20 Items to Buy at Dollar Stores (And 20 Items to Avoid)

Dollar stores, also known as variety stores, can be a great place to stock up on essentials if you’re looking to save some money. With thousands of products at rock-bottom prices, there are certainly some great deals to be had.

In some cases, however, you might be better off shopping elsewhere. Some dollar store products are simply a waste of money, no matter how inexpensive they may be. Some items are just not durable enough, while others don’t work the way they’re supposed to. Sometimes, they may even pose significant health and safety risks.

Read on to find out what items you should buy at dollar stores, and what items you should avoid at all costs.

Buy: Hair accessories

Dollar stores typically carry a wide selection of hair accessories. While some fashionistas might scoff at the idea of buying their brushes, headbands, or hair ties at discount stores, there’s absolutely no reason to spend more money on these items than you need to!

Unless you’re looking for something of a particular style or quality, dollar store hair accessories can be just as good as those that you would find elsewhere. Why pay more for something that you’ll likely end up losing after using it a few times?

Avoid: Body wash and shampoo

Unlike supermarkets and drugstores, dollar stores usually only have a limited selection of body wash and shampoos, most of which are lesser-known brands. You are more likely to score better deals at other retailers, especially if you have some coupons in hand during a sale.

Besides, would you really place your faith in cheaper, lesser-known products? This would be fine if you don’t have sensitive skin or easily damaged hair, but if you do, you’d probably be better off choosing the more trusted brands instead.

Buy: Coffee filters

Though coffee filters don’t usually cost that much, it’s still an expense that can add up quickly, especially if you drink several cups of coffee a day. To save money, consider buying your coffee filters at a dollar store instead.

A coffee filter is a coffee filter, and its price won’t have much of an effect on the quality of your cup of joe. Cheap ones can function just as well as pricier ones, so go ahead and grab that $1 pack of coffee filters.

Avoid: Coffee

If you’re simply looking for a quick caffeine fix and don’t really care how your coffee tastes, then dollar store coffee should do the trick. However, if you’d rather not have coffee that tastes like dirt or pencil shavings, then you might want to look elsewhere!

Dollar store coffee isn’t usually very good, and the choices tend to be quite limited. You’d likely only find either unfamiliar brands or packs of coffee that look like they’ve been sitting on the shelves for weeks. If you want good-quality coffee, check out other retailers instead.

Buy: Socks

Most of the clothes that you would find at dollar stores are typically made of poor-quality materials and are not worth buying. If you want to buy clothes that’ll last longer, there are tons of better places where you could shop!

Socks, however, are an exception. They are one of the most disposable types of clothing anyway, so why bother buying expensive ones? Head to your nearest dollar store and look for socks made with acrylic or spandex to get the best bang for your buck.

Avoid: Oven mitts

Oven mitts are a must if you want to protect your hands from burns while cooking or baking. The thicker they are, the better! Unfortunately, oven mitts sold at dollar stores aren’t usually as thick as the more expensive ones found elsewhere.

Oven mitts aren’t a luxury item anyway, so why not shell out a few extra dollars at a different store for high-quality ones that can offer you better protection? They’re worth the cost, and you’ll also have a bigger selection of interesting designs and patterns to choose from.

Buy: Seasonal decorations

From Christmas tree ornaments to scarecrows, dollar stores are the place to be if you want to liven up your home! Many dollar stores have a decent selection of seasonal decorations at bargain prices, which saves you from the hassle of going to multiple stores to find the best deals.

Seasonal decorations are only used about once a year, and you’d only need them for a few days or weeks. That said, you don’t need to buy expensive decorations when your local dollar store has them at a fraction of the cost.

Avoid: Christmas lights

While we recommend that you buy your holiday decor at dollar stores, this isn’t the case for Christmas lights. If you want your holidays to go off without a hitch, Christmas lights are one of those things you definitely shouldn’t skimp on.

Christmas lights sold at dollar stores may not have been designed and tested to the highest standards, and using Christmas lights with faulty wiring is one sure way to start a fire. Cheap Christmas lights are simply not worth the risk!

Buy: Gift bags, wrapping paper, bows, etc.

If you’re at the dollar store to buy seasonal decorations, then you might as well pick up a few other items like gift bags, wrapping paper, and bows. You could end up getting much better deals for these items than you normally would at other retailers.

The quality of gift bags, wrapping paper, and bows tends to be fairly consistent across different stores, so there’s no need for you to spend so much money on these items at a different retailer when you can also get them at the dollar store for less.

Avoid: Packing tape

If you have some presents to wrap or have some moving boxes to seal, then you’ll need some packing tape. If you don’t want to risk damaging items that you want to keep secure, then you should steer clear of cheap dollar store packing tape!

Dollar store packing tape isn’t anywhere near as good as name-brand varieties sold in other stores – you’d need several layers of cheap packing tape to hold everything together. You’d be better off buying name-brand packing tape since they’re not that much more expensive than dollar store ones anyway.

Buy: Dishtowels and washcloths

Dishtowels and washcloths get dirtied up or damaged quite easily, so there’s no point spending more money on them than you need to. That said, both of these things can be bought for cheap at dollar stores, so make sure to grab some on your next visit!

Dollar stores have a wide selection of dishtowels and washcloths, and most of them are of decent quality. If you somehow end up with towels that are not absorbent enough to dry your dishes, you can always repurpose them as cleaning rags.

Avoid: Paper towels

Paper towels may cost less at dollar stores, but this doesn’t mean they’re a steal. When buying paper towels, be on the lookout for how thick the paper towels are and how many towels there are per roll in each pack.

While you could find five rolls of paper towels for $1 at a dollar store, this may have fewer towels than a $2 pack with five rolls at a supermarket. Choosing the more expensive option might actually help you save money in the long run since each pack lasts longer.

Buy: Notebooks

If you need a notebook for whatever reason, consider buying them at your neighborhood dollar store. Most dollar stores have a broad selection of notebooks and notepads that you can get at a much cheaper price compared to big-box retailers and warehouse stores.

Whether you need a mini notebook for your to-do lists or a composition notebook for your kids to use in school, you’ll surely find one at a dollar store! There’s no need to spend $5 on a fancy notebook when a cheaper one can perform the same function anyway.

Avoid: Pens

Pens at dollar stores may be cheap, but you get what you pay for. Dollar store pens are usually of poor quality – they’ll either break easily, run out of ink more quickly, or stop working even before the ink runs out. 

For good-quality pens that last longer, try checking out places like big-box retailers and warehouse stores. To get the most value for your money, buy pens (and other school supplies like pencils and markers) in large quantities during back-to-school sales.

Buy: Chocolate and candy

Skip the fancy confectionery stores and head to your nearest dollar store for a wide selection of chocolates, lollipops, bubble gum, and other types of candy. If you’re on the lookout for rare treats, some dollar stores also have candies that may be difficult to find elsewhere.

While checkout lane candy might not always be a bargain at dollar stores, theater-style boxed varieties and bagged varieties certainly are! Next Halloween, buy your trick-or-treating candy at a dollar store instead of a supermarket where you’ll likely have to pay more. 

Avoid: Trail mix

Food at dollar stores can be a hit or miss, but trail mix is one dollar store product that you should definitely stay away from. Trail mix usually has a long shelf life, so who knows how long that bag of trail mix has been sitting on the shelf?

Here’s another reason to stay away from off-brand trail mix: they’re just plain awful. The nuts are usually stale, and the chocolate may taste artificial or have a weird aftertaste. Name-brand trail mix at big-box retailers isn’t usually that expensive anyway, so go ahead and treat yourself!

Buy: Plastic food containers

Plastic food containers are another item that you should always try to get at the lowest possible price. An $8 plastic food container at a supermarket isn’t that much different from a $1 one at a dollar store, so why bother paying more?

While health experts warn against buying products made with cheap plastic, the good news is that some large dollar store chains have already started pulling products containing harmful chemicals like BPA from their shelves. If a plastic container has a “BPA-free” label on it, then it’s safe to use.

Avoid: Kitchen knives

Like most items sold at dollar stores, kitchen knives don’t last very long. They lose their edge quite quickly, and they tend to start falling apart after a while. If you want better-quality knives, then you must be willing to spend more.

The more expensive the kitchen knives are, the better! Here’s another tip to keep in mind when buying knives: always choose the ones where the blade reaches the base of the handle – these are the ones that are less likely to easily fall apart.

Buy: Vases and decorative bowls

If you’re looking to buy some vases and decorative bowls for your home, don’t bother checking out other stores! Dollar stores typically have a wide array to choose from, and they’re about the same as the cheaper ones that you can find in other stores.

A vase is a vase, and if you just need one to hold some flowers, then dollar store ones will do. This is also the case with decorative bowls. They don’t need to be made with the highest-quality materials – they just need to look good.

Avoid: Shower curtain rods

Don’t be tempted by the low prices – shower curtain rods at dollar stores are never worth buying. You might think something as basic as a shower curtain rod is perfectly okay to buy at a dollar store, but this certainly isn’t true!

Shower curtain rods at dollar stores are usually flimsy, which means they might not do a good job of supporting the weight of your shower curtains. Skip those cheap dollar store shower curtain rods and get a more expensive, heavyweight one instead.

Buy: Plates and bowls

Dollar stores often have a great selection of stylish plates and bowls that are perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re hosting a formal get-together or a more casual dinner with your family, you can impress your guests without breaking the bank!

Another great thing about buying your dinnerware at dollar stores is that you can get them individually. It’s always a great idea to have some extra plates and bowls in your cupboard so you can easily replace anything that breaks.

Avoid: Baby utensils and bottles

If you want to keep your child safe, then you need to steer clear of the baby utensils and bottles at the dollar store. Most baby products at dollar stores are made from cheap materials which you probably wouldn’t want to have anywhere near your baby’s mouth!

Dollar stores also have a limited selection of baby utensils and bottles. If you’re the type of parent who likes to be picky about the items that you buy for your kids, then you’d probably be better off shopping elsewhere.

Buy: Reading glasses

As you get older, you will likely begin experiencing changes in your vision. If you now find yourself struggling to read once-clear text on a page or screen, it may be time to get yourself a pair of reading glasses.

In most cases, an inexpensive pair of reading glasses from a dollar store is all you need. Dollar stores often have a wide variety of styles so you’re bound to find something that suits you. However, if you’re still having trouble with your vision, go and see an optometrist.

Avoid: Footwear

Dollar store shoes are fine if you need a pair in a pinch. Dollar stores often have a wide variety of footwear, but you do get what you pay for. If you want something that will last longer and won’t hurt your feet, then you need to look elsewhere.

Shoes sold at dollar stores are often poorly designed and made of low-quality materials which can put your feet at greater risk of injury. If you want a pair of heavy-duty footwear, then you must be willing to spend more.

Buy: Party supplies

Parties don’t usually last more than a few hours, so why spend a fortune on party supplies? Whether you’re hosting a children’s party, a bridal shower, or a family reunion, your local dollar store will most likely have everything you need.

Things like streamers, party hats, cups, plates, napkins, and vinyl tablecloths can all be had for a much cheaper price than at specialty stores and big-box retailers. You can also get about twice as many balloons at a dollar store as you would elsewhere for the same price!

Avoid: Soda

Skipping those bottles of soda at the dollar store isn’t about your health – sodas aren’t exactly healthy in the first place. Rather, this has more to do with the fact that dollar store sodas don’t offer the best value for money, and you’d be better off buying them elsewhere.

A $1 bottle of dollar store soda may seem like a steal, but the bottle could also be smaller than the one you would get at a supermarket for the same price. You can also get better deals at warehouse stores when you buy your sodas in bulk.

Buy: Pregnancy tests

All pregnancy tests do the same job, so you don’t have to spend as much as $15 on them unless you want to. Dollar store pregnancy tests go through the same approval processes as the more expensive ones before they hit the shelves, so there’s nothing to worry about!

Some of the more expensive pregnancy tests may be easier to read or can give results faster, so there may be some advantages when you pay a little extra. However, if you don’t mind waiting a bit longer for your results, dollar-store pregnancy tests should be perfectly fine!

Avoid: Feminine hygiene products

Dollar store feminine hygiene products may be cheap, but you’d be far better off without them. Whether you’re buying sanitary pads, tampons, or pantyliners, you should only get them from reputable drugstores and supermarkets; otherwise, you may be putting your health and safety at risk.

Feminine hygiene products at dollar stores are of lower quality and are likely filled with toxins. For your safety, avoid putting these things in or on your body! If you want to save money in the long run, consider buying menstrual cups instead since these can be reused.