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It’s not like I’m opposed to shopping at dollar stores. Some of them are great! But I am a little particular about what I’m willing to buy there. So today we’re gonna talk about what NOT to buy at the dollar store when you’re trying to save money.
Btw, we’re talking any dollar store. Not just Dollar Tree or Dollar General or anything specific. Just dollar stores in general.
Some of the items on our list are about quality. And some are about size. You’ll often find that products at dollar stores come in smaller sizes than products you’d find elsewhere and the per-unit price is actually worse at the dollar store.
What NOT to Buy at the Dollar Store to Save Money
We’re gonna count down the top 10. Let’s go!
10. Canned goods and pantry items
Canned goods and pantry items at dollar stores usually sell for…$1.
$1 for a can of anything is actually higher than what you might pay at the grocery store. You can usually snag store-brand canned goods for $.69 or $.79 per can. And seriously, you don’t need name brand canned goods. And even if you did, you can often find those for under $1 per can as well.
Same with pantry items.
Also, check the expiration dates. I know it seems like that stuff lasts forever, but sometimes they get to dollar stores toward the end of their shelf lives, and you may have to use them sooner than you’d like.
On that note, this is a great item to buy in bulk since it does last a long time. You can get a smokin deal on this stuff at Costco.
9. Toilet paper and paper towels
Toilet paper and paper towels are subpar at dollar stores. They’re usually like 1-ply, which doesn’t do anyone any good. You just have to use twice as much as normal, in which case you’re not saving any money at all!
Like canned goods and pantry items, paper products last forever, so they’re a great item to buy in bulk if you have the storage space. Add them to your Costco run list. Or, if you’d rather have these bulky items delivered to your door, just get the good stuff on Amazon.
8. Tools
Tools should seriously last you your entire life as long as you don’t lose them. Dollar store tools are typically not made terribly well, and you’ll end up having to replace them.
You can get inexpensive toolkits anywhere. Home Depot, Lowe’s, IKEA…
We happen to like the pink ones 😉
7. Headphones and earbuds
Another quality issue…
The sound you’ll get from your dollar store headphones will suck. It just will.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get quality headphones and earbuds. But they’re worth a bit of an investment because you’ll be spending so much time together over the next few years.
Your earbuds will get you through your workouts. They’ll entertain you while you do chores around the house. And they’ll protect you against conversations with strangers on airplanes. How much is all that worth to you?
6. Kitchen utensils and food storage containers
So you know how we’re all going to die from cancer caused by the plastics that come in contact with our food? Yeah, I’d like to avoid that. And I feel like those plastics are overly present in cheap kitchen utensils and food storage containers like the ones you’d get from the dollar store.
I’ll admit, I’m not being scientific about this. I’m just saying it seems like the BPA-free plastics aren’t generally available at dollar stores.
Instead, find BPA-free products at Target, Walmart, or Amazon if you’re looking to save a buck. Or Crate and Barrel if you’re looking to turn your kitchen utensils into family heirlooms.
5. Makeup
Now, I’m not one to spend a ton on makeup. I work from home, so my everyday look is basically just under-eye concealer and mascara. Plus, I really feel like Maybelline is every bit as good as M.A.C. (when it comes to concealer and mascara anyway).
The problem with getting makeup at the dollar store, even if you can find reliable brand names (which absolutely matters in makeup), is the expiration dates. Don’t know about you, but most of my makeup goes bad long before I use it all. And if I have to toss a 3/4 full container and buy a new one, I’m not saving money.
When I lived in the US, Target was my go-to for makeup. Because I was there every week anyway.
Here in Germany, I go to Drogerie Markt. It’s kinda like a CVS, which is funny because I would never go to CVS in the US cause it was so expensive. But until Target comes to Europe, DM it is.
Having said all that, I’m not gonna tell you what to do about makeup. If you love it, set aside some extra budget space and go to the fancy counters. If you’re meh about it, Walmart and Target are totally fine.
Just don’t waste your money getting it at dollar stores.
4. Hair and skin products
Hair and skin products are similar to makeup products. Even if you can find your brands at dollar stores, it’s probably been a while since that bottle was packaged. And you just don’t want to play fast and loose with your hair and skin. It’s way too easy to mess them up.
Hair and skin products are one of those products where you can justify spending a bit more because they last a while. Like, is $5 more really a big deal when that bottle will last you 2 months?
So budget for that little bit extra to buy brands you feel good about from Target or whatever.
By the way, I’m loving Morroconoil hair products right now. But they’re too expensive on Amazon. Head to Target for a better price.
And don’t skimp on face lotion. Seriously.
3. Medicines and vitamins
I’m not saying you have to get brand name medicines and vitamins. Check the bottles, and you’ll see that generic medicines usually have the exact same ingredients as the way more expensive brand name products.
But the problem with getting ingestibles at dollar stores is…once again…expiration dates. How long does it take you to go through a full bottle of pain relievers? Like years for most of us young and sprite things, right?
Weird side note: unless you have a prescription (in which case medicines are just like €5), medicines in Germany are hella expensive. Like €16 for a 12-pack of ibuprofen-like pills. So I just don’t even bother here.
2. Meat, dairy, and produce
I’m not taking any risks with meat, dairy, and produce. It’s just too easy for that stuff to get contaminated and make you sick.
It’s also unnecessary to get that stuff at the dollar store when you can get it reasonably cheap at the grocery store. Trader Joe’s has the best prices on produce, but I swear, their produce goes bad sooner than produce from like Ralphs or Krogers.
To save money on meat and produce, don’t be afraid to buy frozen instead of fresh. And really, is dairy that expensive anywhere anyway?
1. Power strips, surge protectors, chargers, and extension cords
You know what else I’m not taking a risk with? Electricity.
There have been actual lawsuits filed against manufacturers of power strips, surge protectors, chargers, and extension cords sold in dollar stores because of malfunctions that resulted in shocks and even fires.
Burn my house down to save a buck? Uh, no.
And, as with most of the items on this list, electrical cords aren’t terribly expensive, and they last a really long time, so you can easily justify spending a little more money on them.
Feel like sharing?
Do you agree with our list? Anything else you would list as a what NOT to buy at the dollar store? Let us know in the comments.
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