Dollar Store Finds to Stock Up On (2024)

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Preparedness, survival, and self-sufficiency tips that I can try myself and share my experiences on, from the perspective of a single gal on a strict budget. I plan to write about outdoor survival, wild edibles, cooking, food preservation, home-made household products, etc. If you want to know more, read "About Me and My Blog" below this. :)

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Dollar Store Finds to Stock Up On

Dollar Store Finds to Stock Up on
for Emergencies

Keep in mind, just because you can get something at a "dollar store" doesn't mean it's abetter deal. Take into account the quantity you will get, the quality, and what all you can use it for. Some items, even though the quality isn't as good, are so versatile and can be used for so many different things that they are still worthwhile stocking up on. It's a good idea to get the better qualityversions to go along with some of them though. For example, their duct tape and masking tape. I just sealed a door up for the winter and had to use the dollar store tape because I ran out of the good stuff, and it's just not sticking properly. It keeps coming loose. I definitely want to invest in some better quality tape for more emergent uses like sealing up windows and doors from (depending on where you live) cold in a power outage, dust storms, volcanic ash, fumes from a terrorist attack, etc. Still, the cheaper version can be useful for a lot of things. I do like their wide, clear, packing tape and use that for a lot of things.

Some items sound good but you don't get much likea bottle of Ibuprofen, for example. You only get40 pills (the store here). Equate Ibuprofen at Wal-Mart comes out to .56 cents per 40 pills.Also,you can get a better price at other stores (often a bigger quantity) for things like hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, bleach, cotton balls, etc. Some items are less than a dollar at other stores like baking soda and salt, just a couple I can think of off the top of my head. I haven't priced everything, but it's something to keep in mind.

Some things I like to stock up on just as a cheap backup when I can't afford to stock up a lot on the better quality products.For example, shampoo and conditioner, while I don't like their shampoos and conditioners, I've stocked up on them for emergencies. When the SHTF, you can't be too fussy; and I'm sure I won't be too concerned if my shampoo doesn't lather the way I like. ;) (I even made dry shampoo just in case there is a lack of water at some point. You can check that out here... (click here) Same with their dish soap. You can get a huge bottle for a dollar.While I prefer Dawn or Joy, and they work much better, the dollar store version will work ok in a pinch; and I feel much better having a couple huge bottles of cheap dish soap in the pantry than none at all since I can't afford to stock up on the good stuff right now.

Also note, off brands at dollar storesoften come from countries with loose regulations so may not be as safe; so use discretion. I think the main concerns were things like foods, electrical cords, pet food, toothpaste.

Some things to stock up on:

Solar Lights

Glow Sticks- I tried one, and it actually lasted a long time but they aren't very bright. I haven't tried any other onesto compare them with. Anyone compare them?

Dish Soap

Hand Sanitizer - Especially important during an epidemic.

Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Floss, etc. - I like to buy the same toothbrush each time because I get used to the size and shape; and the one I kept buying, I think, is about $6 now! It's just plastic for goodness sake!I finally decided to just get some cheap ones. I now get a pack of 2 for $1, and I like them just fine now that I got used to them. That's only 50 cents a piece. There have been concerns about off-brand toothpastes from places like China. I get my Close-Up there. I've used that since I was a kid. I've found those single-use Wisp toothbrushes there too, which are great for putting in a backpack. Not sure if they have them anymore. Some nice things they have are only temporary. :(

Shampoo, Conditioner, Misc. Toiletries

Paper Napkins - I priced these at Wal-Mart to compare, and the dollar store ones were cheaper, maybe not as good quality; but I get a pack of 160 at the Dollar Tree. I figure it can be used as emergency TP too, although you couldn't flush these. I don't think their TP, paper plates,or regular paper towels are a good deal as compared to some other stores or sale prices; but these paper napkins are nice to pick up, one or two, each time I go there.

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