I remember a magical day where the 99 Cent Store had 1 pound packages of Oscar Meyer bacon. That was a good day and we had bacon for weeks.

With some products, it's true that you only get as good you pay for. Cheap stuff can end up being not so cheap.

The comparisons in that PDF are among the worst research I've ever seen. They are muddying the waters further for consumers by making apples-to-apples comparisons on things that are not the same at all.

For example, the aluminum foil you get at the dollar store is the absolute worst quality. It tears easily, and doesn't compare at all to Reynold's or even grocery store brand foil. Same with gift wrap.

Very misleading and borderline useless.

I think a dollar store whose price are in line or "a fraction more" (depends on what the fraction is) than Walmart would be pretty good. There's a convenience to shopping in those smaller stores that's worth a few cents on the dollar.

Your hole-in-the-wall dollar stores are usually pretty terrible, but places like Family Dollar or Big Lots aren't that bad.

Dollar stores are a giant rip-off.

They are, from what I can tell, collections of useless junk set out to give people who feel like shopping but have little money something to buy.

i will absolutely go to the dollar store for ponytail holders, cheap hand lotion, crayons, ashtrays, the cheap mesh laundry bags i store out of season clothing in on the top shelf of my closet and sets of plastic dishes and silverware that i can take camping and reuse until someone accidentally throws it away or it lands in the fire.
but for anything else, i have found that most other places have better prices and better quality.

I occasionally see things at the Dollar Tree that I can buy cheaper elsewhere. But when the bar is set at a dollar, 'cheaper' may mean $0.79 or so, not a huge savings.

But the things I do buy are often $2, $3, or more elsewhere, so I don't mind overpaying by less than a quarter on a tiny percentage of my purchases. It's worth it for the convenience and to support a business that works on tiny margins.

For the same reason, I often go to my local Ace Hardware or Crafty Beaver Home Center , two local independents that aren't always as cheap as the big box guys, but actually offer service, selection and employ really knowledgeable people who are happy to provide advice and help.

One of the best things to get at the dollar store is cards it's two for a dollar but if you only get one it's 50 cents. Who needs a $5 card that is going to end up in the trash two days later? Same with gift bags & balloons.

I actually got dishes and bowls at my dollar store. They are both a little misshapen, but they serve their purpose. The dishes are for when friends are over, and we need something to put food on. Less wasteful than disposable, and if it gets broken, it was only a buck.

There are some good deals to be found at a dollar store. I particularly like Dollar Tree. My wife can buy a whole basket full of crap there and fulfill her psychological need to shop while spending less than $20.

They have some good deals in their kitchenware section, including silicon spatulas for $1.

Dollar stores are great for toothbrushes, toilet brushes, greeting cards, balloons, and a bunch of other "disposable" items where quality isn't an issue because of their super short life. Air fresherner and carpet refreshner powders tend to be cheap fo the same brands found in store (just more outdated packaging.) It just depneds on what it *is* as to if you'll save money. I've even gone so far as to buy workout clothes at the Dollar General that held up good and were cheap.

Cleaning supplies are usually a great deal at dollar stores. I have gotten some good plates and cups there, to have extra dinnerware when having a get together or something.

Of course they won't always be the best deal, but if you know how to shop and what to shop for there, you can do well.

@baquwards: AH! I almost forgot cleaning supplies! I remember Kroger having Lysol spray disenfectent for around $2.50 and Walmart having it for around $2.00 and it was still $1.00 at the dollar store near me for the same size container. Lysol liquid cleaner, Mean Grean (which I think might be one of their brands), Oven cleaner, things like that are sometimes a real bargain there.

My fiancee gets party decorations at our local dollar store. I mean you are going to throw away all those streamers and balloons anyway? Who cares if they are cheap. We bought all the decorations for her college graduation party there.

Ever wonder why dollar stores don't sell cheap lead test kits?

@GreatCaesarsGhost:

Agreed...

If i'm buying an item that's $1 at the dollar store but is only $0.88 at Walmart I'm more likely to buy it at the dollar store.

The nearest Walmart is a 15 min drive and usually only has a few checkout lanes open (which leads to really long lines).

My nearest Dollar store is a 5 min. drive and isn't usually very busy.

It's all about convenience.

I always head to the dollar store when I'm throwing a party. Just pick up some silly string, glow-sticks, some fluorescent plastic shot glasses, beaded necklaces, maybe some goofy hats, and you're prepared for a fun night of debauchery. That said, I don't rely on the dollar store to provide me with anything that I don't want to see crushed on my floor the next day.

gift bags are a great deal at dollar stores.

at hallmark, or even wal-mart, they can run as high as $6-7.

never understood the logic behind expensive gift wrap.

at least the probability of re-gifting bags are higher.

a dollar store pregnancy test confirmed our number 3

@baquwards: Yeah cleaning supplies are great there, you can get 64 oz of cleaner for $1. Great if you have empty spraybottles lying around or if you have to refill the ones you have. Its even cheaper to buy the 64 oz and refill the bottles you have then to buy the .99 bottles.

Its foolish to spend more for cleaning supplies because they are used for cleaning. The dollar store ones work fine for me.

@jamiesue: The name brands in stores I've visited were all ripoff lookalikes with some unknown substance inside. I tried one of their "Dow Scrubbing Bubbles" cans. Useless stuff, nothing like the real thing.

True story. YMMV.

My son got a cold with a nagging cough about two months. He really likes those Triaminic Pediatric Strips. So my wife goes to Walgreens and buys a box of 24 for $7.00.

We run out of them. A dollar store that just recently opened up. I went to that store and bought 4 boxes of the same stuff for $4.00.

The real kicker was: the expiry date on Triaminic from the dollar store was longer than the one from the pharmacy.

For me, nothing is more expensive than the cost in integrity shopping at Walmart would entail. I don't fault anyone else for shopping there, but if the Dollar Store is only a little more expensive than Walmart, for the same product, then the Dollar Store wins hands-down.

As with most things in life, the efficacy of shopping in dollar stores lies in the details and depends on what, exactly, one buys there.

We frequently buy cleaning supplies (soaps & detergents, softener, bleach, etc.) 'cause they're much cheaper there than elsewhere, and they work. Greeting cards, gift wrap, we agree with the PDF, they're also a good deal. We put together some fantastic Christmas arrangements as gifts, by buying "silk" flowers and putting them into holiday-themed coffee mugs, all from the dollar store. So those work out too, if you're crafty.

On the flip side, the food items are problematic at best. They're either poor quality or have some other defect (such as being exceedingly high in sodium, or near or past expiration dates). The little toys they sell don't even work as party favors, they're just too flimsy. Tools are also ridiculously poor quality. As for things like foil and plastic wrap ... they're crap at dollar stores.

We've found it's best to shop in dollar stores with a cynical eye. A very cynical eye.

Dollar General is actually more expensive than walmart on most items. VO5 shampoo is $1, $.96 at walmart. Not THAT big a deal, but my point is- they round UP the prices. Tide detergent for $4.50 at walmart is $5 at DG. It's ridiculous. Dollar TREE, on the other hand, RULES. It's an actual DOLLAR store, not a 'multiples of $1.00' store.

@DerangedRoleModel: Neither of which is a dollar store.

@catastrophegirl - minus one kitten: I always get my gift wrap/ribbons/bows/gift bags there. Everything but the gift bag will just be torn up and unused, so why spend $4/roll if I don't have to. At least you can get more use out of the bag.

@SkokieGuy: Wait. You mean that you don't get excellent service at places that treat their workers like crap, pay them horrible wages and hire people with fifth grade educations? Insanity.

@kabuk1: I agree with you about DG. It has become pricey for a discount store. On the other hand, I can find almost nothing in local Walmarts that costs less than $1 anymore. The ones here in Phoenix seem to be more like Target in their selection and quality and prices.

If you have access to the 99¢ Only Store chain, you can purchase a staggering array of goods for $1 or less. Mine even had fresh pasta a few weeks ago, and a variety of summer vegetables and berries of good quality. The only thing I find is not a great deal at dollar stores is canned goods, many of which are available for less than a buck elsewhere.

@outlulz: ewwww $1.00 store bacon. Would you like a side of e coli with that? I refuse to even eat candy bars out of a place like that.

@deadandy: Heavily depends on the dollar store that you go to.

@pb5000:

That's something where shopping around can reveal even cheaper savings. You can get the tests for about $0.10 each in packs of ten...

@pb5000: That's a product I wouldn't trust a dollar store for. Did you buy just one test or a few to confirm the result? If you bought more than one, were the results all the same?

@outlulz: Impossible. Bacon is both a pork product and a breakfast item, and therefore cannot lead to a good day. Next you'll be telling me there was barking from the dogs, too.

@legwork: Because the test kits themselves would contain lead?

No!! Dollar stores USED to be that everything was $1. Now they advertise as everything being "$1 or more."

My neighborhood dollar store sells knock-offs of knock-offs of already low quality laundry detergent for several dollars, not any cheaper than buying it at the deli or the grocery store. The dollar store is a myth.

I've read threads here where people are terrified of things from the 99 cent store. 99 Cents Only is hit or If they have Lean Cuisines or Healthy Choices, I won't think twice about buying them. I've never had a problem. Organic tomatoes, strawberries and blueberries pop up in the summer. All good.

@deadandy:

I've gotten name brand foil at our dollar stores. In general, I've found that they aren't necessarily cheaper than other stores. I tend to go for the uni-taskers: items that either I am using one time only or ones that if I lose it/forget it/break it...I won't care.

they are great for room-moms for class prizes: pens/pencils, books etc. Michael's is awesome for that too-lots of crafty stuff in the $1/$2 area

@outshined:

99 Cents Only store is hit or miss she meant to say...

I'm finding that a lot of 'dollar' type stores in my area are now charging more than a dollar for many items. There may be one place left that still charges $1 for everything.

Watch out for cashiers who invent prices for items. If an item doesn't have a sticker in a place that no longer charges $1 for everything, ask. Last place I went to was so bad that the cashier tried to charge me $1.99 for 2 items that had stickers saying $1.49.

Still shop at these places (not the last one though) for some non-food items such as toothbrushes, plastic dishes, and cheap hardware, but never expect much durability. Definitely quicker and easier than spending 20-30 minutes driving to Walmart.

@kabuk1: Yeah I think DG is just the name of a store, it is NOT a dollar store. A dollar store is a store where every item is a dollar or less. DG just rounds prices as you mentioned, and often sells smaller sizes of product for more money than Walmart does.

DG's seem to be opening up all over but only in the poorest neighborhoods here. I think they prey on people who do not have transportation to get to a store that is cheaper, they hold the market wherever they open up so they can essentially charge a premium for the same thing as Walmart.

I have found plenty of things that are a good deal at dollar stores or dollar tree, but I have found very few items that are a good deal at stores like DG, which just masquerade as a dollar store.

We used to live pretty near a Dollar Tree and did a fair amount of shopping there for the kind of stuff that they tend to have. I actually have no idea how prices compare to Walmart, since I don't shop there very often. I always seem to live a 45-minute round trip from the nearest Walmart, not even including the 5-minute-each-way hike in from the closest parking space or the time wasted dragging through the cavernous store or waiting in long checkout lines.

@JGKojak: "useless junk set out to give people who feel like shopping but have little money something to buy"

Brilliant observation. Perfectly brilliant!

@baquwards: Dollar-type stores are great for cheap cleaning supplies - especially paper towels and Brillo - to use when moving out of an apartment. Who knows if you really used "real" Tilex, as long as it smells like you used Tilex?

@Shoelace: that one was a surprise pregnancy, so we bought more than a few from actual pharmacies just to be sure.

@shepd: where? I've never seen a ten pack for a buck?

I have often wondered how dollar stores cope with things like inflation. Do they have to sell more and more worthless junk to compensate?

This article says that not everything at a dollar store costs just a dollar -- but that's exactly the case at West Coast chain 99 Cents Only Stores. (Which used to charge up to 99 cents for everything, but raised the price to "99.99 cents" so they wouldn't have to change their name.)

That makes it easy to tell if something's a bargain -- if it would cost more than a buck elsewhere, it's cheaper here. What's more, they carry a lot of name brands as well as produce and refrigerated foods (and are good about checking for expiration dates). The selection changes frequently, but I've often found, for instance, the same Kraft cheese that costs $2.50-$4.50 in grocery stores for $1 here.

But the best thing about these stores is that they literally drive down prices at the supermarkets, which have begun offering dollar sales on many more items than they used to.

@outlulz: That's, like, a treyf Hanukkah miracle!