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Feb 4, 2010

Only Spending One Dollar (Merrick)

If you go to Smiths for your groceries one week and Macey’s the next, you may see prices vary slightly. But overall they’ll be fairly similar. You may go to Chevron one week to fill your car with gas and Conoco the next and the cost per gallon might differ a few cents, but will be fairly parallel. I think this is pretty standard across the board – identical items are priced almost identically no matter where you buy them.

Well I’m going to let you in on a secret that will change your life. If you go to the Dollar Store, this is NOT the case. Items are only a dollar compared to their outrageously priced twin sold at another store!

No, I do not shop at the Dollar Store for everything. But there are several items that I will never buy at other stores because their prices are such a rip-off.

1. Wrapping Paper: We have all bought wrapping paper and know how expensive it is! You spend $4-5 on a skimpy roll that will wrap only three gifts. And if you want something with more than a yard of paper on the roll, you end up forking over close to $10!
2. Greeting Cards: If you go to Hallmark, Walmart, the grocery store, or anywhere else that sells greeting cards, you better plan on spending anywhere from $3-6. The Dollar Store? Every single card is 2 for $1.
3. Ribbon: They sell those big spools of curling ribbon for $1, and also wired holiday ribbon for $1; both very good deals.

There are more great deals at the dollar store, but in my opinion these are three of the best and among the purchases that I make most frequently.

So next time you have a baby shower, wedding or birthday party to attend, spend your money on the gift; not the wrapping. Go to the Dollar Store and be amazed by their outrageously low prices.

8 comments:

TheMoncurs said...

I throw a lot of parties/showers/etc. and always get any plastic tablecloths, paper plates, cups, etc. at the dollar store. It keeps costs WAY down, especially if your guest of honor handed you a guest list with 70 names on it (it's happened to me. Twice). It's also a good place to get Halloween candy (esp if your neighborhood does high volume like ours does) and goody bag stuffers for kids' birthday parties.

Packrat said...

I have to be careful at the dollar store. "It's only a dollar!" LOL There are so many things that are less expensive. The flexible plastic cutting boards that are so expensive? Two for a dollar at the dollar store. Definitely, the plastic table clothes with matching plates and napkins! Gotta love it. I have been "bitten" though so be careful. I once bought a box of crayons for a dollar only to find out that real Crayolas were $.79 at the grocery store. (I'm sure they aren't now, but they were then.)

Carole said...

Our Dollar Tree store sells mylar balloons for $1.00 each. And, yes, they are filled with helium. I used to buy all my birthday balloons for Young Women and seminary there. This one purchase alone saved me about $3 per balloon. Those savings add up.

Mary said...

Dollar Tree is probably my second favorite place to shop (DI is my first favorite). My daughter is having a birthday party soon and I got all of her goody bag items, paper goods, even decor there.

In the past I've also bought wrapping paper, ribbbon, birthday gifts for kids, plastic storage bins, etc.

Deb said...

I like to go to the dollar store first to find things...sometimes they have it sometimes not. I try things and they work or they don't. Somethings are better from there and there are things not worth it and pay the extra for better value!

G said...

I like to buy all my wrapping supplies after Christmas. There are a surprising number of "Christmas" wrapping papers that don't look Christmasy. I love 100 sq ft of paper for $1! But if I ever run out before December, I'll be glad to know where to look for more!

Tess said...

I like to buy spices at the dollar store (or at the discount grocery, if I'm there.) I'd much rather pay 99 cents or a dollar for a 7 oz container than $3.50 or MORE for a 1.5 oz container at the regular grocery store!

Sherry said...

My favorite dollar store buys are medicines. You really can't beat paying only a dollar for a whole bottle of ibuprofen.