What Not to buy at the Dollar Store part 1

As you found out last month, I live extremely close to the dollar store.
I can't seem to walk in without buying at least $10 worth of stuff(I mean really, how does it hop in my cart?!)I seem to have the same problem with the dollar store, that people have with Target.Can I get an amen?
With that in mind, I have some personal experience about

Not only that,

I also have some experience about the things that you should buy.
I had some wonderful reader comments on my original post, so I will include other people's experience and opinions as well.

So in an effort to save you money and help you live better,
(wait... isn't that Wal-mart's logo?)
 let's start our series of

What Not to buy at the Dollar store...and a few things to pick up.

Sunday Paper-Snag it
You can't find the Sunday paper cheaper than $1.
So on weeks with lots of coupons, or Albertson's doublers, it's worth picking up one or three.

Reading Glasses-Snag it

jjflamingo said... 

                 another awesome snag are the reading glasses. they are $5.00 and up everywhere else.

I don't need these yet, but I hear they are a great deal

Helium Balloons-Snag it

~The Bargain Babe from *Zucchini Summer Blog* said... 

does yours have balloons?

Mine has helium filled balloons, birthday, sesame street, over the hill, smiley face, seasonal, etc. They are great and just a buck!

I agree!  Helium balloons are a great deal. 

They have a huge assortment, even some of the big names (you know, like Spiderman and Elmo).

Maybe they can work on their display a bit though.

Eyelash Curler-Snag it

I had a friend give me a goodie bag that she scored at an upscale department store 

(not naming any names but it rhymes with Shcmacy's)

I had high hopes for the curler, but it didn't nearly last as long as this one that I bought (and am still using several years later) from the dollar store.

Name brand make-up-Snag it

I don't usually shop in the makeup section but one of my readers (Melissa @ LoveBugLiving) made me aware that sometimes they get big names in there.

I was shocked to find Loreal 

and Maybelline

And also some repackaged Cover Girl makeup

Rubber band elastics: Snag it

These come in a 500 pack and between my daughter and I, they have lasted us over 7 years.

When she was a toddler I would put them in her hair and cut them out at night.  So much easier than trying to pull them out of tangled hair.

Totally worth saving our mother daughter relationship

Headbands-Snag it

Several of you told me that you buy the headbands here.

Brooke said... 

I buy dollar store barrettes and hair bands. (especially the little plasticy ones for my 19month old!)

emiflute said..

I have to second the person that mentioned headbands- the stretchy or hard kinds

So the headbands have the go ahead.

Lysol toilet bowl cleaner-Snag it

I don't use a lot of chemicals to clean my house, but I do use this brand of toilet bowl cleaner.

It costs around $4.99 at other big stores.

Laundry Detergent-Pass

As with other detergents and cleaners, the generics are usually very watered down and don't work as well.

Find a sale and use a coupon and buy my favorite, Tide, it's worth it.

Oxygen cleaner-Snag it

rockinred said... 

I'm a BIG fan of their version of Oxyclean powder. It's sooo much cheaper than the brand name & works just as well.

It's worth a shot if you are looking for an alternative to oxyclean.

Air Freshener-Pass

My daughter recently told me that our house just smells like air, so I thought I would try these air fresheners out.  What I have found is that anything that is supposed to smell (candles, air fresheners, plug in's) aren't worth buying at the dollar store.  They just don't smell.

Toilet paper-Pass

You would be better off going out back and picking up some leaves.  

Actually the leaves might hold up better.  

Microfiber towels-Snag it

I use these towels when I clean my windows and my appliances.  They hold up well, and do the job.

Dish scrubbers-Pass

I like using these detergent filled scrubbies when I do the dishes, but this particular kind just doesn't hold up. The green scrubber peels away and the foam tears, the liquid leaks...it's pretty much like Snooki after a bar crawl...it's a mess.

Rubber gloves-Snag it

I don't like washing dishes without gloves anymore now that I am in the habit.

Just make sure you are looking at the size when you buy them.

Quick Eraser (Fake Mr. Clean)-Snag it

I love Mr. Clean magic erasers.  Like love them so much I would marry them.

They clean and erase spots so much better than I ever thought possible.  So when I saw this knock off a few years ago I had to try it.

Love it!

And i'm not the only one

Flutemom said... 

I stock up on the quick erasers. They look like a Mr Clean Magic eraser but have a sponge back. It seems to be the same material and cleans the same. I think I like these better. As they wear down, the sponge back helps them hold their shape. The leftover sponge is useful too. They polish a stainless since better than anything else I've ever use!

Trash bags-Pass

This isn't just a pass, it's a run from these as fast as you can pass.

These bags are awful!

When I clean out a room, I often put the kids old toys in trash bags so they can't see what I am getting rid of

These bags seemed like they were afraid of being used

I would put one thing in, and it would rip immediately

They were so thin and worthless.

Those are just a few of the snag its and passes at the dollar store today.Stay tuned tomorrow for a walk down the toy and baby aisle.If you have kids, it's worth sticking around for!

ps- I'm also in the running for the top 25 creative mom blogs.  If you would take a minute and vote for me I would appreciate it.