25 Amazing Finds at the Dollar Store
The Intentional Mom Planning System is where you need to start with our incredible collection of product options. It will help you establish the basics for your life & home so you’ll finally have a plan, save yourself time, and go to bed feeling like you accomplished something every day (because you did). Save up to 60% HERE!
Are you wondering about some amazing finds at the dollar store?
The dollar store is an amazing place to find the most surprising things at time, and not all dollar stores are the same. Sometimes it amazing me how they can only change a dollar for things that cost more than five or six times that at a different store at times.
I am blessed to have a dollar store right up the street, so it is easy for me to check there first for whatever it is I am looking for before just heading to a typical store.
- Jewelry. The other day I found jewelry still in bags with Kmart tags on them priced from $15 to $20. There were name branded jewelry items like Jennifer Lopez super cute things. So I asked the woman who works there how they got all of these things. She explained that stores can be really finicky. If a delivery was due at a certain time and was late, they can refuse that shipment and often do. Then the distributor notifies stores like theirs, and they can come in and buy them for pennies on the dollar. She explained that they receive deals like this all the time on various items, not just jewelry, and the items only remain in the store for a day most times.
- Socks. My store has packs of kids socks, and the ones they have for infants stay on better than any other sock I have found.
- Bandaids. They have variety packs with various sizes and the waterproof ones, too.
- Brushes. With kids going back and forth to practices and everywhere else, with four girls we lose several brushes a year. Much less painful if they only cost $1.
- Nail polish. My store has an extensive collection of colors and types to choose from, even the sparkly ones.
- Gloves. Nothing thick or fancy, but the thinner ones you would wear outside if it was only a little bit chilly. Since these somehow manage to get lost around here, too, again not too painful at this price.
- Hair things like headbands, fun ponytail holders, and clips.
- Clothes pins. Since I use them for hanging laundry and they are in several busy bags and preschool activities, we usually go through a fair amount.
- Wrapping paper/gift bags. The paper quality is not great, but for kids gifts I find it works well since they never notice the wrapping job anyway.
- Greeting cards. My store doesn’t have a huge selection, but I do look here first when I need a greeting card.
- Craft/school supplies. Basic craft supplies along with things we use for making busy bags are often found here. Note cards, notebook paper, and colored pencils are at my store, too.
- Kitchen utensils. Again the quality is not the same, but on certain things it doesn’t really matter. I have found that whisks fall apart in my home no matter how much they cost. They all only last a year or two. I also have gotten wooden spoons from my store, these have been fine over the past few years that I have had them.
- Body lotion. These are just as nice as what you can buy anywhere else. I think at times they get them in the same way they do the jewelry.
- Coloring/activity books. My kids go through these like crazy, especially because we homeschool. My store has a great selection, too.
- Kids books. There are even board books at times. One can never have too many books, really.
- Spices. I am not sure on how the quality would compare in your opinion, but they have always worked fine for me. My store has several to choose from.
- Container storage. Stackable bins, open basket type, shoe box with lids type, these can all be found here.
- Food storage containers. My store has an extensive collection of these including name brands at times. What you will pay $4 or more for in the store you can often find here.
- Flip flops. Nothing fancy. Just basic flip flops.
- Toys, within reason. I find you need to be selective with toys since some just break, but some of the ones that my kids like best have come from here. We have some soft plastic cars that my boys love. My middle aged boys like action figures, animal figures, and certain cars that have come from here.
- Balloons. They have balloons for all occasions.
- Kids themed items like notepads, pencils, or figures. When I have girls who are into Disney princesses or boys who are in to Thomas or Cars and things like this, I have always been able to find treasures here.
- Scrapbook paper and items. Paper, die cuts, and stickers, you will find all these things here.
- Simple things for a tool box like razor blades, basic screwdrivers, tape measure.
- Stocking stuffers. Stop by the store often during the Christmas season. Their inventory is always changing and geared toward having stocking stuffer type gifts.
- Pregnancy tests. I had to add this because I am often questioned about the effectiveness of the tests found at the dollar store. In my experience, these are completely accurate, and I have had them register positive as early as two days before a missed period. PREGNANCY TEST TIP: Turn the box over, and look for the number that tells you at what level hCG can be detected. Most tests maintain that they can identify this hormone at 40 mIU (this is the measurement that you are looking for), but some are labeled at 25 mIU or even less. When this is the case, this a test that should give you a positive result sooner than a test that detects it at 40 mIU. The dollar store near me measures at the 15-25 mIU, which makes it a very effective test and one that has registered early for me.
Dollar stores really are a treasure trove at times. The ones I go to have ever-changing inventory added in as well as the things I know I will be able to find like I have listed here.
What treasures have you found?
