Be Frugal Today #8: Take Your Shopping List to the Dollar Store First (8/365)
Let’s be frugal today with Home Ever After, thrifty mommas! Welcome to day 8 of 365 in the Be Frugal Today frugal tips series. Be Frugal Today #8 is how to save money on grocery shopping when you take your shopping list to the dollar store first.
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Be Frugal Today #8: Take Your Shopping List to the Dollar Store First
I always take my grocery shopping lists to the dollar store before I head to the grocery stores. You would be amazed at how many things I cross off my shopping list because I find them at the dollar store! My favorite dollar store in my town is the 99 Cents Only store, where everything is just $1 once you figure in sales tax.
Make the dollar store your first stop on your drive to the grocery store. I advise you to quickly go through each aisle, scanning for items on your grocery shopping list. You may see some clearance specials that will aid you in building your pantry stockpile or gift stockpile, even if they weren’t on your original list.
When you see an item on your list, compare the price to what you would pay at the grocery store. If it’s less at the dollar store, add it to your shopping cart and cross it off your grocery list!
Did you miss yesterday’s frugal tips? Day 7 of 365: Save Rubber Bands From Vegetables
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Making the Dollar Store Part of Your Frugal Shopping Plan
It’s important to use the dollar store as part of your regular frugal shopping plan if you want to save money on grocery shopping. In just a few visits, you’ll get a feeling for what kinds of items you can expect the dollar store to carry all of the time. Many items are special buys, seasonal items, and closeouts, but there are also many things dollar stores carry consistently because they still make a profit only selling it for 99 cents.
After a while, you’ll even be able to make a separate column on your shopping list for the items you know will be at the dollar store. I have a handful of items I know I can find at the dollar store for a huge discount any time I need them.
What items are at the dollar store? My store consistently stocks these items for only $1:
- cake mixes
- brownie mixes
- dental floss and kids’ flossers
- toothbrushes (I buy them in the bulk 3 packs for kids and 5 packs for adults to keep in my dental box)
- birthday party supplies (plates, cups, streamers, goodie bags, even branded with Disney and Nikelodeon characters like princesses, Cars and Dora)
- toys to donate to the “treasure box” at school
- toys for birthday presents
- school supplies
- all office supplies, including envelopes, folders, tape, scissors (child and adult size), notebooks, and more
- color books
- kids’ practice workbooks
- tissues
- kids’ shampoo, conditioner, detangler and bodywash
- liquid hand soap pumps
- chap stick
- headbands and other hair accessories
- socks
- bread, hot dog buns, hamburger buns (my store now carries Nature’s Own with no high fructose corn syrup for just $1 per loaf! The price at the grocery store is $2.50 on a sale day.)
- greeting cards
- vases
- coffee mugs
- plastic storage containers
- all types of household cleaners
- cleaning tools (brooms, dustpans, sponges, mops, dusters, etc.)
- and much more.
If I ever need any of those dollar store staples, I know they’ll be at my dollar store for just $1.
Remember that the stock varies by store and even location. I can always find more toys and pretty home décor items at Dollar Tree. 99 Cents Only has more grocery items. Some stores carry amazing discount fresh produce, even from local growers. Just get familiar with the dollar stores in your area so you know what products they favor.
Using the Dollar Store to Compare Weekly Ad Prices
Since I’ve been shopping at dollar stores for so long, I have a strategy for using them to help me compare weekly ad sale prices from the grocery store as well. When you write your shopping list with items from the store’s weekly sale, make sure you write down the sale price for each item.
Then, when you stop at the dollar store first, look for any matching items and see if it will cost you less to buy the item from the dollar store. Chances are, you’ll save a bundle. Be frugal by using your dollar store wisely on your grocery shopping trips!
You can see all of the previous days of frugal tips here from my series Be Frugal Today.