A Guide to Shopping at Dollar Stores
Gregory DeVictor is a trivia enthusiast who loves to write articles on American nostalgia.
A Guide to Shopping at Dollar Stores
According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cost of feeding an American family of four a healthy diet can range from $146 to $289 a week. Here are the latest numbers for a four-member family:
- A thrifty food plan: $146 a week
- A low-cost food plan: $191 a week
- A moderate-cost plan: $239 a week
- A liberal plan: $289 a week
While you may have little control over your mortgage or property taxes, food costs are still one of the most flexible areas in the family budget.
Save Money by Skipping the Big-Box Stores
To keep your grocery budget fiscally fit week after week, why not forget the big-box discount stores and start doing some of your grocery shopping at the dollar store? This article is a guide to shopping at dollar stores.
Here are the four leading dollar store chains in the USA:
- 99-Cent Only Stores operates over 394 stores in California, Texas, Arizona, and Nevada. Dave Gold opened the first 99 Cents Only store in Los Angeles in 1982.
- Dollar General operates nearly 14,000 stores in 44 states, with more stores planned each year. Dollar General’s first store opened in Springfield, Kentucky, on June 1, 1955. Their concept back then was that no item in the store would cost more than one dollar.
- Dollar Tree operates over 13,500 stores throughout the 48 contiguous states and Canada. Their roots go all the way back to 1953 when K. R. Perry opened a Ben Franklin variety store in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, which he later renamed K&K 5&10.
- Family Dollar operates over 7,000 stores in 48 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. In 2014, Family Dollar was purchased by Dollar Tree, and the acquisition was finalized one year later. According to Keith Loria, Dollar Tree "plans to renovate 250 Family Dollar stores this year [2017] and expand frozen and refrigerated sections at an additional 300 stores. New layouts will include expanded snack and beverage offerings, immediate consumption courts near checkout, more adult beverage products, a faster checkout process and more."
10 Facts About Dollar Stores
- Dollar Tree and 99 Cents Stores are “true” dollar stores because everything is priced at $1.00 or less with no exceptions. However, Dollar General and Family Dollar are not “true” dollar stores because most of the merchandise is priced higher than $1.00.
- Dollar Tree stores tend to be located in the suburbs, while Dollar General generally has stores in both urban and suburban areas. For example, Dollar General has stores throughout the City of Erie (PA) as well as in other parts of Erie County, including Millcreek Township, Albion, Cambridge Springs, Conneaut Lake, Corry, Edinboro, Fairview, Girard, McKean, and Meadville.
- Richard Gottlieb tells us that there are now 30,496 dollar stores in the United States. To show you how big that is, drug store chains like Rite Aid, CVS, and Walgreens have a combined total of 22,396 stores. Mass merchandisers like Walmart and Target together have 5,979 stores. Supermarket chains like Kroger, Publix, Safeway, and Albertsons have a combined total of 7,443 stores.
- From time to time, you will probably come across dollar stores that are not a part of any major chain. Here is a partial list of independent dollar stores in the greater Pittsburgh area that have just one location: Dollar Hut, Dollar Max, Dollar & More, Dollar Plus, Dollar Store, Dollar Village, Dollar Wave, Dollar Zone, Just A Buck, and Parkside Dollar. By the way, there are also 8 Dollar Discount, 31 Dollar General, 15 Dollar Tree, and 24 Family Dollar stores in the greater Pittsburgh region.
- In addition to the brick-and-mortar dollar store chains, there are a number of online dollar stores that often have incredible deals. However, like Dollar General and Family Dollar, these stores aren’t “true” dollar stores since much of the merchandise is priced above $1.00. Here is the list: 5 Dollar Fashions, Axcesso Spot, Bargain Bunch, Dollar 1, Dollar Fanatic, Dollar Shave Club, Dollar Store, DollarItem.com, Five Below, H&J Closeout, Miss A, One Dollar Store, and Rosegal.
- Dollar stores tend to be smaller in size than traditional grocery stores. Some of them even have no more than 1,000 square feet of selling space. One notable example of this phenomenon was Dollar Spree, an independent dollar store that was once located in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. Dollar Spree closed late in 2017, possibly due to its poor location.
- You can buy brand-name products as well as private labels at dollar stores.
- Dollar stores now accept manufacturer’s coupons.
- Not everything at the dollar store is cheaper. For example, Andrea Woroch tells us that “Most electronics that plug in are junk and don’t last long, especially HDMI cords and power strips. When dealing with electronics, it’s best to purchase from a legit electronic retailer or an online store like Amazon.com for cheaper prices.”
- You can purchase any product that Dollar Tree sells online in bulk. Here’s how it works:
- Suppose that you want to buy Riverton Orchards Lemon Juice in the 32-ounce bottle online. To qualify, you must purchase a minimum of 12 bottles (one case) at $1.00 per unit for a grand total of $12.
- Here’s another example: Let’s say that you want to buy Love My Carpet Hawaiian Passion 2-In-1 Carpet & Room Deodorizer in the 14-ounce size online. To qualify, you would have to purchase a minimum of 12 units (one case) at $1.00 per unit for a grand total of $12.
- Here’s a third and final example: Suppose that you want to buy Sparkle Spirited Prints Paper Towels online. To qualify, you must purchase a minimum of 30 rolls (one case) at $1.00 per unit for a grand total of $30.
136 Dollar Store Bargains That You Can't Afford to Miss
- Acrylic gemstones
- Aluminum foil sheets
- Apple-scented candles
- Artificial flowers
- Asian hand fan
- Baby oil
- Baby powder
- Bags of colored sand
- Baking soda
- Ball mason jars
- Balloons
- Bath fragrances
- Beef and chicken broth
- Beer glasses
- Bingo markers
- Bleach
- Body lotion
- Book lights
- Brown paper lunch bags
- Bubble bath
- Butterfly garden stakes
- Butterfly wall stickers
- Buttons
- Cake decoration tips
- Calculators
- Canned fruits and vegetables
- Canned soups
- Clay pots
- Clothes pins
- Coffee filters
- Coloring and puzzle books
- Construction paper
- Cookie cutters
- Cookies, vanilla wafers, etc.
- Cooking spray
- Corn starch
- Cotton balls
- Cotton swabs
- Craft foam sheets
- Craft sticks
- Decorative gift bags and baskets
- Decorative tape
- Dental floss
- Die cut letters
- Double-sided tape
- Dried beans
- Drinking glasses and mugs
- Fabric flowers
- Fabric paint
- Fake snow
- Feathers
- Floral filler craft supply
- Fly swatters
- Gardening gloves
- Glass flower vases
- Glitter
- Glitter glue
- Glue sticks
- Granulated and light brown sugar
- Greeting cards
- Hand sanitizer
- Handy wipes
- Hardcover and paperback books
- Heart-shaped stickers
- Highlighters
- Holiday decorations (However, you should never buy holiday light strings or metallic Christmas garlands at the dollar store.)
- Holographic sheets
- Hula hoops
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Ice cube trays
- Jumbo street chalk
- Kitchen dish cloths
- Kites
- Large bowls for chips, snacks, etc.
- Led lights
- Lemon juice
- Letter banners
- Letter cutouts
- Letter wall art
- Locking plastic baggies
- Mailing labels
- Masking tape
- Medicated powder
- Metallic embellishments
- Natural raffia
- Neon paper starbursts
- Packing tape
- Paint brushes for craft projects
- Painters drop cloths
- Paper clips
- Paper gift bags
- Parchment paper
- Party supplies
- Patterned poster board
- Pens and paper
- Petroleum jelly
- Picnic supplies (packages of napkins with American flags, paper plates, plastic utensils, etc.)
- Plain craft sticks
- Plain white socks
- Plastic utensils
- Popsicle sticks
- Poster board
- Potting soil
- Power clips
- Push pins
- Rose petals
- Rubbing alcohol
- Ruled index cards
- Scotch tape
- Scouring pads
- Security envelopes
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Shaving cream
- Silk flowers
- Small flashlights
- Small picture frames
- Soda
- Spices and seasonings
- Sponges
- Spray bottles
- Spring water
- Star-shaped glass
- String
- Thrifty glassware
- Tissue paper craft kits
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Velcro
- Vinyl gloves
- Vinyl letters
- Watercolors
- Wax candles
- Wax paper
- Waxed basket liners
- Wooden clothespins
- Wrapping paper
- Yarn
What You Should Never Buy at the Dollar Store
- Batteries: You will find better quality and value at Target, Walmart, or even Aldi’s.
- Canola oil, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.: You will find much better quality at the grocery store, Trader Joe's,or Whole Foods.
- Earbuds and headphones
- Electrical cords: Try Home Depot or Lowe’s
- HDMI cables
- Holiday light strings and Christmas garlands
- Jewelry
- Kitchen utensils: The quality of these utensils is generally very poor.
- Magnifying glasses
- Makeup, mascara, lipstick, etc.
- Oven mitts
- Over-the-counter medications such as cold remedies
- Pet foods and treats
- Plastic food containers: Again, the quality of these food containers is generally very poor and may not be safe with food.
- Plastic trash bags: Years ago, my father bought some plastic trash bags at Dollar Tree and there were some very unpleasant consequences.
- Reading glasses
- Steak: Kiplinger.com tells us that "While $1 for a 3.5-ounce frozen ribeye is easy on the wallet, really, should you? The dollar-store steak is sliced razor thin and, according to the packaging, is beefed up by as much as 30% solution. One YouTube food reviewer likened the taste and texture to Steak-umm, the frozen, thin-sliced molded beef product that adorned many a childhood sandwich. We’ll pass."
- Tools: Don’t buy tools at the dollar store unless you’re planning to only use them a couple of times.
- USB chargers
- Vitamins and nutritional supplements: You will find better deals at the grocery store or Walgreens.
- Windshield washer fluid: Walmart and Target are better options.
250+ Grocery Items That You Can Buy for $1.00 at Dollar Tree
Here are over 250 grocery items that you can buy for $1.00 at Dollar Tree, one of America’s leading dollar-store chains. For your convenience, I have divided this section into the following categories:
- Beverages
- Canned Fruit
- Canned Meat & Fish
- Canned Soups, Broth, and Bouillon
- Canned Vegetables & Dried Beans
- Cereal
- Condiments & Baking
- Dairy
- Household Supplies & Paper Products
- Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Rice, Side Dishes, etc.
- Snacks, Breakfast Bars, Candy, etc.
- Spices & Seasonings
Beverages
- 12-Ounce Cans of Shasta Lemon Lime Soda, 4-count packs
- 12-Ounce Cans of Shasta Orange Soda, 4-count packs
- 12-Ounce Cans of Shasta Soda, 4-count packs
- 12-Ounce Cans of Shasta Tiki Punch Soda, 4-count packs
- All Natural Premium Black Tea Bags, 100-count boxes
- Arizona Green Tea, 42 ounce bottles
- Arizona Raspberry Tea, 42-ounce bottles
- Arizona Southern Style Sweet Tea, 42-ounce bottles
- Arizona Tea with Lemon Flavor, 42-ounce bottles
- Crystal Geyser 16.9-Ounce Natural Alpine Spring Water, 6-count packs
- Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water, one-gallon jugs
- Jarritos Mandarin Soda, 25.4-ounce bottles
- Jarritos Tamarind Soda, 25.4-ounce bottles
- Jumex Guava Nectar, 33.8 ounces
- Jumex Mango Nectar, 33.8 ounces
- Premium Green Tea Bags, 100-count boxes
- Propel Berry Flavored Water Beverage, 24-ounce bottles
- Propel Kiwi Strawberry Flavored Water Beverage, 24-ounce bottles
- Propel Watermelon Flavored Water Beverage, 24-ounce bottles
- Riverton Orchards Lemon Juice, 32 ounce-bottles
- Shasta Cola, 2.5-liter bottles
- Shasta Diet Cola, 2.5-liter bottles
- Shasta Orange Soda, 2.5-liter bottles
- Shasta Tiki Punch Soda, 2.5-liter bottles
- Shasta Twist Lemon Lime Soda, 2.5-liter bottles
- Stars & Stripes Cola, 2.75-liter bottles
- Stars & Stripes Diet Cola, 2.75-liter bottles
- Stars & Stripes Fruit Punch Soda, 2.75-liter bottles
- Stars & Stripes Grape Soda, 2.75-liter bottles
- Stars & Stripes Lemon-Lime Flavored Soda, 2.75-liter bottles
- Stars & Stripes Mountain Citrus Soda, 2.75-liter bottles
- Stars & Stripes Orange Soda, 2.75-liter bottles
- Stars & Stripes Root Beer, 2.75-liter bottles
- Sunny D Orange-Flavored Citrus Punch Drink, 56-ounce bottles
- Sweet Mate Sweetener Packets, 50-count packs
- Sweet Mate Zero Calorie Sweetener Packets, 100-count boxes
- Tevive Herbal Infusions Chamomile Tea Bags, 20-count packs
- Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink Boxes, 3-count packs
Canned Fruit
- Island Choice Mandarin Orange Cups, 3-count packs
- Island Choice Yellow Cling Diced Peach Cups, 3-count packs
- Libby’s Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup, 15-ounce cans
- Libby’s Peach Slices in Heavy Syrup, 15-ounce cans
- Libby’s Pineapple Chunks, 15-ounce cans
- Libby’s Premium Mandarin Oranges, 15-ounce cans
- Libby’s Sliced Pineapple, 15-ounce cans
Canned Meat & Fish
- Armour Original Vienna Sausage, 10-ounce cans
- Armour Original Vienna Sausages, 4.6-ounce cans
- Armour Potted Meat, 3.5-ounce cans
- Beach Cliff Sardines in Mustard Sauce, 3.75-ounce cans
- Beach Cliff Sardines in Soybean Oil, 3.75-ounce cans
- Brim’s Barbeque Pork Rinds, 8-ounce bags
- Brim’s Pork Rinds, 3-ounce bags
- Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 5-ounce cans
- Butterfield Farms Premium Chunk White Chicken, 5-ounce cans
- Hormel Pepperoni, 1.75 ounce packages
- Van Camp’s Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 5-ounce cans
- Van Camp’s Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water, 6-ounce cans
Canned Soups, Broth, and Bouillon
- Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup, 14.75-ounce cans
- Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup, 15.2-ounce cans
- Goya Powdered Chicken-Flavored Bouillon, 2.82-ounce boxes
- Hanover Chunky Beef Vegetable Soup, 15-ounce cans
- Hanover Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup, 15-ounce cans
- Hanover Chunky New England Chowder Soup, 15-ounce cans
- Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup, 15-ounce cans
- Healthy Choice Chicken with Rice Soup, 15-ounce cans
- Kendale Farm Beef Broth, 32 ounces
- Kendale Farm Chicken Broth, 32 ounces
- Kendale Farm Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup, 14.75-ounce cans
- Kendale Farm Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup, 14.75-ounce cans
Canned Vegetables & Dried Beans
If you have an Aldi store in your locale, you can purchase many of the canned vegetables listed below for less than $1.00. However, Aldi does not have stores in all parts of the USA, including in Northern California as well as in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. In addition, I have done price comparisons at my local supermarket for some of the Libby and Goya products listed below and found prices as high as $2.19 per unit.
- Brown’s Best Dry Northern Beans, 16-ounce bags
- Brown’s Best Dry Red Kidney Beans, 24-ounce bags
- Campbell’s Picnic Style Pork & Beans, 19.75-ounce cans
- Corina Diced Tomatoes, 28-ounce cans
- Goya Black Beans, 15.5-ounce cans
- Goya Chick Peas, 15.5-ounce cans
- Goya Premium Kidney Beans, 15.5-ounce cans
- Goya Premium Pinto Beans, 15.5-ounce cans
- Goya Small Red Beans, 15.5-ounce cans
- Hanover Brown Sugar & Bacon Baked Beans, 28-ounce cans
- La Rosa Black Beans, 16-ounce cans
- Libby’s Cut Green Beans, 14.5-ounce cans
- Libby’s French Style Green Beans, 14.5-ounce cans
- Libby’s Mixed Vegetables, 15-ounce cans
- Libby’s Sliced Beets, 15-ounce cans
- Libby’s Sliced Carrots, 14.5-ounce cans
- Libby’s Sweet Peas, 15-ounce cans
- Libby’s Whole Kernel Sweet Corn, 15-ounce cans
- Libby’s Whole White Potatoes, 15-ounce cans
Cereal
- Cap’n Crunch Cereal, 5.5-ounce boxes
- Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries, 4.4-ounce boxes
- Kellogg’s Apple Jacks, 3.1-ounce bags
- Kellogg’s Froot Loops Cereal, 3.1-ounce bags
- Kellogg’s Froot Loops Cereal, 3.1-ounce bags
- Malt-O-Meal Frosted Mini Spooners Cereal, 7-ounce boxes
- Malt-O-Meal Marshmallow Mateys Cereal Boxes, 7.8-ounce boxes
- Malt-O-Meal Tootie Fruitie Cereal, 6.8-ounce boxes
Condiments & Baking
- 1905 Apple Cider Vinegar, 32-ounce bottles
- 1905 White Vinegar, 32-ounce bottles
- All Purpose Flour, 2 pounds
- Baking Soda, 16-ounce boxes
- Bell’s Large Pitted Ripe Black Olives, 6-ounce cans
- Bell’s Medium Pitted Ripe Black Olives, 6-ounce cans
- Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix, 10.25-ounce packages
- Blazin Blends Zesty Steak Sauce, 10-ounce bottles
- Breckenridge Farms Kosher Baby Dills, 17-ounce jar
- Breckenridge Farms Kosher Dills, 17-ounce jars
- Breckenridge Farms Kosher Sandwich Slices, 17-ounce jars
- Breckenridge Farms Pickled Jalapeno Slices, 12.5-ounce jars
- Breckenridge Farms Stuffed Green Olives, 5-ounce cans
- Breckenridge Farms Sweet Relish, 12.5-ounce jars
- Calder’s Gourmet Real Mayonnaise
- Caribbean Joy Coconut Milk, 13.5-ounce cans
- Clemente Jacques Green Pickled Sliced Jalapenos, 12-ounce cans
- Clemente Jacques Pickled Whole Jalapenos, 26-ounce cans
- Deli Market Spicy Brown Mustard, 12 ounces
- Deli Market Yellow Mustard, 20 ounces
- Domino Granulated Sugar, 16-ounce boxes
- Domino Light Brown Sugar, 16-ounce boxes
- Golden Chef Vegetable Oil, 16-ounce bottles
- Greenbrier Farms Creamy Peanut Butter, 10-ounce jars
- Greenbrier Farms Creamy Peanut Butter, 10-ounce jars
- Harvest Hill Light & Fluffy Buttermilk Pancake Mix, 16.5-ounce boxes
- Harvest Hill Original Pancake Syrup, 24-ounce bottles
- Healthy Chef Canola Non-Stick Cooking Spray, 5-ounce cans
- Hospitality Graham Cracker Pie Crust, 9 inches
- Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup, 24-ounce bottles
- Kraft Classic Ranch Salad Dressing, 8-ounce bottles
- Kraft Zesty Italian Salad Dressing, 8-ounce bottles
- La Costena Green Pickled Whole Jalapenos, 12-ounce cans
- Lil’ Bear Honey Flavored Syrup, 8-ounce bottles
- Louisiana Brand Hot Sauce, 10-ounce bottles
- Maseca Instant Corn Messa Flour, 1.25-pound bags
- Mother’s Maid Cherry Pie Filling, 15-ounce cans
- Musselman’s Apple Pie Filling, 21-ounce cans
- Nestle La Lechera Sweetened Condensed Milk, 7.05-ounce cans
- Pampa Grape Fruit Spread, 19-ounce squeeze bottles
- Pampa Minced Garlic, 8-ounce jars
- Pampa Ripe Pitted Black Olives, 6-ounce cans
- Pampa Strawberry Fruit Spread, 19-ounce squeeze bottles
- Pillsbury Chocolate Frosting, 10-ounce containers
- Pillsbury Funfetti Vanilla Frosting, 9.6-ounce containers
- Pillsbury Traditional Chocolate Cake Mix, 15.25-ounce boxes
- Pillsbury Traditional Yellow Cake Mix, 15.25-ounce boxes
- Pillsbury Vanilla Frosting, 10-ounce containers
- Pure & Simple Coconut Non-Stick Cooking Spray, 6-ounce cans
- Riverton Valley Italian Salad Dressing, 16-ounce bottles
- Riverton Valley Ranch Salad Dressing, 16-ounce bottles
- Spring Farm Evaporated Milk, 12-ounce cans
- Supreme Tradition Worcestershire Sauce, 10-ounce bottles
- Tapatio Hot Sauce, 10-ounce bottles
- Texas Pete Hot Sauce, 6-ounce bottles
- Welch’s Grape Jelly, 9.5-ounce jars
- Wish-Bone Ranch Salad Dressing, 8-ounce bottles
Dairy
- Grossner Foods Premium 1% Milk, one quart
- Grossner Foods Premium 2% Milk, one quart
- Grossner Foods Premium Whole Milk, one quart
Household Supplies & Paper Products
- Bounce Outdoor Fresh Dryer Sheets
- Brillo Basics Copper Scour Pads, 3-count pack
- Brown Paper Lunch Bags, 40-count packs
- Cascade Fresh Scent Dishwasher Detergent Pods, 4-count packs
- Dawn Simply Clean Dishwashing Liquid, 12.6-ounce bottles
- Dawn Ultra Original Scent Dishwashing Liquid, 8-ounce bottles
- Durable Wax Paper, 65-ft.
- LA’s Totally Awesome Carpet Spot & Stain Remover, 32 ounces
- Palmolive Original Dish Liquid, 12.6-ounce bottles
- Parchment Paper, 25-ft rolls
- Pop-Up Aluminum Foil Sheets, 30-count packs
- Scotch-Brite Stainless Steel Scrubbing Pads, 2-count packs
- Scrub Buddies Colorful Scrubbing Pads, 3-count packs
- Scrub Buddies Disposable Gloves, 100-count packs
- Scrub Buddies Disposable Vinyl Gloves, 10-count packs
- The Home Store Heavy-Duty Oven Cleaner, 13-ounce cans
- The Home Store Plastic Wrap, 100 square feet
- The Home Store Ultra Dish Fresh Apple Detergent, 30 ounces
- The Home Store Ultra Dish Fresh Citrus Detergent, 30 ounces
- The Home Store Ultra Shine Dish Detergent Pods, 10-count packs
Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Rice, Side Dishes, etc.
- Campbell’s SpaghettiOs Original Pasta, 14.2-ounce cans
- Chef Boyardee Mini Ravioli, 15-ounce cans
- Chef’s Essence Classic Alfredo Pasta Sauce, 11.8-ounce jars
- Columbia Elbow Macaroni, 24-ounce boxes
- Columbia Enriched Wide Egg Noodles, 12-ounce bags
- Columbia Lasagne, 12-ounce boxes
- Columbia Penne Pasta, 24-ounce boxes
- Columbia Spaghetti, 24-ounce boxes
- Columbia Thin Spaghetti, 24-ounce boxes
- Hunt’s Premium Garlic & Herb Pasta Sauce, 24-ounce cans
- Hunt’s Premium Meat Flavored Pasta Sauce, 24-ounce cans
- Hunt’s Premium Traditional Pasta Sauce, 24-ounce cans
- Knorr Alfredo Pasta Sides, 4.4 ounces
- Knorr Cheddar Broccoli Rice Sides, 5.7-ounce packs
- Knorr Chicken Flavored Rice Sides, 5.6-ounce packs
- Kraft Mac & Cheese Dinners, 7.25-ounce boxes
- Loretta Deluxe Mac and Cheese, 12 ounces
- Pampa Long-Grained Rice, 32-ounce bags
- Paulie’s Pasta Shells & Cheese, 12-ounce boxes
- Rice-A-Roni Chicken Flavor, 6.9-ounce boxes
- Southgate Beef Stew, 15-ounce cans
- Southgate Chili with Beans, 15-ounce cans
- Vigo Spanish Yellow Rice, 9-ounce bags
Snacks, Breakfast Bars, Candy, etc.
- Airheads, 6-count packs
- Bauducco Chocolate Sugar Wafers, 5.82-ounce packs
- Bauducco Strawberry Sugar Wafers, 5.82-ounce packs
- Bauducco Vanilla Sugar Wafers, 5.82-ounce packs
- Coastal Bay Confections Cinnamon Mints, 1.76-ounce tins
- Fireside Marshmallows, 10-ounce bags
- Fireside Mini Marshmallows, 10.5-ounce bags
- French’s Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese Dip, 9-ounce cans
- French’s Nacho Cheese Dip, 8.5-ounce cans
- French’s Onion Dip, 8.5-ounce cans
- Frosted Strawberry Toast’em Pop-Ups, 6-count boxes
- Goya Chocolate Maria Cookies, 7-ounce packs
- Goya Palmeritas Cookies, 5.82-ounce packs
- Mini Snickers Candy, 12-count bags
- Muncheros Chili Lemon Botana, 4.5-ounce packs
- Muncheros Crunchy Chili-Lemon Flavored Peanuts, 4.25-ounce bags
- Muncheros Dried Pineapple & Papaya, 4.5-ounce bags
- Muncheros Hot & Spicy Peanuts, 4.25-ounce packs
- Nature Valley Oats ‘N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars, 4-count boxes
- Pampa Strawberry Sugar Wafers, 8-ounce packs
- Pampa Sugar-Free Vanilla Wafers, 7-ounce packages
- Pixy Stix Candy-filled Straws, 43-count packs
- Smarties Candy Rolls, 5.5-ounce bags
- Toast’em Pop-Ups Frosted Cookies & Creme Toaster Pastries, 11-ounce package
- Trolli Sour Bite Crawlers, 4.4-ounce bags
- Twisty Straw Lollipops
- Velveeta Cheese Sauce, 4-ounce packs
- Werther’s Original Hard Candies, 2.65-ounce bags
- Wonka Pixy Stix, 3.2-ounce bags
- Wonka Rainbow Nerds, 5-ounce boxes
Spices & Seasonings
These spices and seasonings are a terrific bargain because you would pay much more at the grocery store and even at Walmart or Target. For example, a 3-oz. jar of private-label Supreme Tradition Chili Powder costs $1.00 at Dollar Tree. You would pay up to $10.20 for three ounces of the brand-name at Target. The cost-per-ounce at Dollar Tree is 33.333 cents while the cost-per-ounce at Target is $3.40.
Here’s another example: A 2.25-oz. jar of private-label Supreme Tradition Ground Cayenne Pepper costs $1.00 at Dollar Tree. You would pay up to $7.07 for a comparable amount of the brand-name at Target. The cost-per-ounce at Dollar Tree is 44 cents while the cost-per-ounce at Target is $3.14.
Here’s a third example: A 3.17-oz. jar of private-label Supreme Tradition Chopped Onion costs $1.00 at Dollar Tree. You would pay up to $4.64 for a comparable amount of the brand-name at Target. The cost-per-ounce at Dollar Tree is 31.5 cents while the cost-per-ounce at Target is $1.46.
Here’s another example: A 3.17-oz. jar of private-label Supreme Tradition Crushed Red Pepper costs $1.00 at Dollar Tree. You would pay up to $3.04 for a comparable amount of the brand-name at Target. The cost-per-ounce at Dollar Tree is 31.5 cents while the cost-per-ounce at Target is $1.73.
Here’s a fifth and final example: A 2-oz. jar of private-label Supreme Tradition Ground Black Pepper costs $1.00 at Dollar Tree. You would pay up to $3.92 for a comparable amount of the brand-name at Walmart. The cost-per-ounce at Dollar Tree is 50 cents while the cost-per-ounce at Walmart is $1.96.
- Everyday Table Shakers Salt & Pepper Set
- Goya Sazon Seasoning, 8-packet boxes
- La Santa Maria Fine Sea Salt, 35.3-ounce boxes
- McCormick Bac’n Pieces Applewood-Smoked Bacon Flavored Bits, 1.87 ounces
- Natural Pepper Grinder, 1.5 ounces
- Natural Sea Salt Grinder, 3.1 ounces
- Old World Flavor Coarse Kosher Salt, 16 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Bacon Flavored Bits, 2.82 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Cayenne Pepper, 2.25 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Chili Powder, 3 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Chopped Chives, 0.35-ounces
- Supreme Tradition Chopped Onion, 3.17 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Crushed Red Pepper, 1.76 ounces
- Supreme Tradition French Fry Seasoning, 5 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Garlic Pepper Seasoning, 5.4 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Garlic Powder, 1.65 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Garlic Salt, 6.52 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Ground Basil, 0.95 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon, 3 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Ground Pepper, 2 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Imitation Vanilla Extract, 8 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Italian Seasoning, 1.23 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Lemon Pepper Seasoning, 4.65 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Onion Powder, 2 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Oregano Leaves, 1.23 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Paprika, 3.17 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Parsley Flakes, 0.49 ounces
- Supreme Tradition Salt-Free Seasoning Blend, 2.5 ounces
- U.S. Salt Iodized Salt, 26-ounce canisters
References
BestKeptSecret.com
TheSpruce.com
© 2018 Gregory DeVictor
Comments
Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on February 19, 2018:
Natalie, thank you for your comment. The article took a lot of work, but was worth it.
Natalie Frank from Chicago, IL on February 18, 2018:
Great article, Don. What a wealth of information! Thanks!
Vicki Wood from Eldon, Missouri on January 21, 2018:
lol yes about the trash bags. My daughter used to work there, she told me the only ones that are any good. My oldest child just moved to Pittsburg. Loves it there.
Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on January 21, 2018:
Vicki, thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it. I’ve been editing my article on and off throughout the weekend, so I don’t know whether you read the comment I made about my father and the trash bags that he bought years ago at Dollar Tree. I buy my trash bags at Giant Eagle, the major grocery store chain for the greater Pittsburgh area. (They work just fine.) I always see trash bags at Aldi when I shop there, but I pass them up every time. I will read your articles as well. Again, thanks for commenting.
Vicki Wood from Eldon, Missouri on January 20, 2018:
Our articles belong together. You have made an incredibly complete item/shopping list, I have written about the Dollar Tree recipes. please read and comment. I enjoyed your article especially the polls.