Dollar Store shoppping

Good Buys at the Dollar Store

Never been in a Dollar Store? You may be in for a surprise! If you think that these stores carry just cheap, throw-away junk, think again! Good buys on quality products make these stores a must-shop, especially during the coming holiday season.

Not all Dollar Stores are the same to put it gently. First off, some of these places have now become $1.50 Stores while others have always had offerings well over a dollar. Some specialize in just one type of merchandise such as cards, paper products and party decorations.

My favorite among the dollar stores in our area is Dollar Tree. Their stores are clean, well lighted, neatly arranged, and everything truly is just a dollar. Whether it's name-brand laundry detergent, glassware, sweatpants, toys and games, or health-and-beauty-aids, your one dollar buys a lot, AND kids love coming here!

These are great places to shop for stocking stuffers, but think beyond that to the number of small presents you end up buying each year... remembrance gifts, reciprocal presents, stuff for the kids to take to classroom parties. For $5 you can put together a box of pens, pencils, markers, stencils and all sorts of papers. Or you can bundle some lip balm, hand cream, hand sanitizer and cold-killing spray in a winter comfort kit.

There are wonderfully heavy glass, traditional tulip-shaped sundae dishes to wrap with a big jar of sundae topping and a can of nuts. And cards are 2/$1.00 so you could pick an assortment of cards and still have enough money to put stamps on each envelope, a boon to those who don't get out much in the winter. The possibilities are unlimited... and seriously thrifty!

It used to be that dollar stores were cash only, but even that is changing. Many now accept a credit card; after all, study after study has shown that we spend more when using a credit card!
And it's so true... I went to Dollar Tree last week, $6 in hand, to get Super Glue, laundry detergent, cards and something else, I forget what. Then I saw the sign that they now accept VISA. I picked up some yarn, Pear's and Yardley soaps and a couple of other things. Yup! $17 plus tax!

Check out a couple of these stores in your area and see if they aren't both fun and frugal. Quite a deal!

Mary