The Dollar Store is appealing—so many goods for, clearly, just a dollar. However, despite the deals enticing shoppers into the store, some items should never be put in your cart, despite their low prices.
Toys
While affordable, toys at the Dollar Store are a hard pass. Often constructed poorly, these toys present a danger to children. Pieces and parts break, causing potential choking hazards as well as disappointment. Go ahead and buy toys of higher quality to protect the little ones and extend the toy’s life.
Batteries
Carbon-zinc batteries do not last as long as alkaline batteries, and the Dollar Store sells carbon-zinc batteries with a warning. Not only do they last less long, but they can damage devices or toys intended to keep them going. Spend the money on alkaline batteries, and it may actually save you money in the long term.
Garbage Bags
Buying trash bags from the Dollar Store might make the household chore of emptying the trash much more difficult. Dollar Store garbage bags are weaker, potentially equaling trash bags ripping and spilling on the ground. It is worth the extra few dollars for a sturdy trash bag.
Skin Care
If it is not a name skincare brand being sold at the Dollar Store, skip it. Products deteriorate over time, especially those with SPF and it can be hard to determine how long products have been on the shelf.
School Supplies
Getting kids ready for back-to-school or even replacing supplies mid-year can be tempting at the Dollar Tree. However, the quality of the items will send you back to the store again, costing even more money. Stick with big box stores or buy bulk supplies to keep the kids prepared in class.
Tools
The last thing you need amidst a home improvement project is to injure yourself or be unable to complete the project. Tools at the Dollar Store are likely to be less sturdy than tools sold by the local hardware store or even Home Depot.
Food
Quality and freshness are essential to food. Both perishable and non-perishable food at the Dollar Store can be questionable because of shelf life. Ignore the temptation to add dinner staples to your cart. Buying food from the grocery store or even wholesale clubs is a safer and tastier bet.
Plastic Food Storage
The likelihood of finding safe, non-BPA food storage options at the Dollar Store are low. Whether cooking with them or putting them in the dishwasher or the microwave, heat releases harmful toxins in certain plastics. Better to play it safe and avoid the cheap storage options unless you plan to use them for non-food storage.
Paper Products
Of course, the price is tempting, but the quality of the roll of toilet paper or those paper towels is not worth it. Either a name brand will be sold at the Dollar Store, but will not be priced as well as a big box store, or, the generic option will be cheap, but the rate of use will be high due to the quality. Save the paper product purchases for another store.
Electronic Chargers
Phones and laptops are costly. Most off-brand chargers will not last and could potentially short-circuit your device. Shelling out a few extra dollars for a good charger that will keep your devices working.
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