Is Shopping at a Dollar Store worth it?

If you are on a tight budget, it's tempting to shop at a dollar stores.  With prices fixed at just a dollar an item, it's easy to stay within a budget.  However, we've begun to question the values we get at our local dollar stores.

Dollar Store at Landmark Mall - photo by Ser Amantio di Nicolao [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Are we getting the most for our money at dollar stores?  Often the answer seems to be no.  Cheap toilet paper may do in a pinch, but when you are working with what appear to be half-sized rolls of toilet paper, you run out a lot.  If you use super cheap batteries, they run out of power faster.  If you buy cheap dollar store shampoo and it makes your scalp red and itchy that isn't much of a bargain.  You have to consider the quality and the cost per unit of things you buy at a dollar store.

Generally, you get more of a product for the money when you buy a product at a grocery store or big box retailer than at a dollar store.  However, in some cases, when you don't need as much of a product or its just an occasional purchase, a dollar store makes more sense.  The key thing to think about is whether you are getting a good value for your dollar no matter where it is spent.

We find dollar stores a great place to purchase gift bags, greeting cards, seasonal decorations, some office supplies, tooth brushes, and toothpaste.