Dollar stores-- do you shop them or not and why?

Here in California, we have the Dollar Tree. Most of the stuff there is plastic junk, but if you need food and can't spend much on it, they have it there. You can buy loaves of bread and other things such as cooking ware. They also have a balloon center and party equipment for parties, so that could help you cut costs on that. All in all, it's a nice store if you look past all of the plastic junk they have in there.

 

I love dollar stores, or pound stores or similar. Some are better than others and it is amazing what you can find there...you just have to keep an open mind and use a discerning eye. My gran told me to just never judge a shop by its name...but look closely at the products. Sometimes, in fact, often...you can find the most amazing scores. Awesome, I love them!

 

I do buy some items at the dollar tree. You can get super cheap decent plates, glass, and kitchenware there. When I was in college it was really helpful. They have pretty cheap candy there that is worth it too I think.

 

Dollar stores are great places for saving some money and they carry loads of merchandise from daily necessities to novelty gift items. I enjoy going into them just to take a look around and I agree with the rest that sometimes, you'll really find things you'll never believe you can get for such low prices! However, it is true that some of the products are of a much lower quality than those sold in other shops simply because of the low cost they are being sold at which often means bulk importing from cheap manufacturers. The main thing is to filter out the good stuff and the bad yourself. Things such as candy, glassware and clothing for wearing at home should be fine, but never ever try getting anything electronic from them including toys! I've never had a good experience with electronics from dollar shops before!

 

The Dollar Tree is a good place to buy gift bags, and the one near us has name brand loaves of bread and the Sunday paper (with coupons) for a dollar. Works for me!

 

My mother first laughed at me when she heard I went into the dollar stores, but when I brought a few knick knacks that she thought were incredibly cute and I was getting single roll 4 packs of Cottonelle toilet tissue for $1.00, she changed her tune and sent me back for more toilet paper. It's not my main shopping fare, but when you have a home improvement project, they are perfect for going in and getting most of the supplies.

 

I like to cruise around the dollar stores and see what they have. Occasionally I will buy something, but not all the time. One thing I have noticed about the ones you have mentioned is that they are not "everything is a $1" stores and things are sometimes more expensive (seriously I have seen this) then the supermarket or Walmart. At times you can find a good deal there and yes I have gotten things there before. I won't buy clothes or things like that tho. Holiday decorations, food, cooking items and possible hair stuff is about all I buy from there.

 

I definitely will use dollar stores but as others have already noted, you have to be discriminating. Overall I think they can be a real steal. I get most of my cards there as cards have gotten so expensive at other stores, and I get lots of holiday decorations I'd never be able to afford otherwise there too. I once even got a calendar for only $1 in October the year before the calendar was for.

 

What you buy depends on which dollar store you are in. Dollar General, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, Dollar Dollar..... Of course you can't get everything at all of them. They all have their specialties. Now I am wondering which dollar store has the cottonelle for a buck. I get .50 coupons for that all the time, so .50 toilet paper would suit me fine!

 

It depends what I am shopping for. It is nice for party favors, nail polish remover, q tips and things like that. I won't buy clothes there because they are so cheap and tend to rip really easily. Any dollar store is nice for certain things, but some things should just be avoided.

 

As others have said, you need to go in with an open mind. I've bought branded grocery, pharmaceutical and toiletry items for around half the regular price in stores like Poundland in the UK. In Spain, there are Domti stores, where items are price at 60 cents, 1 Euro or 2 Euro.

I've bought sheepskin slippers for 2 Euro which have lasted for a couple of winters, and have happily gone into the washing machine, while more expensive slippers have lasted no time at all. We've also bought planters for the garden which are comparable in quality to those on sale in garden centres for three times the price, and the kitchen ware is great value. Take the time to have a good look around and you will snag some bargains.

 

I say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Or in this case, a store by it's title. I like shopping at dollar stores for food, balloons and what not. You just gotta shop with an open mind and some common sense. I won't buy dollar store earphones because for a dollar, you'd figure they'd be constructed poorly (and they are!), but for things like batteries, food, and cards. It works even better when you have manufacturer's coupons for 50 cents to 1 dollar off and you end up finding the same item listed at the dollar store. Some of the things they sell are a practically a steal.

 

I always test out online stores that sell cheap items before buying anything else from them. An example, I ordered an xbox360 service tool and a power turbo torch lighter from a place called "dealextreme" , The shipping was free and they also provide an option for drop shipping and gift wrapping for $0.01. The tool and lighter cost me less than $5. It took nearly 20 days for them to be delivered, but they've lasted for well over 6 weeks and still work like new.

 

I usually don't shop at dollar stores, but every once in a while I go in one and I find some stuff that's actually good. Not everything in dollar stores is good, but if you look for them, you will find some items that are quality items.

 

It is definitely a be a smart shopper thing as most people have mentioned. For the stores like Dollar General which have a variety of items for "just a few dollars" (not strictly everything is $1) you have to be careful they didn't price things a little higher. However, in times where gas counts against you the convenience of some of these stores make it balance the same as opposed to spending the gas money to get to the Wal-Mart etc. However, some materials like baking items I can get here and have fine quality results making my frostings and icings from their powdered sugar. I even go ahead and purchase my flour there and it is typically just fine. Sometimes the name brand vanilla extract is cheaper than most grocery stores. I also like to take a look at the laundry detergents in comparison to other stores.

This is all depending on what is available for you to shop at nearby however.

What I love about the everything is $1 stores is I get some decent quality materials (again) for baking. I often bring in goodies for students to eat, as such using high quality non-stick pans are not the best option. I've had many a friend grow sad and depressed at the scratches and nicks on their nice bake ware from allowing students to cut brownies out of the pan and distribute them. As such, I just well oil the $1 pans from Dollar Tree (if I recall correctly) and they are good to go. Everyone is happy! I have stocked my kitchen with a few other items I tend to take in for use on campus with the fellow students. Since it was all just $1, I don't miss it too much if something drastic happens. Not to mention this makes them cheap to replace too.

 

Well, it's clear that the big franchise stores have taken notice of the dollar stores and their effect as now a lot of them have their own dollar aisles. The same stuff they are selling in that section at Target they are selling or have sold at the dollar store.

 

I echo the sentiments of many of the other posters here. I think it depends on what you are in the market for. Alot of what the dollar stores sell is cheap junk. Its the only way they can make a profit at that price point. But for things that are disposable: party decorations, paper plates/towels, ect. I think that dollar stores offer a great deal. I don't buy anything from them that I would expect to last any appreciable amount of time.

 

I find the item selection to be negligible at best, nothing there to really make it worth shopping at regularly. That being said, there is one in the strip mall I frequent right near the movie theater. I'll buy candy there for a buck over the $5 movie candy any day of the week.

 

Personally, I like the dollar store. I know some people say that they have cheap quality stuff, but I have seen the dollar stores in my area carry name brands that I would normally purchase at stores like Targer and Walmart. You really have to do your homework when shopping at the dollar store because I've seen things at the dollar store that were 3 cents cheaper at Walmart. I think the best things to buy at the dollar store are crafts, cards, and party decorations.