Discount and Dollar store shopping…

I love shopping at Discount & Dollar stores. What fun. There are so many bargains but you have to know your prices to do it properly. My favorite store of this type is “Big Lots.” I buy the “Sun” laundry detergent there for $ 2.49 a bottle. Other items that I buy there are: Peanuts, cashews, dryer sheets, plastic trash bags, cleaning items, hair dye, toys, baby clothes, food and many other items. It’s actually my favorite place to shop. If you have never been in a” Big Lots”, you need to check it out.

Dollar stores and 99 cents stores are very familiar. One of my favorite things that I purchase there are greeting cards. You can get them for 2 for a $1.00. These are cards that you would pay $1.99 to $3.99 for in other stores. We have three weddings to go to in the next few weeks and a couple of showers so I have already bought the cards that I will need for these events. Why pay more when you can get the same cards for a fraction of the price. Please remember that these stores get items in as close-outs. You might see it there one week and it be completely gone the next week. If you see an item that you will use over and over again, I would suggest that you get what you want right then. Last year I found sliced black olives for 39 cents a can. I purchased all they had on hand. I use them quite a bit and I had been paying 89cents to $ 1.09 at the grocery store. It’s a good idea to look at the dates on these cans because many times they will be close to date. One thing that I do not buy at the dollar stores are dry cereals. I have found them to be stale and not so good. I am also careful about buying bottled juice. Check out the bottom of the bottle for sediment. You can tell if it is too old to buy. This time of year you can get a good price on suntan lotion and after sun products.

CAUTION ABOUT DOLLAR STORES: Don’t buy toothpaste from Dollar stores. I saw some information on the news a few months back that warned shoppers not to buy toothpaste from these kinds of stores. Many times they look like toothpaste you would buy from the grocery or drug stores, but they are not. Some of them are down right dangerous. They are look a likes of popular brands and they are packaged outside of our country and they are not up to safety specifications.

I found out by accident that the generic shampoos from dollar stores are watered down versions. These shampoo and conditions are made just for dollar stores. I started thinking about what else was watered down and I quit buying the generic mouth wash. When I went back to the name brand, I could tell the difference.

Watch for bargains, but don’t buy something you aren’t going to use just because it’s a good price. Remember: If you want to try something you have never tried before, only buy one and try it out before you buy more.

Be careful about purchasing long distance phone cards from these stores. Read all the rules before you buy. Some cards charge a fee every time you use the card and you usually have to use them by a certain date. The best place to buy Long Distance phone cards is Sam’s Wholesale Club. I buy one there that is like 850 minutes for $ 24.99. They do not charge a fee every time you use it and there is no expiration date. You can also call in and recharge the card when it gets low and get the same price. I love those cards.