Why I Don’t Shop Much at Dollar Stores

• barrieabalard
• March 18th, 2010

Frugalistas often trot out the suggestion to shop at dollar/ninety-nine cent stores. For some items, such stores can be a real help to someone on a tight budget. But there are some dollar store items that are either not good deals or are hazardous.

• Anything you need to last, you shouldn’t buy at a dollar store. There’s a reason everything’s only a dollar—most of the stuff is low-quality. You might not care about the quality of the colander you need to drain pasta, but you should care if you are shopping for, say, an extension cord.
• Which brings me to my next point: consider avoiding purchasing electrical items. I have read news stories about fake tags showing Underwriters Laboratories approval (the “UL” tag attached to wires) being attached to poor quality extension cords and other items. I might buy holiday ornaments at a dollar store, but not holiday lights or extension cords. Saving a few bucks at the risk of an electrical fire is foolish. This caution extends as well to any computer cabling/product you might see in a dollar store.
• Don’t buy batteries there, either. They are usually of very low quality and, personally, I’d be wary of leakage dangers with dollar store batteries.
• Unless you recognize the brand, pass on buying anything that’s edible or used in your mouth. Remember the toothpaste scare? I now refuse to purchase food with unfamiliar brand names, toothpaste, and mouthwash from any dollar store. I don’t and wouldn’t buy my pet food there, either. Nor do I buy vitamins, acetaminophen, etc., there.
• Remember that most, if not all, dollar store stuff is made in China/other countries where standards are not as high nor as strict as in the USA. The exceptions to the food-buying warning are perishable items such as bread and milk, which are extremely unlikely to come from outside the USA.
• Watch out for fake brands—the brands with names and packaging meant to mimic trustworthy US brands, such as Arm & Hammer. If you’re not absolutely sure it’s the real deal and it goes in or on your body, you might want to pass on it.
• Things are not always cheapest at a dollar store. You really need to know your prices. For example, Suave shampoo is routinely sold in my area for less than a dollar, so why buy it for a dollar? If you don’t know prices well, you might be spending more on an item than you should.
• Be wary of toys, especially for young children. They can have parts that present a choking hazard, or have lead in any paint on them. Again, these items usually come from outside the USA, where standards may or may not be as high as ours. However, toys such as books, coloring books, crayons, and so on are usually okay to buy.

Now it’s time for the stuff you can buy cheaply and with confidence at the dollar store:

• School supplies. Why pay more for pencils, pens, notebooks, and so on? I personally don’t seen much difference between a dollar store spiral notebook and one that costs two or three dollars somewhere else.
• Party goods. Crepe paper, wrapping paper, gift bags, paper plates and cups, and so on are great deals. On the rare occasions when I need party goods, I get them at a dollar store. You can also buy party favors and such here, but select items carefully if they are meant for young children.
• Holiday goods. Decorations, wrapping paper, gift bags, bows, gift tags, doohickeys you hang up or display—these are all usually very good deals with little to no downside.
• Greeting cards. They’re not Hallmark, but if you don’t need a “special” card, consider buying at least some of your cards at the dollar store. My younger nieces and nephews don’t care about the card, just the gift, so I buy them cards at two for a dollar.
• Miscellaneous kitchen items, such as spatulas, colanders, serving spoons, towels, dishrags, sponges, and so on. I always check my local dollar store first before I buy any of these items elsewhere (and pay more). I love my dollar store colander and small round tub for hand-washing delicate items.
• Cleaning supplies. I routinely buy spray cleaner with bleach in it to complement my own spray bottle filled with white distilled vinegar, which I buy in bulk. The vinegar is for routine, quick cleaning, while the bleach cleaner is for when I need to disinfect something, like a kitchen sink or the bathroom. Liquid detergent for washing dishes by hand can be bought here, as can scouring powder. Laundry detergent is one thing I don’t buy at the dollar store (skin reactions to the cheap stuff), but it’s worth considering. By the way, I don’t buy my vinegar at the dollar store—my local grocer carries gallons that are unit-priced cheaper.
• I do not buy paper towels or toilet paper at dollar stores. In my experience, such items are of very low quality and can even be more expensive than buying them in bulk at another store. (You might want to read this blurb about a bad experience with dollar store toilet paper.)
• If you’re just starting out in life and furnishing your first place, or you simply need more plates, cups, etc., the dollar store is a good place to buy these items. However, you can sometimes find these items cheaper at a thrift store. Picture frames are often a good deal at the dollar store, too.

Finally, consider that shopping at dollar stores can wreck your wallet if you have trouble sticking to your list and your budget. Some people get the “it’s only a dollar” fever and walk out with twenty dollars’ worth of stuff when they originally went in for two items. Such splurges, even small ones, don’t do your bottom line any good. Resist temptation unless the item is truly one you need (and perhaps forgot to put on your list). Happy shopping!

Tickers: dollar stores, frugal shopping, ninety-nine-cent stores, saving money

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