.99 cent stores, or dollar store deals.....a question

[Joanne]

In a recent thread, several posters mentioned using the .99 cent store as a money saver.

 

I rarely *shop* there. I used to use them for a cheap outing when the kids were little - they could each get 3 items.

 

What are deals there budget wise, and what are not?

[Mergath]

We swing through there every once in awhile, because they seem to get new stuff in pretty frequently. The book section is great. We've actually found hsing stuff at our dollar store. They have a lot of kid's workbooks, flashcards, games, etc. too.

 

Their seasonal decorative items are a great deal. Any kind of kitchen utensils, potholders, food storage containers, that sort of thing, are usually a pretty good deal.

 

I never buy food at the dollar store. They only carry the cheapest brands, and it's not enough of a savings to be worth buying absolute junk. Their shampoo, soap, etc. is pretty crappy too, but if you're in a bind money-wise, it's definitely cheaper than what you'd get at a regular store.

 

The cleaning supplies are cheaper, but I find they don't work as well as just vinegar and water, so they really aren't worth it.

[TammyS]

My favorite thing to buy at the dollar store is gift bags! They're actually pretty good and save a ton of time in wrapping (plus I reuse them!). Some cleaning equipment is an ok deal for $1, but lower quality. Beach toys are a good deal, because I just toss them in the garbage at the end of summer, but other toys are not a good deal for long term use. Toiletry equipment can be a good deal (hair brushes, scrunchies, etc).

[stripe]

The best deal I ever got was a giant thick plastic tub that I bathed my kids in for years! For $1.

 

I don't buy much there either. I used to get greeting cards and wrapping paper/ gift bags there, but then the closest dollar store closed, so it's a bit out of my way to go to one.

[MommaOfalotta]

We swing through there every once in awhile, because they seem to get new stuff in pretty frequently. The book section is great. We've actually found hsing stuff at our dollar store. They have a lot of kid's workbooks, flashcards, games, etc. too.

 

Their seasonal decorative items are a great deal. Any kind of kitchen utensils, potholders, food storage containers, that sort of thing, are usually a pretty good deal.

 

I never buy food at the dollar store. They only carry the cheapest brands, and it's not enough of a savings to be worth buying absolute junk. Their shampoo, soap, etc. is pretty crappy too, but if you're in a bind money-wise, it's definitely cheaper than what you'd get at a regular store.

 

The cleaning supplies are cheaper, but I find they don't work as well as just vinegar and water, so they really aren't worth it.

:iagree::iagree:

[Word Nerd]

I recently bought a variety of bins and baskets there to help organize our school and art supplies. I found a few things for my DD's Halloween costume the other day.

[QuirkyKidAcademy]

I buy some cleaning supplies at Dollar Tree. The Works toilet cleaner is cheap and effective, so I stock up when I go to DT a few times a year.

[Word Nerd]

Our dollar store is right next to Hobby Lobby, and I usually check the dollar store first when I need basic craft items. (Their art supplies like crayons and colored pencils aren't even worth a dollar, though.)

[Soror]

Cards, bags, some seasonal things, pregnancy tests, toothbrushes, some craft items, various other things depending on the day.

[Um_2_4]

We have a $ type of store here that I've never seen elsewhere. Every day they get fresh produce(sometimes organic). It's next to the library, so I used to go every time I hit the library. I could find 3pk romaine hearts, 1lb of strawberries, 1lb pkgs of baby cucmbers, 2-3lb bags of apples, 1lb bags of baby carrots (same brands as major stores) all for $1@. Depending on season I can sometimes find pkgs of blueberries, etc.We live near a produce distribution center, so I think these are the extras they did not sell that am that they do not want to carry over to tomorrow. I also find loafs of 100% whole wheat bread (sometimes regional brand, sometime sara lee). They also have lance brand indiv. pkgs of peanuts (5 for $1). I also get DH bottled juices (minute maid, snapple, V8) for 2/$1 so he doesn't have to buy at work from the vending machines for $1-$2 each. I know not everyone had $ stores like this, we didn't where we used to live. We also have dollar tree, which is nothing like this.

I will not buy the ???? brands, because who knows what's in them and some things are actually NOT cheaper when you compare ounces, etc.

I also sometimes get hand soap, coloring books for the twins, scotch tape, gift bags, some craft items (pom poms). I would also agree with some of the above that many of their pens/crayons, etc are not worth it. At the one store I also find lysol tb cleaner a lot.

If you have ethnic markets near you those would actually probably be cheaper for produce and the like. I shop at several nearby and get avocados 5 for $1, tomatoes 4-5lbs for $1, bananas for .39/lb, etc. Without those stores I could not feed the family on the budget we have.

[Chris in VA]

Greeting/birthday cards--$.50 vs $2 and up at Wally World. :D

 

When I taught preschool, I trolled the DT for items to sort and things to put in my sensory bins--erasers, smooth gems/rocks, fake money/gold coins, small plastic animals, etc.

 

Candy is cheap, and so are seasonal decorations (cheap in both senses of the word, but who cares...). Gift bags are a bargain there, too.

 

I've found hair elastics and brushes tend to break easily, but dd has thick hair. For mine, they are fine.

 

They have wall stickers we sometimes use, too.

 

I just bought 6 or 7 kitchen dishrags and a couple pretty dishtowels--but the dishcloths ran.:tongue_smilie: May have to ditch the red and get white. :001_smile:

[Ghee]

I've bought gift bags, craft stuff (like the foam shapes, popsicle sticks, paint brushes - not like crayons or paints), workbooks for my youngest, coloring books (have you priced these at Walmart? Crazy!), holiday decorations, hair bands..

 

Like Mergath said, many of the cleaning supplies and HBA aren't the best quality. Also, you have to look at the SIZE. They sell detergent for $1, but it's in TINY bottles. So compare the size to what's at Walmart then figure the price per oz. Many times the bigger size is just as cheap (or cheaper) and can be bought on sale/with a coupon for a better deal. I also don't buy food there. For one thing, they don't really carry anything we eat, but also the size vs price thing again.

 

Oh, I do have to say I like their kitchen towels. I'm apparently overly hard on my kitchen towels and it's less traumatic to throw away/send to the rag pile a $1 towel than it is a $4 towel...

[Crimson Wife]

I occasionally try a couple of the dollar stores in my area and every time I do, I walk away regretting it. They are always MOBBED but the stuff there is nothing but junk. Honestly, it's worth it to me to pay a little bit more and go to Walmart, Big Lots, or Ross because the quality is higher.

[wonderchica]

FYI to all- The Dollar Tree (all of them) now accept manufacturer's coupons. If you can find the brand, a $1 off means a free item!

[Mommy22alyns]

I can often find things for homeschooling there, from glass bowls, throwaway (i.e., not "nice") pans, measuring cups, utensils for experiments or making clay, flashcards, posters, workbooks/coloring books, stickers, cheap bits of decor, bins, etc. When the girls were younger, I bought treasures for their treasure box (reward system).

[Unicorn.]

It depends on the type of dollar store. My friend shops there frequently and gets name brand cleaners for less (Dollar General, I think). Sheets, towels (not dept. store quality, but functional and they last long enough to justify the cheaper quality). Some have name brand foods, spices, etc. You just have to check out what's in your area. IIRC, Peek-a-Boo used to rave about one in her area, where she could buy breads, jellies/jams w/ no hfcs, spices (name brand) a lot cheaper. ( I have no idea why I remember that)

[MamaBearTeacher]

coloring books, letter/number books, stickers, little notebooks, batteries, dish towels, some craft stuff, cards, balloons, gift wrap, smaller organizing bins etc. Our dollar store has some basic Crayola stuff sometimes.

[Katy]

Oxyclean (generic),

Bleach

potholders,

theater candy for movie night,

giftwrap,

books,

random craft items,

collapsable dog bowls for the car (ours mysteriously always go missing),

little candles to burn in the bathroom,

sunglasses (I'm religious about wearing them because squinting causes wrinkles. Usually the styles there are awful, but every once in a while I'll find some I love. I buy every pair in the store in that style),

random seasonal stuff (Christmas ornaments or little ceramic villages),

stocking stuffers for kids (or for birthday party gift bags)

 

Right now they have a big display of pantry-organizer type stuff. DH and I were just talking about buying up a lot of it.

 

In the spring they frequently have LL Bean style boat-tote bags for a buck in a variety of colors. I snap them up and use them as gift bags, to carry groceries, and other random stuff (library books, etc).

 

The pregnancy tests are reportedly more sensitive than any besides First Response early result, but out of the maybe 10 times I've used them, 4 of them had a problem (the test flooded, the dye blurred all over, etc), so I think I'd rather spend the $10 on the good kind. But if I was one of those people who wanted to test every day starting at about 8 DPO, I'd snap them up too.

 

I've found several gift bags there with wonderful art on them (snowmen) that I cut out and framed.

[kfeusse]

my little guy is into jigsaw puzzles right now, so if I can snatch up a bunch of 500 piece puzzles for $1...I do...

 

I also like their gift bags and craft items.

[frugalmama]

We have a $ type of store here that I've never seen elsewhere. Every day they get fresh produce(sometimes organic). It's next to the library, so I used to go every time I hit the library. I could find 3pk romaine hearts, 1lb of strawberries, 1lb pkgs of baby cucmbers, 2-3lb bags of apples, 1lb bags of baby carrots (same brands as major stores) all for $1@. Depending on season I can sometimes find pkgs of blueberries, etc.We live near a produce distribution center, so I think these are the extras they did not sell that am that they do not want to carry over to tomorrow. I also find loafs of 100% whole wheat bread (sometimes regional brand, sometime sara lee). They also have lance brand indiv. pkgs of peanuts (5 for $1). I also get DH bottled juices (minute maid, snapple, V8) for 2/$1 so he doesn't have to buy at work from the vending machines for $1-$2 each. I know not everyone had $ stores like this, we didn't where we used to live. We also have dollar tree, which is nothing like this.

I will not buy the ???? brands, because who knows what's in them and some things are actually NOT cheaper when you compare ounces, etc.

I also sometimes get hand soap, coloring books for the twins, scotch tape, gift bags, some craft items (pom poms). I would also agree with some of the above that many of their pens/crayons, etc are not worth it. At the one store I also find lysol tb cleaner a lot.

If you have ethnic markets near you those would actually probably be cheaper for produce and the like. I shop at several nearby and get avocados 5 for $1, tomatoes 4-5lbs for $1, bananas for .39/lb, etc. Without those stores I could not feed the family on the budget we have.

 

We have a chain of ones like this here - they are called .99 only. I LOVE shopping there - I get a lot of frozen stuff like Digorno pizzas for $2, yogurt for .39, Mrs Bairds bread & bakery items for $1, Pepsi for $1, even ice cream for $1 {right now I have a freezer full of the Girl Scout Thin Mint & Samoa Ice Cream :D }

[Starr]

Like all shopping it's the time/money problem. If you have time to swing through you can compare prices. We do most all of our food shopping at Save a Lot which is similar to Aldi's. I just don't take the time to look for sales at the regular grocery store. We use the dollar store for extra stuff, helium balloons, cards, party things, and some cleaning supplies. You could find fun little presents there as well.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Toothpaste, party supplies like plastic table cloths and colored plates, themed party things like luau or holiday. We have purchased stockings at Christmas and skewers at the beginning of summer. Tissues and some craft items like foam or chenille sticks. Montessori type containers for pouring or transferring. Photo frames and glass candle sticks. Google dollar store crafts for ideas on some really cute ways to decorate with dollar store finds that rival pottery barn.

 

Here are a couple of good blogs.

 

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

http://dollarstorecrafts.com/category/decor/

[Audrey]

Toiletries are a good bargain there. The big one in the big town we go to also has a large food section with many very, very cheap items (thinking of your other thread on budget eating). I can't vouch for the quality of the foodstuffs, but I see a LOT of people shopping it pretty heavily, so it has to at least be somewhat edible. LOL.

 

Some stores carry clothing as well. It's usually very basic stuff -- like tee-shirts, packages of underwear and socks, sweatshirts and sweatpants -- but it is a good money saver for those items. I've also seen smaller appliances (beaters, toasters, blenders, microwaves, etc.).

 

They also usually have tons of craft stuff, containers, seasonal decorations, etc.

[Jpoy85]

Id rather go to Dollar Tree then Dollar General or Family Dollar.

 

I like to go for just about anything but food. i dont mind snacks but food not so much.

 

 

 

** and to the post who said about the Pregnancy Tests- you can actually get an .88c test at Walmart!

[Joanne]

We have a $ type of store here that I've never seen elsewhere. Every day they get fresh produce(sometimes organic). It's next to the library, so I used to go every time I hit the library. I could find 3pk romaine hearts, 1lb of strawberries, 1lb pkgs of baby cucmbers, 2-3lb bags of apples, 1lb bags of baby carrots (same brands as major stores) all for $1@. Depending on season I can sometimes find pkgs of blueberries, etc.We live near a produce distribution center, so I think these are the extras they did not sell that am that they do not want to carry over to tomorrow. I also find loafs of 100% whole wheat bread (sometimes regional brand, sometime sara lee). They also have lance brand indiv. pkgs of peanuts (5 for $1). I also get DH bottled juices (minute maid, snapple, V8) for 2/$1 so he doesn't have to buy at work from the vending machines for $1-$2 each. I know not everyone had $ stores like this, we didn't where we used to live. We also have dollar tree, which is nothing like this.

I will not buy the ???? brands, because who knows what's in them and some things are actually NOT cheaper when you compare ounces, etc.

I also sometimes get hand soap, coloring books for the twins, scotch tape, gift bags, some craft items (pom poms). I would also agree with some of the above that many of their pens/crayons, etc are not worth it. At the one store I also find lysol tb cleaner a lot.

If you have ethnic markets near you those would actually probably be cheaper for produce and the like. I shop at several nearby and get avocados 5 for $1, tomatoes 4-5lbs for $1, bananas for .39/lb, etc. Without those stores I could not feed the family on the budget we have.

 

I went to the .99 Cent store here tonight. They have bagged lettuce/salad mixes, cucumbers (3 to a pack), slaw mix, tomatoes, avocados, name brand baby carrots, variety of sweet peppers.

 

I stocked up for the beginning of the week in terms of produce.

[Seasider]

I've been in a couple of dollar stores that carried food, but....nah. Just didn't like the look of the stuff. Didn't strike me as fresh or first-rate.

 

I have found that gift wrap and seasonal decorations are usually bargains, and I've found some cute reading glasses there. But I generally don't feel like the time I spend culling through junk is worth it for the rare great finds. I haven't been inside one in probably 2 years, and I dread taking my dd in; at 7yo, she'd think it a wonderland.

 

But for food? I think you'd be better off at your local Aldi (or similar no-frills grocer).

[amyrobynne]

All party supplies -- greeting cards, tissue paper, gift bags, and anything to decorate. $1 items all cost $3+ at the party store.

 

I'll occasionally let the kids get something there but I'll assume it'll be broken within the week.

 

Oh -- I can usually find planners there, instead of $10 at an office supply store.

[Joanne]

But for food? I think you'd be better off at your local Aldi (or similar no-frills grocer).

 

We don't really have one of those here. Perhaps Fiesta?

[Seasider]

We don't really have one of those here. Perhaps Fiesta?

 

And we have no Fiesta here, so I'm sorry I cannot compare.

 

But I have to say, I just read through all the replies and I have *never* seen a dollar store that sells produce. Sounds like you really scored there!

 

I wish we had a good dollar store like that. I miss my south Florida produce market. I could buy a boatload of stuff for a dollar - 20 oranges, 5 cucumbers, 4+ pounds of bananas, masses of greens - every time I buy produce in my current location I mourn for that market.

[Cammie]

Recently I read an article on what to stay away from at a dollar store (clearly I was majorly procrastinating something as I live in a country that doesn't HAVE dollar stores!)

 

Anyways, they said to stay away from electronics - lots of unsafe, untested and even fraudulently labeled electronics. Also food items you need to be really careful about checking expiration dates - lots of almost expired food on the shelves (not to mention mostly junk.) The most important warning I thought was about toys. The article felt that lots of the cheaper toys that you find there have a much higher chance of an unsafe lead content.

 

So just shop carefully. When I am home in the US I do stop by a dollar store to check out their shelf lining papers, gift bags, tissue paper packs, etc.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Toothpaste, party supplies like plastic table cloths and colored plates, themed party things like luau or holiday. We have purchased stockings at Christmas and skewers at the beginning of summer. Tissues and some craft items like foam or chenille sticks. Montessori type containers for pouring or transferring. Photo frames and glass candle sticks. Google dollar store crafts for ideas on some really cute ways to decorate with dollar store finds that rival pottery barn.

 

Here are a couple of good blogs.

 

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

http://dollarstorecrafts.com/category/decor/

 

Id rather go to Dollar Tree then Dollar General or Family Dollar.

 

I like to go for just about anything but food. i dont mind snacks but food not so much.

 

 

 

** and to the post who said about the Pregnancy Tests- you can actually get an .88c test at Walmart!

 

 

This.

 

 

I meant $Tree. We have a Dollar General close by and it is overpriced in just about everything.

[Beth S]

Most all of the decorations for our homeschool graduation reception this past May. :001_smile: