Theres a magical place where dreams come true, all your fantasies melt into reality...that's right, the Dollar Tree. Or any everything $1 store for that matter.
1. Groceries: When bargain grocery shopping comes to mind, people generally think Wal-Mart...but dollar stores across the country a stocked full with the deals, baby. And I'm gonna let you know why. Companies that overstock a product *NAME BRAND PRODUCTS* send them over to dollar stores at a marked down price. And as a college student, their food aisles are salvation on shelf - almost everything can be cooked, heated or prepped with the aid of a microwave alone. I recently picked up a box of Florida's Natural Fruit Chews for a buck and they are my go-to lecture snack for the week. 8 packets for a DOLLAR, don't mind if I do. Another great thing about Dollar Tree (I'm not as familiar with the policies of other dollar stores) is they take manufacturers coupons. So you can end up spending a dollar, or even getting items for free! Do your research on the products you know they have to see if you can score some deals. Don't just get lured in my the name brands, though (though we all love Oreos more than the store brand "Creme Filled Chocolate Cookies") because most off-brand foods contain the same ingredients as the brands you know and love. Honey Nut Cheerios? Try a generous box of Scooters.
2. Toiletries and Over-the-Counter Meds: Dollar stores are also my go-to place for things like pain reliever, allergy medicine, tampons, etc. These products rarely vary much from brand to brand and the dollar store is a great way to stock your toiletries. Every time I am in store I am surprised at how broad of a selection they offer.
3. Crafts: Dollar store crafts are a great (and frugal!) source of entertainment that you can use to give as gifts, decoration, you name it! There are plenty of websites (Pinterest comes to mind) with easy-to-follow dollar store craft instructions. You can use the following links to get started; dollarstorecrafts.com, http://www.diyncrafts.com/234/home/60-projects-to-make-with-dollar-store-supplies, and many more. Or just get your creative juices flowing! My personal favorite dollar store craft is to purchase a plain white mug and write/draw on it in Sharpie. Bake for 30 minutes at 445 degrees and WHA-LA! Perfect gift for the tea/coffee lover in your life.
4. Holiday Decorations for Your Dorm: Let's be honest, after college when are you ever going to use that mini Xmas tree that you bought for your room for $20? Never, that's when. Now, I am a huge enthusiast of making your own decorations (let's regress back to third grade with some colored paper, markers, and scissors, shall we?) but if your lazy butt wants to purchase them, you can find great and surprisingly cheap finds at your local dollar store. I recently found mini tinsel Christmas trees that easily fit in the corner of my room, score! Now I don't feel guilty when I have to toss the thing. Wrapping paper is another money pit, and there are always bundles of holiday paper stashed at the dollar store. If holiday paper isn't your thing, a cute, vintage-y. and cheap way to wrap gifts is use old newspaper or butcher paper and use twine as ribbon...shabby chic!
5. Movie Snacks: As I said in my introductory blog post, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people buy snacks at movie theaters. Or movie theaters in general. But I'll save that cheapie rant for another blog post. If you find yourself in a situation where you *must* go to the movies, in the name of everything holy bring your own snacks! Are you people aware that dollar stores sell the same boxed movie theater candy for less than a dollar? Invest in a big purse or tote and you can smuggle in a drink and a bag of chips, too. You'll thank me later.
*FINAL TIP: Sometimes we all lose our cool in the dollar store. Hell, everything's a DOLLAR, who wouldn't? But try to avoid impulse buys because little expenses that add up over time is the biggest money pit. Test yourself, would I buy this item if it was $5? How often would I use this item? Do I already have a similar item? You get the idea.
Happy shopping(:
1. Groceries: When bargain grocery shopping comes to mind, people generally think Wal-Mart...but dollar stores across the country a stocked full with the deals, baby. And I'm gonna let you know why. Companies that overstock a product *NAME BRAND PRODUCTS* send them over to dollar stores at a marked down price. And as a college student, their food aisles are salvation on shelf - almost everything can be cooked, heated or prepped with the aid of a microwave alone. I recently picked up a box of Florida's Natural Fruit Chews for a buck and they are my go-to lecture snack for the week. 8 packets for a DOLLAR, don't mind if I do. Another great thing about Dollar Tree (I'm not as familiar with the policies of other dollar stores) is they take manufacturers coupons. So you can end up spending a dollar, or even getting items for free! Do your research on the products you know they have to see if you can score some deals. Don't just get lured in my the name brands, though (though we all love Oreos more than the store brand "Creme Filled Chocolate Cookies") because most off-brand foods contain the same ingredients as the brands you know and love. Honey Nut Cheerios? Try a generous box of Scooters.
2. Toiletries and Over-the-Counter Meds: Dollar stores are also my go-to place for things like pain reliever, allergy medicine, tampons, etc. These products rarely vary much from brand to brand and the dollar store is a great way to stock your toiletries. Every time I am in store I am surprised at how broad of a selection they offer.
3. Crafts: Dollar store crafts are a great (and frugal!) source of entertainment that you can use to give as gifts, decoration, you name it! There are plenty of websites (Pinterest comes to mind) with easy-to-follow dollar store craft instructions. You can use the following links to get started; dollarstorecrafts.com, http://www.diyncrafts.com/234/home/60-projects-to-make-with-dollar-store-supplies, and many more. Or just get your creative juices flowing! My personal favorite dollar store craft is to purchase a plain white mug and write/draw on it in Sharpie. Bake for 30 minutes at 445 degrees and WHA-LA! Perfect gift for the tea/coffee lover in your life.
4. Holiday Decorations for Your Dorm: Let's be honest, after college when are you ever going to use that mini Xmas tree that you bought for your room for $20? Never, that's when. Now, I am a huge enthusiast of making your own decorations (let's regress back to third grade with some colored paper, markers, and scissors, shall we?) but if your lazy butt wants to purchase them, you can find great and surprisingly cheap finds at your local dollar store. I recently found mini tinsel Christmas trees that easily fit in the corner of my room, score! Now I don't feel guilty when I have to toss the thing. Wrapping paper is another money pit, and there are always bundles of holiday paper stashed at the dollar store. If holiday paper isn't your thing, a cute, vintage-y. and cheap way to wrap gifts is use old newspaper or butcher paper and use twine as ribbon...shabby chic!
5. Movie Snacks: As I said in my introductory blog post, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people buy snacks at movie theaters. Or movie theaters in general. But I'll save that cheapie rant for another blog post. If you find yourself in a situation where you *must* go to the movies, in the name of everything holy bring your own snacks! Are you people aware that dollar stores sell the same boxed movie theater candy for less than a dollar? Invest in a big purse or tote and you can smuggle in a drink and a bag of chips, too. You'll thank me later.
*FINAL TIP: Sometimes we all lose our cool in the dollar store. Hell, everything's a DOLLAR, who wouldn't? But try to avoid impulse buys because little expenses that add up over time is the biggest money pit. Test yourself, would I buy this item if it was $5? How often would I use this item? Do I already have a similar item? You get the idea.
Happy shopping(:
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