I’d Buy That For A Dollar!

Dollar stores are SWEET (for those of us who like to save)!

These little goldmines get their merchandise from manufacturers who are willing to sell their stuff really cheap for a plethora of reasons (old, overstocked, owner’s crazy, etc.) and in return, we get to buy this same merchandise for a buck a piece (plus tax, ok nerds, why don’t you shoot me) in their plain-Jane-style stores. Funny thing is: every town (no matter how small) has at least one of these stores, but a large percentage of Americans believe (mostly out of ignorance) they are too good to be seen in one. Go ahead: let the other guys suffer, while you rake it in!

Dollar stores literally have it all: cheap sunglasses, cheap groceries, cheap cleaning supplies, cheap tools, cheap toys, cheap party favors, cheap stationary items, and a whole bunch of other cheap useful crap (batteries, toothbrushes, Halloween costumes, etc.)!

Trips to the dollar store saves smart people BIG TIME when it comes to the family budget. The one I frequent sells that expensive spray-on suntan lotion and Harley-Davidson Beef Jerky (which I load up on by the case) for 1/3 of what the supermarket’s charge. One caveat though: you must know when to shop and when not to (it’s just like any other store, in that they have their moments when they’re not batting a thousand). The following will show you when to go:

Party time. If you’re planning one of your brat’s (joking, don’t get all mad at me) party, you can always find a lot of party favors, snacks, small toys, and other similar items cheaply. Funny thing is: kids don’t know the difference (until some jerk lets them in on the secret) because they have no real conception of what things cost (gotta love that).

Snack buying time. At my place of employment, we take turns bringing in the goods (I mean snacks, not the other stuff Jerry Garcia) for our lounge (which consists of a small table, two chairs and a coffee maker). My buddies buy the expensive stuff, but I usually go the other way (the cheap dollar store way, dummy).

Outing time. I love spring-time. I love summer. Down here, I even love winter. Ok, I’m getting off track. What I’m trying to say is you can find everything you’ll ever need for the great outdoors, indoors at this little money-saving shop.

Thinking of items you might want to buy at a dollar store? Well, you better make sure you have a game-plan before you get there, or you’re going to mess things up, and overspend. If this sounds like something you’re known for, let me give you three simple warnings about the dollar store atmosphere:

First, you’re going to go overboard with impulse buying (everyone does it). All I’m saying is, to the best of your abilities, try to restrain yourself from buying all kinds of unnecessary stuff just because it’s cheap (you’ll just wind up giving it away at your next yard sale anyways).

Second, sometimes the tools they sell are kind of crappy: I saw some hammers yesterday for a buck, but some of them had pretty loose heads (this means, smart guy: either they, or your fingers, wouldn’t last long). Sometimes it’s just better to buy quality (otherwise the E.R. can get expensive). I sometimes wonder about the flatware they sell too (they make it cheap as hell over there).

Third, a lot of their food and medicine items are going to be either dated or real close to it. How else did you think you were going to get that (fill in this blank with something expensive) for this (a dirty Washington)? Keep an eye on those expiration dates before you buy (note: a couple days isn’t too bad. A couple years: now that’s a completely different story!).

Since my very first trip to the dollar store (when I was a weird kid) I’ve gotten into the solid habit of going on a ” cheap run” at least once every two weeks, and I always try to stop in there when I’m in need of things like spices or household cleaners that are way too expensive at the grocery stores (especially when I don’t have a coupon for it).

Dollar stores can be a real lifesaver when you need a little adjusting done to your family budget. Shopping at them might make you sound, and look, like a cheap bastard, but you should be able to overlook this fact when they hand you your receipt (if this doesn’t cheer you up, nothing will).

P.S. Tell ‘em Pete from Money Remix sent you (I could use the word-of-mouth publicity). They’ll either nod their head in recognition or look at you like your elevator doesn’t reach the top floor (just a warning: it’ll probably be the second)!