Guest post from Tanya of The Fruitful Home
I am so thankful that I have a Dollar Tree close by. I can usually accomplish quite a bit of my grocery list there — because you can’t beat a dollar! The bonus is that The Dollar Tree now accepts coupons!
Here are my top 15 picks that I buy regularly:
1. Batteries –They usually come in a pack of four, and they have a variety of sizes.
2. Toothbrushes — I found a pack of two that were Colgate brand. They can cost $2 a piece or more at the grocery store!
3. Toothpaste — They have several name brands.
4. Floss
5. Whole wheat bread — Whole wheat bread for $1!
6. Chips/pretzels — I don’t buy these often, but sometimes I’ll have them as a treat or for lunches.
7. Gum/candy — I mostly buy these at Christmas Valentine’s Day, and Easter
8. Mugs — I use these for gifts. I just put a few teabags in them or decorate them to make it more personable.
9. Body soap — Body soap can be so expensive. Most of them are a generic brand, but they do have a few name brands.
10. Canned fruit — My kids love canned pears and peaches. At the grocery store on sale they are $1.29 or more.
11. Party Supplies — Party supplies can add up quickly. The Dollar Tree has a nice selection of colors and designs.
12. Organizers — I have found clear shoe boxes, hangers, and fabric containers.
13. Highlighters — I buy a pack of four.
14. Mailing supplies
15. Dry Beans — Believe it or not, my family likes pinto beans. They can cost up to $2 for a small bag at the grocery store.
What items do you like to buy at The Dollar Tree?
Tanya is a wife and mother of two teenagers. I blog at The Fruitful Home. Fruitful means conductive to productivity; causing to bear in abundance. I am excited to share ways I have made my house a loving home while living on a budget.
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{ 120 comments... read them below or add one }
Hands down favorite item at the dollar tree: pregnancy tests! It is just as accurate as name brand stuff that costs 3 or 4 times more at the drug store.
I completely agree!
I always bought mine there, too, until we found out that our Walmart carries them for about 88¢. They come in a pink box–I am not sure of the name. Another Walmart did not have them though.
im going to disagree on the preg tests with all 3 of my kids they didn’t go positive till around 20 weeks where answer brand got me 4 days early. I heard how great dollars were so I took them every couple weeks to see when it woul go positive
Here’s a comparison charts for pregnancy tests http://www.babyhopes.com/pregnancy-test-sensitivity-comparison.html
I totally agree!! We had a lot of fertility issues and in 5 years I’ve used many pregnancy tests from the Dollar Tree.
Also I can’t tell you the number of ovulation kits we used and they were accurate!! With one pregnancy I was even able to get an accurate reading a few days early.
Yes! The best, least expensive preg tests and ovulation predictor kits!
I agree! They have always worked for me:-)
Yes! My OB told me to buy them there because they’re the same/just as accurate as the ones they use in the office.
I never would have thought of that. lol. I just found out I was pregnant in December and spent $12 at CVS. I bet the Dollar Tree is cheaper.
Totally agree with the mailing supplies. I get can get two medium sized bubble 3M mailers for $1… A pack of six of the same size, brand is over $3.50 at Target! Even the 5% savings from a Red Card (if you pay it in full each month) doesn’t make up the difference…
I get the 6 pack of clasp envelopes all the time. I’ve been trying to get a teaching job for 2 years now, and they are perfect for sending out all my information!
Agreed! Once I discovered these I haven’t even kept track of other brands at other stores.
The dollar tree is my go to place for party supplies and holiday decorations. Invitations, greeting cards, and helium balloons are so much cheaper there!
We always get our balloons at the Dollar Tree. Unless there is a specific theme, general occasion balloons are easy to find.
I always get my party balloons at the dollar store. Our dollar store will even refill them for you (which is handy if you have a birthday party on a Saturday but the child’s actual birthday is during the next week). I did a baby shower for the daughter of a friend. She took the balloons home with her and got them refilled a month later when she was actually having the baby — they made a great decoration for her house when she came home with the baby.
I like there gift wraping supplies and cards. I bought some of their batteries for Christmas decorations, since I was low on Energizer ones. The Dollar tree ones did not last even close to the time the Energizers did in identical decorations. I would not recommend the Dollar bateries for things like flashlights or smoke alarms. They are ok for decorations and childrens toys.
The batteries they sell at DT are most likely “heavy duty” not alkaline. They do not last nearly as long. Alkaline batteries are a much better deal at Wal-mart or somewhere with a coupon. Ray-o-vac is usually the best deal.
Totally agree about the batteries – the ones I buy at The Dollar Tree seem to be faulty.
My daughter and I love purchasing arts and craft supplies. Often the have great craft kits that include all my daughter needs to make a craft other times we get creative and mix a few items together to create our own crafts.
I also like their craft kits. For my preschoolers, they work wonderfully!
I buy stuff for my daughter’s hair there. Her hair clips, bands, and other similar items seem to often get lost, and they have packs of all of those for $1 there. I go every 6 months or so and spend 3 or 4 dollars and I’m set!
I’ve found that Amazon.com is the cheapest place to get good batteries. I buy big packs of AA, AAA and button batteries once a year. The button batteries are a tremendous deal because my kids love Hex Bugs – those things go through batteries like crazy! So far I’ve not had any issues with receiving bad batteries or not lasting as long.
Plastic baggies! Especially holiday theme ones! I got a box of valentines day baggies last week when my daughter needed a lunch for a field trip and I couldn’t use my reusable baggies.
Party supplies and school supplies! I love their selection of teaching charts! We homeschool and I love to check out their seasonal decorations for bulletin boards and what not. You never know what you’ll find there!
Tinfoil and cleaning supplies !
I only object to one item here… body soap. Read a non-fiction book called “Poorly Made in China” and you’ll NEVER buy any body product again that you can’t verify is made in USA or some other reputable location. The author toured around to various manufacturers to make sure they were doing what they should have been doing. The entire book showed that anything made in China probably doesn’t follow ANY regulations, because of a complex web of games they play (really must read it to understand). One story he told was of a factory that was making lotion for dollar stores. A worker had no gloves on and this man noticed the skin on his hands were peeling off. He urged the “manager” that this person should wear gloves. She refused and said that it would be an insult to that person if she asked and that it was OUR product creating the skin condition, with repeated contact. What he discovered was they played with the recipe to be able to make it cheaper, but we couldn’t do anything about it. There was a back and forth exchange and in the end, the worker was not forced to wear gloves in fear of that person feeling insulted.
Moral of the story – use name brands that you know are made HERE or close to here. I only work part-time and by no means have a lot, but I do not cut corners on products that go directly on the skin.
I think you are right Brandi, I like to make my own scrubs with EVOO and sugar and am very picky about what I put on my skin. Even though you are not eating it, you are absorbing it into your body. I also like to buy products that aren’t tested on animals. Olive oil is an awesome moisturizer.
I also heard that you shouldn’t buy toothpaste from there. It may be a name brand but the regulations are different (if there are any) and the paste in Dollar Tree has a whole lot more fluoride in it than it should. Using coupons and waiting for sales – most of the times you can get a name brand toothpaste made here for free or maybe a quarter.
Not only that, but why buy toothpaste when you can get it free when on sale & using coupons at Kroger? Same with floss and pantiliners.
I get shaving cream & hairspray at the Dollar Store.
A lot of toothpaste, esp Colgate, is made in Mexico now. It’s getting harder and harder to find USA made toothpaste.
Was coming to the comments to post this, too. Some Dollar Stores in the US carry toothpaste intended for sale in South Africa, where they don’t put fluoride in the water. As a result, South African toothpaste has a TON more fluoride than ours does. If you use South African toothpaste here in the US and also get fluoride from your domestic water supply, it can make you sick.
The toothpaste is completely true! When I was a reporter, we did an investigation and the fluoride content was far too high. Just compare the percent fluoride to one you purchase at the grocery, or just ask your dentist. I would imagine that is true for many of the other personal care products. I’ve also had a bad experience with dishes not being labeled as hand-wash only. What is the point of a mug that can’t get hot? It’s just paper and party supplies for me.
Wow! I will be looking for this book. I have always wondered about the gazillion items we import from that country, and whether they have to adhere to our standards.
We don’t really have any standards either! Here in the US, cosmetic products are not safety tested before going on the market. The FDA has no authority to regulate what goes into any cosmetics (by cosmetics I mean makeup, body wash, hair care, etc). I think I read at one point that over 80% of ingredients in cosmetics have never been tested for safety! Cosmetics and cleaning products are the least regulated products in the US. In addition, many cosmetic products and cleaning products’ labels are inaccurate and do not reflect all ingredients. Even though the FDA says this is illegal misbranding, it’s not enforced much if at all. If this is a concern for you, you should purchase items that have been certified organic as ALL ingredients will be accounted for (among other benefits). If this isn’t a concern for you, it should be.
deseray, this was not meant as a reply to you, sorry! It was as a general reply to the conversation about not using products from China.
I din’t realize that. I don’t buy the generic kind, just the name brand. Maybe that is faulty too.
whenever i start an organizing project the first place I lok is the dollar tree they have so many great buckets/ containers!
Me too! I figure if I’m going to use plastic of any sort, why pay more?
I get greeting cards, straws and plastic utinsals (needed for on the go lunches sometimes.). Carpet cleaner. Shower curtain liners.
Things I stay away from: their clothes pins, spices, and most medical products.
While I’m a fan of DollarTree, you do have to watch package sizes. Candy/gum and name brand toothpaste – yes, good for a dollar. But most of the time, the package sizes are quite a bit smaller than what you pay $0.50 to $1 more for somewhere else. $1 isn’t ALWAYS the best deal.
On the flip side – DollarTree is my GO TO spot for packing Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes! Toothbrushes with covers (3/$1!), toys, dress-up clothes, hats, gloves, socks, even flip-flops and t-shirts are fantastic! But a word of caution: I used to buy my toothpaste for the boxes there, but ended up finding the same brand/size for for $0.87 at Target.
It was already said, but party supplies, decorations, etc. I teach Children at church and love to find little decorations, etc. for various classroom ideas. I also buy most of my greeting cards there. One year I bought the cutest Christmas cards (Christian) in a box, but the envelopes did not stick, so I had to glue them shut! Just a little annoying!
Body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hairspray, razors, sea salt, foil pans, sandwich bags, tape, tissue paper….
Puzzles! I know my children will lose pieces to puzzles. I’d much rather spend $1 on a puzzle than $4-$5 on a puzzle.
Hair elastics, headbands, pregnancy tests, coloring books, and helium balloons are my other favorites!
I also buy most of our puzzles there. They even have nicer quality wooden preschool puzzles.
I’ve seen two great ideas on Pinterest for puzzles, so just FYI. Organize them in pencil bags (the ones like you’d put into a binder that are fabric with the front see-through pocket, which are easily less than $1 at places like Staples and Office Depot before school starts) and, for travel, put magnets on the back of the pieces and let them put it together on something metal (travel tray, cookie sheet, etc).
Cards of all kinds. You can’t beat 2 for $1.
Balloons
Party supplies
Cutting boards, individual serving size peanut butter cups, individual sheets of foil,
i regulary give an art box to kids I know, I get a clear plastic shoe size or larger storage box and fill it with packages of art supplies, paper, crayons, pencils, etc and a disposable table cloth, usually complete for under $10
this was a particular great gift that the easter bunner left at my mothers house for her grand children, it gets something new added to it each year
I love the Dollar Tree! It’s my go-to place to buy decorations for a party, or aluminum balloons. A couple years ago I put together the centerpieces for my dad’s 50th birthday party all from the Dollar Tree. They had tall glass vases, silk white orchids, and smokey grey glass pebbles …I was able to assemble a simple and classy looking centerpieces for an affordable price!
:):) I also love that they have a great selection of “to-go” ware available… I buy the 10 pack closable trays to give to my guests so they can take home a plate of food for later. This helps reduce the amount of food you have to store in your refrigerator and keeps your tupperware set intact.
I usually buy party decorations and birthday balloons at the Dollar Tree. I also buy some cheap kitchen gadget there too – measuring cups & spoons, etc. My husband has a tendency to melt them every few mos.
Fun post.
Totally agree on organizing, party, and mailing supplies. I go through a lot of those!
I work at a nursing home so this store is my favorite! Decorations for the halls, finger nail files and air fresheners are my top items.
For my home, organizational items, the mesh body scrubs and school type supplies to use at home. Oh and our toothpaste is usually there too.
Trash bags for the bathroom. They are not good for the kitchen but work well for old tissues and the like.
Poster boards. We found the thick foam type and we use that in our windows during the summer.
I’ve also found some decorations for our front door/porch.
Laundry baskets -They usually have the smaller kind— I keep them in each bedroom and bathroom.
Coloring books, dish soap,packaging supplies and party supplies are also good buys.
I buy the shower curtain liners exclusively at Dollar Tree. They are over 2$ a piece at walmart, and don’t last any longer then $ Store liners. Also, Thank you cards are a pack of 10 for a dollar. Walmart is a pack of 10 for 5$!!!!
Definitely LOVE buying gift wrapping supplies there. Also baskets/bins for organizing.
Tanya, you may want to look into buying pinto beans in bulk. I buy pinto beans, white beans, and black beans in 25 pound bags for around .65 a pound.
I also buy peaches and pears in season and I can them. Some years pears are as little as .25 a pound. I can a lot of peaches and pears each year.
I agree! Bulk bins are the best!
I buy the cans of fruit, name or store brands, for less than a dollar at the regular grocer when on sale. With a coupon, even better.
Posterboard (for my child’s school projects), Gift Bags (2 for $1), Awesome laundry stain powder (it’s actually called “Awesome”), blank cards in packets (for Thank You notes)
Gift sacks and greeting cards.
My kids think it’s the best day ever when they get to visit Dollar Tree and pick out a new coloring book. The selection always changes!
Same, here!
I visit the dollar store every time my kids have a party at school where they are to hand out “gifts” like Christmas and Valentine’s day parties. We usually pick up the pencils and erasers that correspond to the holiday. These work out great because our school won’t allow us to hand out candy.
I also like the dollar store for Sudoko Books and Calendars.
I always buy our wall calendars at the Dollar Tree. I do usually reinforce the holes with reinforcement labels, but even then I’m saving money.
Organizational supplies and teaching supplies are my favorites! The helium balloons are great too, but our stores have been out of helium for months now
Strangely, I just heard that there is a helium shortage right now. Not sure why . . .
I was told that helium is a natural resource that is being used up too quickly, like many of our other natural resources.
I love their teacher supplies!!!!!
Just came home from our local dollar tree store and I scored big time on birthday cards. $0.50 each!!!! woohoo
You missed the best thing
Sunglasses!! I buy two or three at a time.
Gift bags, envelopes, packs of stickers for my son’s class, aluminum foil, plastic utensils, microfiber cleaning cloths. I’m picky about quality, but I find I can’t go wrong with these items. My local dollar tree has a section of hardcover books, and my best score was a Donald Miller book I had been wanting to read. Can’t beat a hardcover for a buck! Read it and donate to a friend or the library.
I often buy bottled spring water. 6 pack for a dollar!
I also just started facepainting, so the 28 cosmetic sponges. From the face company, they can be 5+.
And I often do my stocking stuffers from there. And now mine has cold food, and I get occasional things for a quick, cheaper dinner! French fries and 2 bags of chick nuggets for my sister and I (big eaters) 3 bucks!
Country ham! Makes for a cheap and easy breakfast, lunch or dinner. I buy them 10 at a time and freeze them. They thaw really quickly on the counter .
Oh my goodness! I will have to look for this at our DT! My husband is obsessed with country ham, but I hate paying 3 bucks for it at the grocery store!
I like the dollar stores for helium balloons, cards (if I can’t get them for free at CVS with an ECB), and snacks. Almost everything else (toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, soap, gum, etc) I can often get for free at the drugstores and they are name brand!
I am a grandma and love giving books as gifts especially to my 7 year old at home and my 3 granddaughters that are 4,2 and 4 months
Kids cold medicine and generic Tylenol. My kids don’t like the taste as much which is a good thing because they always want meds even if they aren’t sick. I could not believe that it was only one dollar!
Be careful with medicine. Dollar store meds are often made overseas and doesn’t have the same regulations. I remember reading in consumer reports that dollar store vitamins vary in potency. Some do nothing and others are toxic because the ingredients and amounts are not regulated so I would guess the same to be true of medication.
Toothbrushes, floss picks, swiffer refills, microfiber cleaning cloths, sleep masks, child craft supplies, party supplies, helium balloons, hair accessories, greeting cards
I may be in the minority, but I really dislike dollar stores and rarely shop there. I’ll go to a dollar store once in blue moon for a gift bag or something when I’m in a hurry, and occasionally I’ve gotten lucky and stumbled on something that was a good deal. But overall I think most of the stuff sold in dollar stores is cheap poor quality junk.
Food and hygiene items are NOT the same as what is sold elsewhere, even the same brands. Even items of comparable quality are not necessarily cheaper than what you can get at Walmart or drug stores. Toothpaste and dental floss come on sale at drug stores frequently. I haven’t paid more than a quarter for either of those items in years. For anyone who uses coupons even just a little, they’re about the easiest things to get free or next to free.
The sizes of items are often very small. A bag of something that costs $1 at the dollar store — you can twice the volume at Walmart for $1.49, just as an example.
From what I see, things like toys, games, and puzzles are very poor quality. I prefer my child has a smaller number of quality toys than a bunch of cheap plastic toys. Ditto what other commenters have said about batteries. Cheap batteries will cost you a lot more in the long run. A good source for batteries is the office supply stores or Radio Shack. Staples and Office Max occasionally have promotions on batteries where you can get the big packs for a penny after rewards. Radio Shack frequently offers BOGO sales on their brand, which is a great deal on quality long-lasting batteries.
You wont’ find good, fresh bread at a dollar store around my area. I’ve had good luck buying bread at bakery outlets though.
As for balloons, there is a helium shortage going on. I learned this just recently when I went looking for a balloons for an event at three different dollar stores here locally. None of the stores even sold them any more because helium is too expensive.
I agree! Even some of the comments on here have shown me that I’m better off buying those things elsewhere, cuz they’re cheaper (and probably better quality at the same time). The only thing I used to get at a dollar store was pregnancy tests, then I found a 25 count pack of test strips on Amazon for $2! I would agree that wrapping supplies are probably a good deal there, but I’ll usually just use wrapping paper from the $1 bins at Michael’s and Target since I’m there anyway, and recycle gift bags that have been given to me.
I would have to agree, even though I’ve been in party planning mode recently and have made more trips there in the last month than I’ve ever made before. Strangely enough, I’m not buying much. I did get crepe paper for a pinata. I would have purchased utensils but they didn’t have the primary green color I was looking for, nor square plates, though the selection was pretty good for a dollar store, I thought. The table covers were the same price as Walmart, so I got them at Walmart in case I needed to return extras. The napkins looked really cheap, so I got thicker ones elsewhere. Next time I go, I will look for thank you cards and dried beans, but generally speaking, you pretty much get what you pay for, unless you’re couponing, in which case you’re investing your time in exchange for the discount.
I have been able to buy the store brand sandwich loaves of bread for .99/1.oo usually at grocer, including wheat. SOme of the comments about finding things at Walmart for less is true about getting things for less than Walmart at CVS/grocer, etc when it is on sale and with coupons. I also have not paid for toothpaste or deodorant for several years and probably have several years worth in the closet – ditto for razors.
Agree, I feel like I am actually wasting money there and the toys are junk and break immediately. Even for operation Christmas child I look for something on sale or with a coupon vs send a junk item, that may be there only toy, I would rather it last more than 5 minutes. I have only bought toothbrushes there for op xmas child.
I also buy at the brownberry outlet for $1.29 a loaf for regular $4 bread that I know has quality ingredients and no high fructose corn syrup.
I agree. The only thing I buy there is party supplies, and usually just tablecloths, plates, and utensils. I will buy coloring books there, but I find that most of their food selection is either things we won’t eat (pretty much junk) or not a deal – like spaghetti sauce, which I can get Prego in the can at Walmart for less than a dollar.
I love Dollar Tree! I think someone mentioned sunglasses, but I also purchase reading glasses there!! I have prescription ones, but for a $1 I like to have a few extra pairs around the house since I seem to forget where I left them. lol I also buy school supplies, greeting cards, invitations, thank yous, gift bags, wrapping paper, party supplies, balloons, craft supplies, envelopes and Christmas decorations/ornaments. This year I found white dinner plates and bowls that I had been looking for! I didn’t want to spend a lot of money and was thrilled when I found these as a special item at Christmas time. I also buy mason jars there although someone recently told me they may be cheaper at Wal-mart. I’ll have to check.
My family absolutely loves the mini pizza crusts sold at the Dollar Trees in our area (Des Moines, IA)! They come two to a package and can be found similar in stores up to $4! Make for great suppers, breakfast pizzas, breadsticks and desserts pizzas
Wow! I didn’t know they sold dried beans. Yay! Thanks for the tip.
Try a Mexican grocery store first for pinto beans. The Mi Pueblo chain in California carries them in a giant bin for 50 cents per pound. Even the family owned ones have those as a loss leader often as low as 50 cents per pound.
Rubber gloves! Between cleaning and washing dishes, I go through these quickly. The expensive ones last a little longer but not long enough to make the higher cost worthwhile.
From the comments, I can tell that Dollar Tree stores vary accordng to region!
I buy hair elastics, disposable plasticware, stocking stuffers, and hair brushes.
However, I always find toothpaste, toothbrushes,soap, etc. cheaper at WalMart. Our Dollar Tree doesn’t carry many food items, so I can’t compare those.
I rarely go in the store becasue their quality, at least here, is not comparable to other stores.
I agree Dollar Tree is my go to store for party, craft & seasonal supplies. I also get my toilet paper there. 25cent a roll beats Walmart prices. Also, the sauvital dryer sheets are good.
I love getting dryer sheets at Dollar Tree. Just got a box of 50,
with 5 extra — less than 2 cents per sheet!
You are better off spending some $$ and getting dryer balls (http://www.etsy.com/shop/CleanSypria–this is not my shop but i have purchased them from her. I am sure there are others who sell them). They are all natural with no chemicals; you can scent them with natural oils and they seriously cut your dryer time down!
I agree on the floss for sure! I always stock up on Plackers floss picks at the Dollar Tree, as they are considerably lower than at other stores!
Plus Dollar Tree is the only place I have found in WV that sells Pearson’s Nut Rolls (a St. Paul, MN product, my hometown!) They are the best treat! And it makes me feel connected to home in a small way.
Shower curtain liners! I do put these in the laundry with a load of towels, but at $1.00 each, I have no problem with tossing them when they get too tattered or dirty.
I also buy sandwich and storage bags there. I don’t buy their trash or kitchen bags because they are not strong enough.
Shaving cream!
My favorites are: smaller cookie sheets for art/magnetic projects, baggies, craft supplies, foil pans for not worrying about getting mine back from events, shower curtains, party paper supplies, small picture frames, flat/river rocks, helium balloons, plastic bins, tongs, coloring books, kids puzzles and holiday trinkets for stockings, etc.
I’ve never been much of a $ store shopper, because it’s too far out of my way to justify the cost of gas. They just put a Dollar Tree in next to my favorite grocery store, so I’ll have to take a look.
If you want really cheap, accurate pregnancy tests, take a look at www.anotherblessing.com. $1.70 for two, and that includes shipping. They are just as accurate (and early) as the expensive tests.
Pregnancy tests, buckets/baskets, party supplies, and holiday decor for my classroom!
I ALWAYS buy my gift bags n tissue paper there, recently, I have also begun to buy the flexible oval plastic organizer baskets – the ones that look almost like little clothes baskets, instead of a paper gift bag. I still use the tissue paper, n it adds to the gift!
How fun!
I buy:
- razors (now they’re 4 for $1, at one point I could get 10!)
- cards (sometimes there are the best “just because” cards for my siblings)
- straws
- organizing stuff
- sudoku/crossword/coloring books
- pitchers
- soy milk (sometimes they have quarts)
I just bought valentine’s day cards for my son. Great Starwars themed cards.
Nature’s Own Bread, straws, helium balloons for birthdays, coupon organizers, generic hand lotion, sunflower seeds, emergency candles, coloring books, spray bottles, gifts for my little CC class, wrapping paper, foam core, poster board, to name a few.
The makeup isn’t that great except for the E.L.F brand…I’ve found that to be pretty good. And lately the eyebrow tweezers they carry are really good (I’ve bought some that weren’t great).
While not everything is a great deal or great quality there are items I buy frequently at my Dollar Tree:
Stickers, coloring books, puzzles, craft items, bubble mailers, baggies( my store carries 2 kinds and I found the one kind isn’t worth the money but the other brand is great) cards, although I’m trying to make all mine this year to use up my scrapbooking supplies, candy, and some organizing bins, oh and balloons.
I use to buy tissue paper and gift bags there too but now I shop after Christmas hopefully hit the 75% or 90% off at Target and buy white tissue paper. I look for gift bags without a Christmas theme so i can use they all year for example red and green stripe.
I do like the expandable washclothes for small gifts or even Operation Christmas child boxes.
I agree that there can be alot of “junky” toys and other things but there are also really good items too.
Recently, I wanted to organize my sons lego’s so he can keep his sets together. I found bins with snap lids in the colors red, blue, yellow and green. Then I used my label maker and put the name on them. I was in organizer heaven!!! And it only cost me $20. I also bought extra bins knowing that he will get more sets.
Also if you don’t find clear sheet protectors on super sale during the back to school season I’ve often gotten them at the Dollar tree in the past.
I agree, you need to look at the products you buy there if you are going to consume it or rub it on your body. There are actually many made here in the USA.
I buy generic benedryl there all the time. I also buy shaving cream there… and I also buy chicken & beef broth.
I buy hair clips & hair ties for me, m’honey, & my granddaughter.. I buy cute little colorbooks and other themed items for holidays. I like their cards too. Cute, cheap, & plentiful.
I buy lots of ammonia there .. & a little bleach too. My guys go thru it like they’re going thru water.
I’ve been known to buy the Awesome OxyClean stuff and the Awesome Spray Cleaner (which it really is) but I dont use them often, rather using my own homemade cleaners instead.
All of these products were made in the USA.. Some of the little cute cheap holiday themed items may not be but the allergy/sleep pills, broth, shave cream, bleach, amonia, and Awesome items are all made here so I feel comfortable using them.
I also buy their little baskets and flower pots when they have really cute ones.. its hit or miss with them and different stores have different items too.. I’ve been known to hit 2 different Dollar Trees on the same day.. Yep, I like it too.
We LOVE Dollar Store! It’s our first stop BEFORE the grocery store! Great post!
Blessings!
http://travelingalong.com/why-i-love-the-dollar-tree/ here is my list! I love that place. Also great for gift wrap and such.
I always grab some of the torch style lighters for candles and my outdoor grill. You can’t go wrong for a buck there, when they are about $4 each at Walmart.
I regulary go to my Dollartree before hitting the grocery store. It provides frozen fruit for my smoothies for only a dollar a bag, I can get mixed berries, strawberries, frozen mango, pineapple and sometimes blueberries. They also have tons of frozen veggies to choose from and staples like rice and beans. My favorite 40 calorie wheat bread is 2.99 in the grocery store but only a buck at Dollartree, I buy several loaves and freeze them when available. For snacks I will pick up cookies, pretzels and veggie sticks. It is also not unusual to see V-8 splash and other name brand juices at our location.
CEREAL IS CHEAPEST (Save Tremendously)
SILICONE LOTION AND CREAM (save $2.00)
CHEESE DIP (save $2.00)
HONEY (save $2.00)
Jelly (save $2.00)
Sugar (save $2.00)
Antahistamine (save $1.00).
Detergent (save $2.00)
cheese and peanut butter crackers (save $1.00)
Tuna Fish in pouches (save $1.00)
Rice (save $1.00)
Ketchup, Mayonaise, Spices, pasta (save $2.00)
I get the diaper disposable bags. 75 count for a $1 compared to other places where they are $3-4!!
They have mylar helium filled balloons. You can’t find those for a dollar anywhere else!
Spray Bottles! I make my own cleaning solutions and the Dollar Tree has the best price for spray bottles and other containers of the like. I’ve found that at my local WalMart and Target that spray bottles are sometimes as much as $5 each! I may as well just buy the cleaners for that price!
Me, too!
bread and tortillas
Doggie treats and Libby’s canned vegetables ( 79 cents a can. )
I give photos to the grandma’s for the holidays so I buy picture frames there a lot(and I get myself some there, the kids like to hang up artwork and it beats paying $5+ for frames) I also get candleholders(plain glass that can be used in crafting), party supplies, crossword/suduku puzzle books, Sunday papers, disposable baking pans, and a few other things there. I dont like the ziploc bags, trash bags, stuff like that…not good quality.
My favorite thing to get at the Dollar Tree is microfiber cloths. This is where I first found them, years ago, and to this day they have the best kind and the best price. I also love them for holiday decorations, party favors and the like. Beware the dish soap! I just bought a bottle of Palmolive, one of my favorites, and it seemed very watery. Lo and behold, in the small print it says, “not concentrated.” It was an absolute waste of money. Two dish washing sessions have already consumed half the bottle.
MOUTHWASH! Dear golly, it’s around $5 at the grocery store, and the ingredients are identical!
My husband is particularly fond of the Land-O-Lakes raisin bread they have in stock. Occasionally it’s out, but we try to time it when it is available.
I love the body scrubs. Using them on a daily basis, they run out fairly quickly, and they have just as many scents as Bath and Body Works -without the hefty price tag- , so I can switch them often.
Movie snacks! Who DOESN’T love the cookie dough bites?!
And baby items. Clothes, wipes, pacifiers ..etc… (And everything bigger I wait till it’s at my local thrift store!)
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