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Mark Lennihan / AP
ShopSmart surveyed 1,500 women and found that about 76 percent of them say they shopped at a dollar store in the past year. Three out of four are going there more often than they did in the past.
Want to save money on household products like cereal, napkins, soap and toothpaste? Then maybe you should check out your local dollar store.
According to a just-released survey of dollar store prices by ShopSmart magazine (from the publisher of Consumer Reports), you can save a bundle there on grocery products and household items.
"Dollar stores are no longer the junky outlets they used to be and there are big savings to be had – even on brand-name products," said Lisa Lee Freeman, ShopSmart’s editor-in-chief.
Big-chain dollar stores like Dollar General, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree are bright and cheery. They have a wide variety of merchandise. Some even accept coupons. Maybe that’s why more people – and not just those on a limited budget – are shopping at dollar stores these days.
“Upscale shoppers are going to the dollar store, too,” said ShopSmart’s senior editor Jody Rohlena. “They’re looking to save money just like everyone else.”
By the way, not everything at a dollar store is a $1 or less. At Dollar General, it’s about 25 percent of the merchandise. Most items cost less than $10, although you may find a few seasonal items at a higher price.
ShopSmart surveyed 1,500 women and found that about 76 percent say they shopped at a dollar store in the past year. Three out of four are going there more often than they did in the past.
Their favorite things to buy are party supplies, paper and plastic goods (such as napkins, cups and flatware), cleaning supplies, toiletries (like soap and toothpaste) and storage containers.
ShopSmart’s mystery shoppers went to Dollar General and Family Dollar to check prices on 38 everyday products. Then they compared those prices with Target, Walmart and some supermarkets.
“Walmart had the lowest prices on most items,” Rohlena said. “Supermarkets had the highest prices by far. But dollar stores were really competitive.”
Related: Do you make $30,000 a year or less? We want to hear from you.
ShopSmart found big savings – as much as 28 percent – on some brand-name products at the dollar stores when compared to supermarket prices. The best deals were on two-liter bottles of Coke, Lipton tea bags, Planters mixed nuts, Heinz ketchup and Jif peanut butter.
But you can save even more on the store’s private-label brands. That’s right -- dollar stores are developing their own brands of oatmeal, cereal, bathroom cleaner, flour, even cranberry juice cocktail.
ShopSmart found that these store brands are 29 percent less, on average, than national brands. That’s a better deal than the 25 percent you can save on store brands at Walmart and supermarkets or the 15 percent savings at Target.
But not everything at the dollar store is a bargain.
“Don’t buy coffee and don’t buy Tide detergent there,” Rohlena tells me. “We don’t know why, but those were the worst deals.”
The Maxwell House Original Roast ground coffee (11.5 ounces) was $5.06 at Family Dollar versus $3.89 at Walmart. The 100-ounce Tide detergent was $14.31 at Dollar General and only $11.97 at Walmart.
Note: ShopSmart suggests you check the expiration date before buying food or medication in a dollar store. Items with expiration dates (such as perishable and frozen foods) were the No. 1 thing survey respondents said they never buy at a dollar store. The editors advise against buying off-brand vitamins at these stores.
The bottom line
Dollar stores have come a long way in the last few years. If you haven’t been in one recently, you may be missing out on significant savings. The merchandise is better, the selection is greater and the shopping experience is significantly improved. To get the most bang for your buck, check the store brands.
The big dollar stores have retail Web sites, but many of the products sold online are only available by the case. The editors at ShopSmart say if it’s a product you use regularly, maybe toilet paper, buying a large quantity can be an economical way to stock up.
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Leave a Comment:
Yup, we all need to save money. As this country continues to circle the bowl, you can bet a lot more low-priced outlets will pop up. We'll be the third world before you know it!!
Basically use Dollar Tree to buy my bathroom and kitchen cleaning supplies
We've got a bigger collapse coming, and not just of the markets but of the economy. Its like what you're seeing in Europe right now, only worse. Were gonna cut, I mean cut Govt. spending.The easiest way to put it, is that everything you don't think could possibly happen in America, will come to be. Everyone will be shopping at the Dollar Store. I would get out of Treasuries, and buy silver and gold. Buy the right foreign stocks.
OK Henny Penny! Are you an economist? Didn't think so.
Just because the word "Dollar" is in the title, doesn't make it a dollar store. A dollar store is where everything is for a dollar. You don't need to send a mystery shopper because you already know the price. The others that are mentioned in the article are just discount stores like Big Lots.
Dollar Tree is a true "dollar store." Family Dollar is not. I'm not sure about Dollar General. I don't know why so many stories about dollar stores get this wrong.
In my opinion Dollar General is NOT cheap. They even drop the generic brands of soda to sell the name brands. Better off at Walmart. Sorry, people, Walmart gets a lot of my business and I am happy with them.
I shop at the local Dollar Tree where everything IS a dollar and i save huge on dish soap, sponges, cleaning supplies, shampoo, aluminum foil. But the best time I have is around late October. They bring out some really awesome Christmas ornaments. One thing I have learned though is buy them the day you see them cause if you go back in a week they are usually all gone. I couldn't live without the local Dollar Tree. It's a fundamental priority in my life.
Let me know if they sell a quart of motor oil for $1. It's about $3 at most "dollar stores."
@6.1 Yes, certain Dollar Trees DO sell motor oil. Depends on the size of the store I guess. I know we have 2 of them here, the larger store (supermarket size) carries it, but the smaller strip mall version does not.
I buy a lot of hygiene items there. Pack of triple blade razors, 8 for $1. Use once or twice, and toss them out. Tylenol, Advil, stuff like that too. Also a great place to get batteries. I buy packs of 8 Sunbeam brand batteries, again for $1. Use them in my keyboard and mouse, other remote controls. They aren't good enough for cameras or anything like that though.
They also do have a great selection of foods and candy. For $1, even if the store brand sucks, you're not out much. They do carry a lot of national brands too.
I am all for finding a bargain, and I have no problem buying cleaning supplies from a dollar store. BUT, for those who are constantly writing on these threads ranting about buying products of the USA, where do you think MOST of the stuff in dollar stores come from? Most of the products are labeled as "Distributed by........." or "Made for........." I never buy food from the dollar stores, even if it has a "USA" brand name. I have already ingested my share of melamine and lead, thank you very much.
Out of curiosity, I looked at the labels from several 'store brand' products in my pantry. There is was, Harris Teeter oatmeal, "Proudly distributed by: Harris Teeter, Matthews, NC." No mention of where it was manufactured. On the other hand, Country Choice multi grain hot cereal from Trader Joe: "Product of USA." This still does not indicate where the grains were grown, but at least there is a chance it was USA. Unfortunately, the Trader Joe cereal cost a LOT more than the Harris Teeter brand.
We also have a Fred's in my area. Great prices. Love it.
I buy a variety of products at Family Dollar and Dollar General, and use many of their store-brand items; they're just as good. Because something costs more doesn't necessarily make it any better. Dollar stores are all over my area - it's basically all most of us here can afford.
Critical times hard to deal with, will be here. So these dollar store will be helpful and
probably profit. Just like the first one 99 cent stores.
Been buying at Dollar Tree for many years, but yes! DO check the label where it came from! I nix anything from China except faux perfume and that I buy in quantity for $1 ea. and ship to Philippines to sell for $3 each in Sari-Sari store, also lipstick and other makeup! Tried sardines once, never again, horrible! other foodstuffs is ok if actually made in USA. Old saying! you get what you pay for!
Whoever wrote the headline must be a spoiled, ignorant trust-fund baby. Since when was a person a "cheapskate" just for shopping at a dollar store?
I don't know about you, but I am proud to be a cheapskate. Jack Benny is my all-time hero!
Some of us have to be "cheapskates" to TRY and live within our means.
$1 for a 4-pack of TP! Got to love a store with that.
$1 for a 4-pack of TP! Great value when you're "wiped out."
Best bargains in town on basics. Some things are a bit higher than other stores (But I'm already there) The smaller quanities is what I like. Perfect for single people on a budget. Things sell fast>>>>> so get it when ya see it. Shop early cause afternoon check out takes forever. I'm speaking of Dollar Tree.
I buy Dollar General toilet paper that is just like Scott tissue. I also go to a store name Fred's. Fred's doubles coupons up to $0.75 on Saturdays. None of the other stores do that. Also dollar stores have had their own brands for many years. You can safely buy OTC drugs at dollar stores including vitamins if you go to a store that has a good turn over in their products. Most of the stores that were mention in this article shou;d have a good turn over in these products. One thing that I do not buy at dollar stores is dogfood. Even at today's prices, Wal-Mart comes in better for this item if your dog only eats that brand.
I only go to Dollar tree it is a ture dollar store and some times they have sales two for a dollar. However some thing's are not a savings like toilet paper 4- roll packs are one,I found that I used more and more it's cheaper to buy a 12-pack at bi-mart. But there are alot of savings to be sure,like sponze mops and cleaning so I will still shop there alot more. I would never go to Dollar General if I saw some thing for 12.00 at a Dollar store I would never go there again.
Please take your family to shop only at Kwik-e-mart. Thank you, come again...