I have found that the dollar store has a few things that are cheaper than the regular stores but you have to really shop to find the bargains. For instance, the pastas are usually just as good and much cheaper.. unless you aren't careful and bring home a box infested with bugs. Then everything in the cabinet becomes infested and you haven't saved at all. However I have had that problem happen with things purchased at a regular store too.
Toilet paper is cheap but the rolls are small and rolled loosely enough that you go through them much faster than the more expensive name brands. So are you saving? Yes, if you only had a dollar to spend and were in a hurry.
Candy is definitely a bargain because it is mostly the name brands they are offering at the dollar store. But who needs that much candy especially after making New Years resolutions to cut back on that extra spare tire.
Greeting cards are a bargain at the dollar store. They are obviously last years cards but who cares. However, with the advent of ecards, how many people really send cards anymore? Well, I do. For thank you's and birthdays. And I know a lot of people who still do too. We may be a dying breed but we are still hanging onto the old habits. And really, there is nothing like having a card arrive unexpectantly wishing me well or thanking me for some small thing. It is a treat.
There are day-old bread stores in almost every town that sell perfectly good bread at less than half the price of the regular stores. The problem here is that you have to consider the gas and time to go to these extra stores against how much you are actually saving. Sometimes it isn't worth the dollar or so to drive across town. This is where you find friends to carpool with or trade off turns going and buying several weeks worth (to freeze) to make it worth the trip.
Costco is a member store that sells wholesale food and things in bulk. For a large family it is perfect. But for just my husband and myself, it is not worth it. I always spend more than I meant to and go over my budget because you have to buy bulk there.
Walmart has some store that sell food too but you have to shop and look for the bargains. Some things are and some are not. This means that shopping becomes like a research project or a military operation instead of a pleasant outing. You have to be armed with a calculator and be alert at all times. This is where I have problems. I'm not as alert as I used to be and all the addition and multiplication makes me tired.
Anyone have any better ideas? I'd love to hear them. Maybe there is something I missed.
