Dollar stores are popping up like mushrooms all over the country and while they certainly are an excellent place to find good deals on a number of different things, they also happen to sell quite a bit of junk. (No offense.) So the question is, what products are really excellent deals at the dollar store? Which of them combine high-quality goods at rock-bottom prices? Those answers are below. Enjoy.
1. Holiday decorations. It seems that we Americans are starting to decorate for practically every holiday and, if you fall into that category, your local dollar store can help you with things like extra ornaments for your Christmas tree, a Thanksgiving themed flag for your porch and bargain-basement decorations for the Fourth of July. One thing to stay away from however are holiday lights which, for some odd reason, don’t seem to last very long.
2. Cards. If you send cards to friends and family for Christmas, birthdays and other events, you probably know already that if you buy them from most places you’re looking at $3 to $5 for one single card and an envelope. Yes, some of them might have fancy paper or baubles but, if what you’re looking for is something to write your own heartfelt message on, a card from the dollar store for $.99 should suffice.
3. Glasses. If you’re one of the millions of people who have trouble focusing on objects that are close to your eyes, like letters on your computer screen or in a magazine or book, it’s possible that you need a simple pair of reading glasses. If you do, your dollar store has them at a ridiculously low price.
4. Party supplies. From tablecloths to cups, streamers, plates and plastic silverware, the dollar store can save you upwards of 70 to 80% over most other stores. Indeed, for party supplies of all kinds including Mylar balloons, banners and tablecloths, their prices are hard to beat and the quality is just as good.
5. Wrapping paper, boxes and gift bags. Speaking of party supplies, when you need wrapping paper and other things to wrap those gifts that for the party, you can find them at the dollar store as well. Frankly, the wrapping paper might not be as thick or durable as you’ll find elsewhere but, considering that it only needs to look nice until it gets torn off and tossed in the trash, does thickness and quality really matter?
6. Pregnancy tests. We were as surprised that this one as you probably are. The average pregnancy tests cost between $10 and $15 at most department and grocery stores but you can find some of them at your dollar store for a buck. Are they accurate? According to several news reports and studies, yes.
7. Mugs and glasses. With quality that’s comparable to anything you find at Wal-Mart or Target, buying mugs and glasses (for drinking) at your local dollar store is an excellent idea because the prices are ridiculously low and they have a very wide selection.
8. Plastic storage containers. Most plastic storage containers you’ll find at your local big-box store or grocery store aren’t super expensive to begin with but at the dollar store you can find “off brand” plastic containers for 50 to 60% less. The same can be said for plastic and “Ziploc” food storage bags.
9. Picture frames. While the picture frames that you’ll find at your local dollar store aren’t going to win any awards for superior quality or design, they definitely will suffice for framing things like your child’s artwork or pictures of your Uncle Bob from Boise.
10. Socks. Let’s face it, most of the clothing that you find that your dollar store is inferior quality and not worth the money even though they’re still ridiculously low. On the other hand, socks found at the dollar store are generally higher quality, durable and comfy. Go figure.
And there you have it. !0 products that you can purchase at the dollar store for ridiculously low prices and still count on to give you quality and usability. There are others, to be sure, but these 10 are at the top of the list and, if you have a dollar store in your town, can save you quite a few bucks on them over your local grocery or big-box store.