Dollar Store Pros and Cons

Ahh…the dollar store, let me count the ways - one…one…one, etc. I don’t frequent the dollar stores on a weekly basis but the savings there are immeasurable. The only cons I could come up with for shopping at dollar stores are you may have to do some extra driving after you have already gone to the grocery store, I wouldn’t recommend buying a lot of food at the dollar store although I have found that candy is always great from there, you may not find the exact name brand of an item if that is your desire. Now, for the pros I will dedicate the rest of this page to the power that lies within the dollar store.

First, I will tell you that there are differences with dollar stores, the “true” dollar stores are the ones in which everything in the store is $1. The other dollar stores have discounted items which are definitely still cheaper than buying at retail cost at the grocery store. The items I like to buy at the “true” dollar store are gift bags, wrapping paper, birthday and occasional cards, body wash, candy, magazines, baby powder, cleaning supplies and cat toys. It is always a good idea to have a few extra gift bags, paper and some cute but ambiguous birthday cards for the unexpected office co-worker birthday. There are always notebooks, stationary and inexpensive toys at the dollar store that would be great as gifts for kids especially if you are a teacher and have a gift grab bag in your classroom.




Cleaning supplies are sometimes a trial and error experience but a lot of times you can find the brand that works just as well as the name brand items and sometimes they have the actual name brands there for $1. These are my favorite stores when I do not have much money and want to buy something new, although (caveat emptor), you may leave the store spending $30-40 because everything’s just $1 and you may get carried away. The other dollar stores are where I like to buy batteries, soap, shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, aspirin, cold medicine, curtains, tablecloths and storage supplies. These items will cost you more than $1 but they are at a deeper discount than at the grocery store and you can typically find your favored brand here.

Sometimes I might stock up on certain things so that they are always on hand at home so that I won’t be stuck paying a higher price for the same items at the grocery store. These items are soap, deodorant, gift bags, cards, paper, tape, and toothpaste. Another thing that dollar stores are really good for are if you like to craft, scrapbook or simply like to make things. There is usually a section in the store that has stickers, decorator rocks, faux flowers and they are cheap enough if you make a mistake - oh well, try, try again. I have yet another challenge for you - look at your next grocery bill and take it with you to a dollar store to compare what you might have saved or vice versa, take the dollar store bill to the grocery and see who finishes first…

The New and Improved Thrift Store

Some of our ideas about thrift stores are probably pretty dated. One can picture digging through mounds of garbage in a dusty room only to find one pretty cool vintage shoe or a book that may sound interesting but mainly just layers of junk. That, unfortunately, is true of some of the local thrift stores out there today. However, I have worked for consignment and thrift stores for the past four years and I am here to dispel what you might think is the truth about thrift stores. You can find so many wonderful and surprising things at thrift stores and consignment stores. I have dedicated a portion of the home page to show what types of items I have actually purchased from thrift stores, what I paid for them and how much they cost at retail value. It is so much fun to get a great outfit knowing you paid less than a half tank of gas.

Some may be disgusted at the idea of buying used items but if you wash them, there is truly nothing to be afraid of. Besides, who knows where new items are stored and what kind of conditions your new clothes go through before they arrive at a store. First, I suggest looking up all of the thrift stores in your area and checking them out. Through my experiences as a thrift store maven, I have found that different stores have a “best of” category. Let me explain - one thrift store I may go to because I know they have the best jewelry selection, another may have the best book selection, and yet another holds the title for best clothing selection. Although I do suggest looking through all departments because the best thing about thrift stores is you never know what you might find. I have found for example Chanel sunglasses, Abercrombie clothing, Hollister clothing and what I love best about thrift stores is the ability to find affordable vintage clothes.

I like to mix and match clothing from different eras and I have found some truly remarkable vintage clothes at - you guessed it - the thrift store I have deemed best for finding vintage clothes. I cannot give out any pertinent information of the stores where I have worked however, I do have some savvy insider information that anyone can abide by. First, scope out your local thrift stores and find which ones you deem to be the best for you. Next, find out when they have sales. A lot of thrift stores have an end of the month sale or even a weekly sale where the already discounted items are more than half-off. You may experience long lines and chaos during these sales but get there early and know what you are looking for. I have seen parents buy all four of their children’s school clothes for the year for $100! I bought the Abercrombie skirt (pictured above) for 75 cents and I bought the Chanel sunglasses (pictured above) for $10!

True, you may not be able to find everything you need at a thrift store but you can afford to furnish your wardrobe for next to nothing and no one is the wiser. The next tip I can give you is ask when the store production is there. If production is off for the day there will be no new items coming out to the floor that day so you would probably want to be there about midday on a day when the production is up and running to find fresh items. So, I have a challenge for you - find your local thrift stores, see what you can find, and see if I was right…

Thrift-In the New Year

Let’s face it - we have no idea what 2009 might bring. We can make idle resolutions and reflect on the previous years’ mistakes and misgivings but we still are not sure, financially, what the future will hold. Here’s what we do know - the economy is on a downward spiral into the abyss as is our concept of stability and safety financially. Some of us are unsure if, when and where our next paycheck will be coming from. Some of us are having to make the dollar stretch way further than seemingly possible. Gas prices are down (for now) but everything else is way up, yet it seems we are still getting paid the same, if at all. Well, HELP IS ON THE WAY!

I am a college graduate and I have never landed the dream job you are so aptly believed to get once you graduate. I have diligently applied for jobs from office work to factory to retail, but I have yet to bring in any malleable cash flow. I have been living this way all of my adult life, so when the economic crisis began to rear its ugly head, honestly, things were not that different for me. I am dedicating this website to share with you how to be thrifty, how to stretch your dollar, how to save money and where to save money. I don’t clip coupons or wash the same paper towel until it disintegrates but on my meager income I have plenty of food to eat, wear designer clothes, have a beautifully decorated living space and have zero debt. I am by no means living the “high life,” but I would love to share with you how you can achieve a thrifty lifestyle and remain stylish and content.

Also, it is so much fun when someone asks you how much you paid for the beautiful outfit you’re wearing and their mouth gapes open when you tell them under $20. Besides, doesn’t it make more sense to save your money for the more important things in life such as vacations, a home, a college education, or smart investment rather than wasting it on “stuff?”

I will be featuring actual items on this website that I have purchased and how much I paid for them and then show you how much this item would sell at retail value. Also, I will share the multitude of ways you can be thrifty with gifts, décor, clothing and artwork. Remember what’s important in life - friends, family, love, health and happiness and everything else is just stuff, and I’ll show you how to rock your own style on a thrifty budget. So let’s clear out the clutter and make way for a thriftier state of mind…