"Follow Me Monday" …to the the Dollar Store(s)!
So this week I’m heading to three local dollar stores in my area: Dollar General, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree. I’m not a huge fan of Dollar store shopping, so I thought it would be a great idea to scout out the local Dollar Stores and see what deals can be scored. Please check below this video for a few Dollar Store deals, coupon policies, and other info!
Enjoy!
**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.
Like every good couponer, I wanted to know the specific coupon policy for each dollar store so several days before my shopping adventure, I emailed these stores to find their coupon policies (see below for the results). If you are a frequent dollar store shopper or browser, it is probably worth joining their electronic newsletters so that you can receive the latest coupons, promotions, etc. To join the Dollar General Savings Zone, click here; to sign for Dollar Tree emails, click here; to join Family Dollar Savings program click here and then enter your email in the box in the top right corner that says “Family Savings.”
Dollar General’s Coupon Policy (taken directly from the email I received):
- Dollar General is pleased to accept manufacturer coupons at any of our more than 8,100 stores. If you have five coupons for five products, you may use them in one transaction unless the coupon states otherwise. If the coupon states that it is good for any product, you may use the coupon for any product even if it is not pictured, unless the coupon states otherwise.
- You may use a Dollar General coupon along with a Manufacturer’s coupon for the same item, as long as neither coupon states otherwise.
- Unfortunately, due to fraudulent attempts, we are unable to accept internet coupons, unless they were issued directly from Dollar General.
Dollar Tree’s Coupon Policy (taken directly from the emailed I received):
- We do not accept manufacturer coupons. (This was all the information I received…just one simple sentence, that’s it!?)
Family Dollar Coupon Policy:
Family Dollar accepts the following types of coupons:
- Family Dollar Coupons with scan-able bar code (with valid promotion code to be used if coupon won’t scan)
- Manufacturer Coupons with scan-able bar code (cents off; no hand written values, no photo copies)
- No Free merchandise Coupons (Except buy one get one free or other combinations that require a purchase)
- Manufacturers Buy-One-Get-One-Free coupons or other combinations of buy X and get Y
- Internet Coupons (both Manufacturer & Family Dollar) with scan-able bar code only.
- Soft drink bottle caps
Here are a couple dollar store deals that you may want to take advantage of…
Dollar General:
Cheetos 7-11 oz. $2
Use the $1/1 coupon from the Dollar General coupon sheet found at the store
Final Cost $1
(Thanks, WhoSaidNothingInLifeisFree!)
Joy Dish Soap $1
Use the $0.30/1 coupon from the 2/7PG
Final cost $0.70!
(Thanks, Sarah’s Deals!)
Nabisco Cheese Nips $1.67
Use the $1/1 coupon from the 1/24SS
Final cost $0.67!
(Thanks, Sarah’s Deals!)
Family Dollar
Reach toothbrushes $1
Use the $1/1 coupon from the 10/18 RP or from here
Final cost FREE!
Fantastik Cleaner $2
Use the $1/1 coupon from the 1/10 SS (value may vary by region)
Final cost $1!
Be sure to enter the Family Dollar Stash your Cash Sweepstakes where you can win up to $2,000 cash!! Plus, if you are one of the first 20,000 people to submit a money-saving tip (you will be directed to the page to enter your tip as soon as you register for the sweepstakes), then you will receive a Scott Brand mailer with exclusive savings (Plus you could win a $25 Family Dollar gift card if your tip is chosen as one of the 5 best)!! (Thanks, The Modern Saver!)
You may also want to enter the Family Dollar Win Free Groceries for a Year Sweepstakes where you can win groceries for a year (i.e. $7,800) or a chance to win 1 of 500 $25 Family Dollar gift certificates!
If you purchase any General Mills products at Dollar General, be sure to check out the Dollar General Ultimate Race Experience Sweepstakes where you can win a V.I.P. trip to the 2010 Prelude to the Dream Race at Eldora Speedway or one of 600 $25 Dollar General gift cards. (Note: To enter this sweepstakes, you will need to enter the receipt code from your General Mills purchase at Dollar General).
Finally, if you are a big fan of Dollar Tree, check out the “Why I Love My Dollar Tree” contest where you can win up to $1000 by submitting a video, poem or story, song or an image about why you love Dollar Tree.
The video is set to private so we can’t watch it
same “private err”
First time i’ve ever seen the message about this being a private video 🙁
I love your FMM videos. I watch them every week. For some reason I can’t see this one “private video.” Too many lemons bared?!?! No, seriously, hoping I will get to somehow see it!
Video is set to private.
Private….can’t watch it either…:(
Same here – private video – can’t watch it.
Video is set to private
Can’t watch it either! Set to private! Collin, you probably are still working on it and we just all can’t wait to see it! It is a complement!!
private for me too
Ahhh…Collin…we are a bunch of junkies! Please fix! LOL Can’t wait to watch the trip!
Enough with the privacy please?!?!?!!?!? I want to watch it!!!!
me 12 private!!!!!!!!
I use internet coupons all the time at my local Dollar General – so I’d try it first to see if they’ll take them before assuming they don’t. Just used some today on some Betty Crocker Icing.
My Dollar General also takes Internet coupons!
video says private and so does link =( Can’t wait to see it…love your videos.
private…can’t watch either!
Yes please.. you dont need any privacy;) lol Also family dollar does not accept no FREE man Q’s…. thats odd.. seems like they would since they accept scanable man Q;s..
I noticed the post says that Family Dollar accepts Soft Drink bottlecaps. Besides gas stations, does anyone else know where you can redeem these? I have a few I have been meaning to ask Walgreens but my gut says they won’t accept them.
You can redeem them at Target. The cashier just has to manually enter the “coupon” for the price of the soda. I’m pretty sure you can do this at WalMart too, but I might be wrong.
Oops… Sorry, guys! I fixed it!
And i was getting all comfy to watch this video 🙁 But i will wait patiently until its fixed. 🙂
aww. and you said you dont feel good today!, and we are fussing..lol !! Get better:)
its working for me!
Nice price for KY Jelly 😉
Thank you for the great info. I did not know about the coupon policies at dollar stores. I hope you feel better.
Collin, I agree with you about the deals. As far as I know, we only have Dollar Tree in Portland, Oregon and I haven’t found that many great deals there. It is fine for stuffers and such but I’m not thrilled with the quality of the items. I have found Target, Walgreens, Walmart, etc much better and the deals are great when you take the time to plan things out. Thanks for the info though I was interested to see what you thought about the dollar stores and if I was missing something. Dawn
Same, I live in the Portland area too. We only have Dollar Tree and it’s fine when I need a gift bag or some fillers for some type of special occasion but all the other type of items are better deals at Rite Aid, Target, and Walgreens. If only we had a CVS, I get so jealous when I see those great posts!
I guess it just depends on where you live. I live in Texas and they are hit and miss – in other words one day there may be nothing good and another day WOW a brand name item for only a dollar ! For instance i have reciently gotten Theraflu Packets reg. size box, Nabisco Vanilla Wafers and right now they have Brand Name baby food jars 3 for 1.00 and all varietys. Sorry I can’t remember the name. We have also gotten Got2b hair products and lots of other brand name merchandise !!! I don’t really care for their brand of cleaners but they have cute holiday stuffers meaning bags, baskets, etc. Go Texas Dollar trees!
I like in Oklahoma, and I love our Dollar Tree! Like you I have found some great deals on name brand products. I have never had any problems with expired either.
Wasn’t the store brand cheaper for the peanuts without a coupon than the Planters peanuts WITH a coupon? I usually compare store brand to name brand when I’m using my coupons because sometimes the store brand is still a better deal.
I find that I really have to watch expiration dates when I shop at dollar stores, not sure about anyone else’s experience but that kinda turns me off about shopping at those stores.
fyi – I’m not a big dollar store shopper, but Dollar Tree and Deals are great for $1 Sunday papers and $1 make-up sponges.
Thanks for your dedication Collin. I am sorry that you are not feeling well. Feel better soon!
I did quite a bit of shopping at our local Dollar Tree before I found your site, Collin! Now I can get namebrand tolietries, cleaning supplies and such at Rite Aid or Target for less than I was getting strangely named stuff at the $ Tree! I still go there for party or craft supplies on occasion.
just wanted to let you know I received my FREE sample of playtex gentle glide tampons (w/ a $1.00 off coupon inside) & the FREE sample of Mariani pitted dried plums (yummy!) today!!! Thanks so much for posting these awesome freebies 🙂
Collin…thanks for confirming that the dollar stores are just less thrilling than gettng name brand scores in name brand stores! You are feeling sick …hope you feel better…thanks for all of your efforts!
I agree with you Collin! Great job again! The only thing is my dollar store where everything is $1 is band new and huge! I have gotten things there for parties!
I hope you get feeling better soon, I am like you I hardly go to the dollar stores anymore I come out better at the drug stores, target etc. I don’t shop the dollar store, everything in there is crap from china, sorry but thats how I feel. I try not to buy that stuff anymore.
Just wanted to mention a little error I noticed. During the “Dollar Tree” part, it says “everything is a dollar. No more, no less.” If you scout around, certain items like candy, gift wrapping accessories, etc are 2/$1 so make sure you look closely at the price tag. Also something to mention about Dollar General that drives me nuts. I will often see what I think is just a super deal, buy the item and get home to discover that the regular package I usually get of …say…Keebler Cookies 15oz (which I can find on sales for around $2 but regularly prices around $2.50) is a better deal than the 10 oz package for $2 I got from Dollar general. A lot of the name brand candies, chips, cookies, cereal, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, body wash, and shampoo will be regularly priced at Dollar General for what alot of stores would have as a sale price…but it will be alot fewer ounces. The sneaky part is that it is not only fewer oz, the packaging is usually identical to the slightly larger “regular” size packaging. So for along time I thought I was getting the same size at a great price but then quickly realized otherwise!
I use the Dollar Tree for gift bags…sometimes they carry the huge ones for only $1.00!
I shop at DollarTree often for kids gifts and gift/decoration supplies, BUT the biggest deal of the store… The $1 pregnancy tests. lol! They are just as good (accurate) as any other brand, and you won’t find that price anywhere. You may have to ask the clerk for them, because many stores keep them behind the counter due to theft issues. I won’t get into how sad that is that someone would steal from a $1 store…
Ditto!
yes, it is sad. I have had people steal from me when I have garage sales. I figure they must really be bad off if they have to steal from a garage sale.
Thanks Collin!! How nice to get out there even when you’re not feeling well. I think we all would have understood if you “called in sick” 🙂 Hope you are feeling better soon!
Dollar Tree is hit and miss. At the Dollar Tree I have found Tums Quick Pak boxes normally around $4-5 a box for $1, Triaminic cough strips and nose spray normally around $6-7 for $1 and chloraseptic lozenges that are normally $4-5 a box for $1. However, I just happened across these and each find was on a seperate trip. Worth running by there if you are in the neighborhood but not worth counting on finding something specific.
One cool/weird thing I found there was Clorox Wipes Canisters for $1, but here is the catch, the label on them reads “Fresh Step Kitty Litter Box wipes” and has a kitty on the front. I was curious and read on the back….made by clorox. I opened one and sure enough they smell and look like Clorox wipes….because they are. Just labeled as sanitizing wipes for kitty litter boxes. Clorox wipes for $1 (I don’t care what it says on it). So I stocked up.
I don’t count on Dollar Tree for my bargains, but if I’m by there I will breeze through for that occassional find.
Tasha
Hey I just passed those up yesterday but now I’m going back and stocking up for sure !!! Thanks Tasha !! Thanks Collin !!!
Great tip on the wipes! I am going to look for them.
I can’t believe there was a lemon free video 😉 I kinda missed them! Good job regardless..and I no longer shop at Dollar Stores since I started couponing!
I was looking for the lemon too……..
I agree completely. I run to the dollar tree when I need party supplies or stocking stuffers, but not much else!
oh, I forgot to mention that Dollar Tree will clearance their holiday stuff. My mom and I always go there after Christmas and stock up on bows, ribbons, wrapping paper, bags, tags and other decorations at 50-75% off (so $.25-$.50)
Yeah! Can’t beat .25 wrapping paper!
I agree with you as well Colling that the “Dollar Stores are not the best deal for personal care items. I do like to get Birthday supplies and stocking stuffers @ Dollartree. I also found Gel Filled Cold compress’s with the Disney Princess on them and Winnie the Pooh Characters for only $1, the same ones are at ToyRUS and Walmart for over $3 each! I bought 10 of them since I have two toddlers! Thanks for all your great post! Hope you feel better, my family just got over the colds!
I like to look at what’s in the clearance when I’m there. Ya never know…
Thanks Collin, but i did miss the lemons this week 🙂
Dollar Stores are my go to place for gift bags. And helium balloons were all just $1 for my daughters party last week, way better than the party store price. I did find Ipod covers for my daughter, 2 packs even, and they made great stocking stuffers!
I bought helium balloons there for my daughter’s birthday, and they lasted over a month! :O
Collin,
We missed the lemons!! 🙁 Thanks for Dollar store video. I thought they are pretty cheap than grocery stores. Hope your health is better now. Take care!
I like the Dollar Store for birthday party supplies and stocking stuffers at Christmas. Not really anything else.
glad you found the reach toothbrushes! ive been holding on to like 10 of those coupons. Thanks hip!
I like shopping for brithday supplies at the dollar tree. Dont really shop there since they dont accept coupons and its the only dollar store where i live. I rather just go to riteaid and walgreens in my opinion for great deals. =] Good video!
Great video! I still shop at the Dollar Tree but only once every second or third month for the few things I can’t find coupons for or when there is a food item that I really want to use that week and there are no good deals around. 🙁 Hope you’re feeling better!!!!
Thanks for the info!
Did I mss the lemons?