The dollar store is truly a miracle of modern consumerism. There are aisles after aisles and shelves after shelves of cheap bargains, even at the ‘dollar’ stores that charge more than a $1.25 (the going rate) for items. The following is a list of bargains you can find at most dollar stores.
- Cards. This one I have issues with because even with the rock bottom prices at the dollar store, it is far cheaper to buy a variety pack of cards online. The pack I bought online came with 40 cards and cover nearly every occasion and event. The total price broken down means I am spending about $.32 cents a card. That being the case, some holidays are not included in that pack, so I pick up the rest at the Dollar Store.
- Vases. This is where you can get crafty. Buy cheap vases, spray the outsides with ordinary spray paint and decoupage away. You can make some very cool decor without any sort of talent or skill; trust me I know.
- Cake stands. While I love a vintage cake stand, they are pricy so you can also make a bunch of them with decorative plates (decoupaged or not) and some candlesticks or wine glasses as the bases.
- Some foods. Pastas, dried beans and spices tend to be of decent quality at the dollar store as do some canned goods.
- Party supplies. While anything plastic goes against my drive to achieve zero waste and help save the planet, you can still get seasonable supplies for any party that are cheap and plentiful.
- Gardening supplies. You can buy tools, pots and even seeds for a song.
- Glass containers. I find my replacement (for plastic) food storage containers at the dollar store for pennies compared to other stores.
- Laundry baskets. Hear me out on this one. This is a versatile buy for sure. Aside from the obvious, you can use them to pack smaller grocery bags safely in the car. Or line with plastic (poke drainage holes in both the basket and liner) and you have a planter for vegetables. The baskets can be used to corral toys for both kids and pets and as larger organizers for your pantry and linen closet.
- Organizing trays. I got nearly all my Lazy Susans from the Dollar Store and many of my other trays. Cheap and infinitely versatile, you can organize a whole lot for very little cost.
- Wrapping paper. Buy the brown butcher or shipping paper and stamp it or have the kids color on it for a fun wrapping solution.
- Notebooks. I can never have enough, and the dollar store versions are plentiful and budget friendly.
- Some cooking utensils. Buy the metal versions as they tend to last longer than plastic and are friendlier to the environment.
- Specialty glasses. Not everyone needs martini or margarita glasses but if you do? Get them cheap at the Dollar Store.
- Candy. You can even find the versions from your childhood here.
- Fake flowers. I filled the urns on my front porch for pennies on the dollar versus the outlandish cost of silk flowers. They are fun for crafting too, see below.
- Markers and most other school supplies. When she was little, my now-grown daughter was frankly terrible about letting me know in advance when school projects were due when so to avoid 10 p.m. runs to any store we might find open, I changed tactics. At the beginning of every school year, we would hit the dollar store for poster board, and every possible art and craft supply she could ever need, including papier mache. When she invariably ‘forget’ about some project that had to be done by the very next morning, I would calmly point to the downstairs closet which she knew held all the supplies she would need. Hilariously, I recently discovered she now does the very same thing with her own kids. When it works, it works. And those science project volcanoes are still being made by the next generation of my family.
17. Seasonable decor. I do not normally buy a lot of this but if you are the crafty sort and like to change out your decor seasonally, check out the dollar store for cheap options.
18. Cleaning supplies. My partner once asked me to find him some Spic and Span because he was convinced that it was the only cleaning product that would clean our floors. Imagine his delight when I drove him straight over to the dollar store and found what he needed. I get my sponges and scrubbers there as well.
19. Travel size options for lotions, shampoo and more. If you don’t like the brands there, no problem, just get the little travel bottles and fill them with your own preferred brands.
20. Some tools. If you really need another hammer or screwdriver, consider buying them at the dollar store. They normally are not used a lot so if you use them infrequently, the dollar store is a good bet.
Papier Mache Flowers
Supplies:
Flour
Water
Plastic flowers from the dollar store
Paint brush from the dollar store
Acrylic paints from the dollar store
Clear coat spray paint (optional)
Method:
Mix one part flour to two parts water into a glue-like paste and ‘paint’ the flowers, coating each one well. Let dry. Repeat until you have the desired effect. This could take a few days. Paint when dry. You can spray the flowers with clear coat once done.
###
the house behind 