9 Everyday Essentials I Will Buy Only at the Dollar Store

I’m a dollar store diva and proud of it. Like a kid in a candy store, I love to shop for knickknacks and household deals at chains like Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar. Even when I travel, I look for the local dollar store. The payoff? I still have a pair of yellow, glass teardrop earrings I scooped at a dollar store in Italy, and anytime I’m in Los Angeles I make a mad dash into 99 Cents Only, where I’ve found treasures like fashion scarves, tourist T-shirts and toys for my cat.

Consumer experts don’t recommend buying canned foods, which may be cheaper than $1 at your supermarket.

Want to join in on the frugal fun? Know what to pounce on and what to pass up at these economical emporiums. Consumer experts don’t recommend buying canned foods, which may be cheaper than $1 at your supermarket. Ditto for off-brand health and beauty products because dollar store versions may irritate skin, be more diluted than brand-name buys or expired. But here are nine types of products you’ll be glad you paid $1 for (Holla!). Plus, I’ll show you a savings breakdown of what you’d spend on the same or similar items at Target or Walmart. Of course prices change, but here’s what I found. Let the bargain shopping begin!

1. Reading glasses

Have you ever lost an expensive pair of reading glasses on vacation or during your daily commute? Well, thanks to the dollar store you can keep a few extra pairs on standby. Similar reader styles sell at Walmart for $18 and up!

Savings: $17

2. Office supplies

Stock your office with useful supplies like a mini dry-erase board with marker, eight clasped envelopes, and a four-pack of ballpoint pens. Your Walmart tally for similar items would be $6.68 for the dry-erase board, $3.12 for four ballpoint pens and $2.37 for six clasped envelopes.

Savings: $9.17

3. Hair accessories

For your tiny dancer or you on a bad hair day, save on trendy headbands, head wraps, hair clips and hair ties for less. At Target, similar hair accessories start at $3.79 for headbands, $4.99 for head wraps, $1.99 for hair ties and $2.49 for plastic hair clips.

Savings: $9.26

4. Greeting cards

Need a cute or sappy card for a birthday, Mother’s Day or to say thank you? Your dollar store has got you covered, often nicely pricing two cards for $1. By comparison, at Target greeting cards range from $4.99 each.

Savings: $8.98

5. Puzzle and activity books

Keep your mind sharp with jumbo large-print word search and keep your kids busy with coloring and activity books. Similar items will run you $8 per word search book and $3.99 per kids’ coloring and activity book at Walmart.