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Home > Smart Spending > Archives > 2008 > December > 04 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIt Makes Sense — and Cents — To Hit The Dollar Stores
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Safety pins. I needed a bunch of ‘em. My corner drug store was charging $2.99. The voice in Mr. Cheapskatin’s head said, “You can do better than this.”
My errands took me past a dollar store. It’s a place I rarely frequent but, pining for those pins, I ducked in.
Bingo! A box for a buck.
As your savings are being stretched then to the point of anorexia, you should consider patronizing dollar stores. Proponents say they have evolved into clean, organized shopping alternatives, though the one nearest me isn’t exactly Nieman Marcus for neatness.
First-timers often are surprised to discover name-brand products on the shelves. Dollar store chains negotiate deals with companies trying to unload selected items because they were produced in excess or fell out of fad. The stuff is legit.
Here is a web site that lists categories for best buys at the stores.
And this site is geared toward the business traveler.
Do you include dollar stores in your shopping rounds?
How do you rate them for easy-to-find goods? For cleanliness?
Me, I use them on occasion, like satisfying a safety pin shortage. As for becoming a frequent dollar store person, don’t pin me down on that.
To find ways to help make you way through a bumpy economy check out Your Money.
Comments
By clyde
December 4, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this
I always go to the Dollar store.There are items I buy there regularly.My dollar store carries work gloves that I use for yard work.It carries fire starter blocks.It has some canned goods that are high quality.It has very good fake flowers.I buy fluorescent bulbs,dishes,tumblers,wine glasses,small strainers,small whisks,and I bought the best can opener I ever owned there a while back.Dont forget paint brushes.Use them once and chuck them.
By Stacey
December 4, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this
I am a dollar store junkie! My favorite is The Dollar Tree because I think they have the best variety and quality. Some items are only there “when they can get them” but others are always there. I’m there frequently enough to know what the regular items are so when I see something that I use that is not a regular item, I stock up then.
My son and a couple of his friends love to play with and trade Yugio cards. He buys them (out of his allowance) for $3.50/pack at Wal-Mart so when I tripped up on them at $ Tree, I bought 12 packs and put them up to use as rewards and stocking stuffers. I buy a lot of craft supplies there, too. My biggest problem is that I will grab a lot of impulse items “because they’re only $1”. In that case, shopping there proves to be counter productive since I spend money on things that I really don’t need.
By ss
December 4, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this
I always go to the dollar store. For Christmas, we stuff the stocking with candy, I but it there. It is good quality candy and why pay $5.00 somewhere else, when you can get it for a $1.00?
By gg
December 4, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this
I buy my candy for the movies there. They have a lot of my favorties from my childhood (Boston Baked Beans, Good & Plenty, etc). The candy is fresh and it beats movie theater prices!
By SavingMoneyAlways
December 4, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this
I go to the $ store to buy balloons. Every where else wants to charge you over $3, but the $ store is only a dollar. Can’t beat that. Oh yeah, the cards are a dollar also, they look good, although some cards can look cheap. I just went yesterday and got someone 3 ballons and a card for $4.