Not Made Of Money

I have written a lot about the great deals I find at local dollar stores. I recently received a comment from a reader who wondered about the quality of some of the items. Many times I have found items at the dollar store that are exactly the same quality (and sometimes even the same brand) as other discount stores such as Target or Walmart. It really depends on the dollar store that you visit. I checked out all the dollar stores in my area to get an idea of the merchandise they carried, and then decided which dollar store I would visit most often. For me the best bargains are at The Dollar Tree Store.

1. Gift wrap. Year round you can find a great selection of rolled gift wrap at $1 per roll. On occasion I’ve found cute theme based paper (such as for a birthday or a baby gift) but I can always find a nice selection of solid color wrap that is perfect for any occasion. Similar rolls of wrap at discount stores are priced anywhere from $2.99 to $3.99. The gift wrap choices are even better during Christmas when all sorts of themed paper come out including wrap with popular characters.

2. Gift bags. You can find a large selection of gift bags for any occasion and all are only $1. Some of the smaller bags are 2 for $1. This is a great deal as compared to the gift bags in discount stores which can run from $1.99 for a small bag all the way up to $4.99 for a large bag.

3. Party supplies such as plastic table covers, plates, forks, and solid color napkins. A package of colored napkins or plates will cost you between $2.99 and $3.99 at Target or Walmart. You can definitely save a lot when shopping at the dollar store versus a party supply store! I wrote a while back that when I throw a birthday party, I purchase the majority of the party supplies at the dollar store and then get one or two themed items from a local party store.

4. Kid’s Coloring Books. At $1 per book, you can’t really go wrong here. I’ve seen all the popular character books including My Little Pony, Disney Princess, John Deere, etc. These coloring books are $2.99 and up at the local discount stores.

5. Mylar balloons. My local store has mylar balloons for all occasions including birthdays, new baby, and seasonal balloons for graduation, July 4, and Memorial Day and other holidays. You just can’t beat a buck for a mylar balloon!

• Easter Baskets - Make Your Own and Save Money
• How To Make An Inexpensive Easter Basket

• A couple of neat eBay tricks for buyers It looks like eBay has added a feature that I've...
• Great Deal-Get Camtasia Studio 3 for free - with option to upgrade for $150 If you don't already have Camtasia Studio, now's your chance...