Video: What to Buy at the Dollar Store
In this video, I discuss what items I personally think are the best to buy at the Dollar Store (specifically the Dollar Tree). Check it out and then come back and let me know if you agree with all my recommendations…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYoSx8RHIjQ]
* If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.
Also, keep in mind that this video was filmed a few months back (prior to cutting my hair). I didn’t want you all to think I had some magic pill to make my hair grow that fast! 😉
My top three:
Cleaning supplies – Sometimes they are smaller quantities but a) they are still name-brand, the stuff I was raised with, and b) I’m just one person in a tiny apartment, so the small sizes are ideal.
Glassware – They have a whole aisle of great-looking glasses, dishes, wine glasses, etc. Then if they break, it’s no big deal at all. And they also have larger glassware like vases along with nice baskets, which makes changing up my decor cost about the same as a fast food meal. I love the Dollar Tree!
Holiday decor – sometimes you have to pick through to find the ones that don’t look “cheap” but I have found some great stuff for all holidays there in the past.
watch the expiration dates any time you buy sunscreen
Expired sunscreen still works!
Not really, Ashley. It’s fine to use it for a bit after the expiration date, maybe for even a year or two. But you can get very burned from using expired sunscreen. And even if you don’t get burned, the UV rays that can cause cancer could penetrate through your skin.
Our dollar tree has a freezer section and I buy frozen vegetable mixes, blueberries and strawberries and individual salmon pieces also. I also love to buy bottled
mushrooms and artichokes and other things to keep on hand for whipping up a great dinner.
Coloring books. My kids love to get them there also big packs of sidewalk chalk, batteries
Dry erase markers, bulletin board border, pot holders, goodie bags and trinkets for birthday parties, envelopes, padded envelopes, construction paper, Yardley lavender soap, spray bottles for homemade cleaning supplies, scented trash bags, candy, glass storage containers…love Dollar Tree!
I always get wrapping paper at the dollar store, there’s no sense in paying more for something that’s going to be thrown away anyways. I have noticed though that their wrapping paper is thin, but it’s still cheaper than the $4-6 rolls at hallmark.
I have totally eliminated buying wrapping paper
I buy towels on clearance and wrap them around the package and pin with a safety pin
If it is a child – just to make the towel special I have it personalized — kids love it!!
I buy brooms, dustpans, toilet brushes, plastic containers and other things like that for my college kids who live in apartment-style housing. Inevitably these things don’t make it home at the end of the school year, so since they can from the dollar tree it’s not too bad.
I like their alkaline batteries at $1 for 4 AA or 4 AAA. Also they have the button batteries, too, which alarm clocks often require. They are a big savings at Dollar Tree; just make sure you are purchasing the alkaline and not heavy duty. I like the pet waste bags, the snack-sized ziplock bags, and the frozen fruit, like strawberries and blueberries.
I wish Collin would do a “bargain, but cool outfit” series, don’t you! She could feature an outfit she is wearing and talk about the deals she made in purchasing it. She is so stylish!! Wish she lived here in the Atlanta, GA area!!!
Oh yes, the pet waste bags! They are super thin but they have never failed me.
Pregnancy tests are great from there too! I bought a ton when we were trying for our second child and they worked!!!
Yes!
Yes!! Although I had an embarrassing encounter at the Dollar Tree when buying these from a young male cashier…will probably never forget it.
Good deal if you think you’ll need just a few, otherwise the Wondfo pregnancy strips on Amazon are an even better deal!
I buy kitchen trash bags since my trash for the week is extremely low due to recycling and limiting the purchase of single serve food items. Yes, the trash bag is very wimpy but it works for my household!
Minced garlic is a good as it sells for
$3 and up at grocery stores. Gift bags and paper
I recently bought screw drivers, measuring tape, laundry bags and I always by la’s totally awesome.
we like the plackers floss picks, the magic erasers, the not-swiffer refills, and quart tetra paks of soymilk. My kids go through so much milk that when I run out mid week it’s good to get us through the day until I can get to a store. Mine will sometimes carry name brand stuff like cheerios, planters pb, V8…so it just depends on the stock. I also like the Betty crocker containers and some of the BC kitchen tools like the stacking measuring cups. It really comes in handy during the holidays to have extras of that when the kitchen is hopping with activity and multiple cooks are prepping things. I agree with giftwrap and bags and cards. I spent enough on gifts I deserve to save on the wrapping!
I buy party supplies, art supplies for my daughter, and seasonal decorations. For my sister’s wedding, we bought clear glass vases for her table centerpieces(walmart wanted $3 a piece for a comparable vase). My family also makes a special trip every year to fill our Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes in a very cost effective way since we sponsor several boxes each year.
I buy supplies for my classroom bulletin board at school. I use $1 plastic table cloths as a background, and then they have different boarders etc…
P.S. I totally saw the balloon and thought you were going to announce you were having a baby.. lol!!
I but a lot of the previously posted comment items. My favorite find is hard back books. This is very hit or miss. Sometimes I walk out with nothing and sometimes I get 10. You have to hit it just right in my area to get the best selection. I currently have a stack waiting to be read. And I am anxiously awaiting Halloween mark down so I can add to my decorations for next year.
‘buy’ oops
Holiday decorations! A couple of years ago I bought some lenticular pictures there. They were glued on to cheap plastic frames that looked cheesy, but I also bought some nice picture frames there. I peeled the pictures off the cheap frame and put them in the nice ones. It cost two dollars per picture for some really mice looking Halloween decorations. I’ve seen similar ones at Target for $20! They also have a nice assortment of glow in the dark stuff. Perfect to pick up before going on a trip to Disney or another theme park. It will save you a bundle compared to theme park prices.
This summer my best friend had a under the sea themed party for her daughter. We hung strips of streamer from a clothesline (both bought there) and then attached fish cutouts from the teacher section to fishing line and hung those in the “water” streamer. It looked so good and no one knew the decorations were from the dollar store. We also used the cutouts to make our own happy birthday banner with some foam letters that we found at walmart.
I just recently got my dog’s water and food dish from there. Both were ceramic and the exact same bowls that I saw at Marshall’s for 5.99. We also got the poop bag holder that you attach to the leash and a bunch of poop bags there and some tennis ball toys.
I also love their kitchen section for when you need wooden spoons, spatulas, measuring cups or a small colander. We picked up a 1 cup measuring scoop to use in the dog food bag. Lots of great items to be found there.
I also hit up the crackers b/c I like to snack on those at work. Good stuff!
I never buy poop bags. All my neighbors give me their bags that the newspaper comes in! Always have more than I need 🙂
love the video..it’s so cute how you know your readers are going to ask about your hair and the ‘it’s a girl’ balloon and address it 🙂
They have great craft supplies! Googly eyes, glitter, glitter glue, mini glue gun glue, popsicle sticks, florist foam, the list goes on…
Every Halloween I give each of my kids $5 to spend on decorations for their rooms. They love the spooky door covers ~ and they’re inexpensive enough to throw away in the end.
My stock ups are like those you mentioned Collin ~ I keep a well stocked gift wrapping closet filled w gift bags, gift wrap, ribbons, 50 cent birthday cards, and tissue paper.
I also stock up on the snack sz and gallon “ziplock” type bags like someone else mentioned too.
I agree with the folks that said they buy things like brooms, toilet brushes, dust pans, etc. They work great and I can get several for different areas of the house. I also have bought pet supplies (treats, toys, dishes) and cleaning supplies. I also get my newspaper and Bic white out!
I buy greeting cards there for 50 cents each. I buy pregnancy tests (yes they work), balloons, food – Pop Tarts, Lance crackers, and Lays Stax chips. I also like shopping there for stocking stuffers and last minute Christmas gifts!
I’m keeping honest and just telling it how it is, for me. I dread going in there., especially with the kids. I come out buying more stuff (junk) than I really need to be buying. Sometimes it is best to just spend the money at the pharmacy and get in and out. lol If I happen to drive by solo or with the hub driving, I do stop and get a few items like paper supplies, gift bags and craft items. Other than that I steer away.
I know what you mean!
Brooms, mops, dustpans, wine glasses, magic erasers, dish brushes, and fake gladware, and cleaning supplies have all been well worth it at my house. Paper towels and toilet paper however- COSTCO!
I LOVE the seasonal stuff. Seed packets for flowers and veggies (depending on the variety) are usually 2/$1 or 4/$1. Hanging baskets and coconut liners along with all the gardening supplies. My mom taught me this one: the Pepsi products in the coolers. They are the same size as Walmart’s single serve size, but up to $0.60 cheaper.
Pregnancy Test! I kid. Well, they DO sell them, but there just something not quite right about that transaction.
haha.. I actually bought some from there. My $10 EPT test had the faintest positive line and I didn’t want to drop another $10 on more tests.. so I bought 2 dollar store tests, they did the same thing.. frustrated I ended up just getting the digital “yes” or “no” …but i’ve heard from lots of people that they work!
Walmart has 80 cent pregnancy test up front also.
I took a dollar tree pregnancy test with my last pregnancy and it worked great, fyi. 🙂
I actually prefer them to the expensive name brands. I had a false positive test on a name brand which can be devastating when you have fertility issues, but I never had any problems with dollar store tests.
I think the dollar tree test works just as well as the name brand ones. When I was ttc a few years ago I bought a ton of them. i have heard that Walmart sells pt for less than a dollar but have personally never seen any at my Walmart.
I found nice knee high socks from Hanes at my Dollar Tree! Very cute ones with pretty patterns. Nice to wear under my boots.
Why I have I never thought of wearing those with my boots!! My socks always slip off! Thanks LOL
The early Sunday (or Sunday) paper for coupons!! Greeting cards, craft supplies (there is a whole website dedicated to “DollarStoreCrafts”), Holiday decorations (some look cheap, but most are great!), party supplies, cleaning supplies, plastic containers for gifts or organizing, their version of Lemon Chill’s from the freezer section is my favorite! I <3 the Dollar Tree!
Thanks for the info wish I would have known about this when I was a room mom in elementary school. We used to rack our brains trying to come up with inexpensive crafts to do at the holiday parties.
I like to buy cleaning supplies. Their comet all purpose cleaner with the lavender scent is amazing. Little plastic diaper disposal bags. And one of my favorite finds there lately is the cutest little baby and kid socks that are great quality.
I have stainless steel appliances and I LOVE the all purpose aerosol spray cleaner they sell at Dollar Tree. I use it for my stainless steel appliances and to dust the living room and to clean my windows!
I’m taking that balloon as a sign…I am going to find out if I am having a boy or a girl today…
How exciting Tiffany 🙂
Congrats! Come back and let us know what you are having!
9 volt batteries, and the carpet clean are my fav.
I love everyone’s ideas and creativity. I’m off to find a Dollar Tree!
Boxes of milk that have a long shelf life and don’t require refrigeration.
cat litter!!! why pay more?
Look at their dog items. For my dog birthday party, I found water dishes (which I left at the restaurant to reuse), dog toys, and gift bags. Made the over the top dog birthday party affordable……and they accept coupons!!!!
You’re so cute!!! I think one of the biggest savings is the preg tests especially if you’re using a lot (like I was).
BATTERY TESTER (not the batteries). This was the BEST dollar ever spent. That way, I can see if the batteries my kids take out of their toys are really dead or still have some juice.
I buy all my parties supplies item, toothbrushes, coloring books, hair clips, batteries, and cleaning supplies at the dollar tree. Also, when I was ttc a couple of years I ago I bought a ton of ovulation and pregnancy tests there. They work just as well as the name brand 🙂 I have never seen name brand bread at my dollar tree but I do see Sara Lee bread all the time at my local 99 cents store so I go there to buy my bread and eggs.
greeting cards! You cant go wrong at 50 cents a card!
This is the very first video I’ve ever watched by you!! You are awesome!!! You have a similar personality to Youtube Beauty Guru Kandee Johnson (she is also amazing)!
LOVED, loved, loved these tips!!! Thanks for posting such a fun video!!! 🙂 🙂
COLORING BOOKS AND PUZZLES!!! – Seriously, the coloring books are SUCH a great value considering you pay a ridiculous amount for the same thing in a regular store. Many are Disney, but there are others like Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Sesame Street, and so much more from Popular kids shows/cartoons. They also have great boxed children’s Disney jigsaw puzzles (24 pc, 48 pc, and up) – Great for if you have kids that love Mickey/Minnie, Pooh, Disney Princess, etc. Oh – and don’t forget stickers! You can get a tablet of stickers for $1 of popular kids show characters that would probably cost you at least $5 elsewhere.
I’ve noticed that they have a lot of teacher classroom supply stuff like stickers, certificates. Even stuff for Sunday School classrooms.
Greeting Cards – They have a section that is 2/$1… and sometimes I don’t always like the quality of those personally. But Now they have a $1 card section and I like those better. They have a lot of cute character ones for kids.
They also have these huge storage bags that I go there to get (L, XL, and XXL) that are AWESOME! https://www.dollartree.com/household/storage-organization/EZ-Stor-Plastic-Storage-Bags-with-Handles-XX-Large/500c541c541p299576/index.pro?method=search
Button Batteries
I don’t think anyone mentioned the generic Oxi-Clean. It’s made in America and works REALLY well. It’s gotten all kinds of horrible stains out of my laundry!
I use it too Jennifer. Much cheaper than the name brand and it works great!
Thanks for the video Collin! Our town just got a Dollar Tree (it opens Sunday) so perfect timing. 🙂 Can’t wait to check it out.
I am really surprised Collin did not highlight the greeting cards.They are 2/$1. I am able to buy Sara Lee bread, buns, bagels & English muffins.
Trying to think of things not mentioned…
Generic neosporin
Glow sticks (great for summer holidays and vacation)
Packs of pretzels (individually packed) great smaller size for toddlers
Dress up jewelry for girls
To the writer who mentioned not wanting to take the kids… If i do go with my kids. I try not to… But I limit them to one item each. They get to pick something and we also don’t go home with a cartful of junk.
I love all their “awesome” brand cleaners, including their oxi version for lAundry and esp the kitchen cleaner and floor cleaner. I also love their teacher section! I’m a teacher and will be the first to tell u how expensive stickers, borders, passes, etc can be. Such cute items! They also have fantastic deals in their kitchen section, all the Betty Crocker items are of great quality. The dollar tree also has a good selection of storage bins and containers to use in the classroom. They aren’t sterilite, but they serve their purpose!
I love the Dollar Tree for craft items for my 3 year old and 1 year old, Just last night we made “creatures” by stuffing balloons with dollar store “playdough” then gluing pom poms and googlie eyes, so cute. Another reader also posted about the cleaning product “Totally Awesome”, and it totally is! Had a crayon go through the washer and dryer, “totally Awesome” removed the crayon from all of the clothing and i used it to wash out both machines–worked so well!!
Loved the video! The dollar tree is my favorite store apart from Michaels. I actually get the same items minus the bread and sunscreen, but now I’ll look for the bread. Thanks again
I love to buy their sandwich bags for lunches. I get 40-55 bags for $1. We go through a lot for lunches. Also, I like their dish soap. It’s not the most sudsy ever but it works adequately.