover books) and a wide range of them. I’ve even seen some popular books that I never excepted to see, but I was very thrill to get. They have a lot of books for children; from alphabet books to counting books, books about farm animals and dinosaurs are highly popular. They also have a good supply of activity books, such as coloring books, sticker books, puzzle books and the like. Sometimes they have well known comic books, in case you’re interested in those kind of things. And why spend $3 for a calender when you can get it for $1, especially when you’re going to throw it out once it’s done?
17. Make-up
Most aren’t aware that dollar stores do sell name-brand makeup. From Elf to Maybelline to Sally Hansen to bareMinerals and you know why? Well, there’s nothing wrong with the makeup and the only reason they’re given to dollar stores is because the makeup has been discontinued, was package wrongly or it was last season’s color. The brand companies need to make room for newer items and so they ship the extras they have to dollar stores instead of throwing them out. Of course, make-up that isn’t name-brand isn’t worth it. Just stick with name-brands and keep in mind that those do get sold out fast, so don’t expect them to be there the next time you visit. And there’s always something new because dollar stores stock of brand-name makeup is never the same.
18. Personal Care
Shaving cream is $2.59 at CVS, but for a buck you can get shaving cream that works just as well. We all know that the price of hand and body lotion can be outrageous, but Dermasil is a quality brand. It’s a number one item to get at the dollar store. Cotton pads, swabs, sponge applicators, and cotton balls are pretty great too. Actually there’s a decent bunch of products that work really well and I would list them all, but I want to keep this short.
19. Food, Snacks and Drinks
It’s not recommended to buy food there, but there are certain items that are really great. I love the bag of salty mini pretzels because these bags are full and don’t contain mostly air. They’re big and better then the other bags of chips at the dollar store. The packs of cookies are delicious (I love the shortbread cookies, those that come in coconut flavor and fudge striped)! The drink mixes are fabulous, just add 1 to a water bottle and it flavors your drink. They even have sugar free! They have Sunny D. Orange, Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch Juice Boxes, and other brand names. The seasoning spices are great and the salads dressings are as well. There are a couple of others items that are great, but in the end check expiration dates on all the food items…sometimes they tend to have things that go past that date. Though I haven’t come across that problem yet.
20. Arts and Craft
While you can get certain items for a better deal at stores like Walmart (or Micheal’s), I have to say that I love the gem rocks. They are fun for projects with the kids, to put in center pieces and candle vases or to use in DIY projects. If you need a few items instead of a large bulk, you can get poster boards, craft foam, foam boards, glitter, sharpies, etc.
 DamnBlackHeart · Sat Nov 29, 2014 @ 08:58pm · 0 Comments |
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