Dollar Store Alternatives

It’s common knowledge that the local dollar store is a hopping place to shop – it’s jam packed with everything from bright, cheery items for every room in the house, to craft supplies, pregnancy tests, and a huge array of food. It’s all very tempting. Or is it?

Of the last 10 items you have recently bought, how many would you say were good quality? I don’t mean top-notch quality – just good quality items that have lasted. Some of the last things I bought were plastic popcorn buckets that I filled with popcorn to replace loot bags for our son’s birthday party. I didn’t want to give his friends a bunch of cheap toys that would break in a day or so. I thought I made a wise choice – until the smell of the popcorn buckets forced me to dispose of them.


Photo Credit

I choose, instead, to shop at thrift stores. I know, I know – sounds cheap and tacky, right? Not exactly. Had I chosen to buy containers at the thrift store, each and every child would have gone home with a one of a kind treat in a unique jar or pot instead of identical, cheap containers that their parents likely threw in the garbage as well.

Since then, I’ve been using some dollar store alternatives that our family is really happy with:
Gift Wrap
• For teenagers moving out, use a shirt or sweater
• For a young couple getting married, use dish towels or bathroom towels
• If you have a sewing machine, sew a simple cloth wrap. Or visit our Etsy store and take a look at ours.

Cleaning Supplies
• For windows, mirrors, faucets, sinks, toilets, and anything else with a shiny finish – I use a mixture of vinegar and water. It works quickly, streak free, and it’s much less expensive than even dollar store cleaning products.
• For counter tops I use the equivalent of a multi-purpose cleaner consisting of vinegar, baking soda and water.

Baby items
• Our kids are past the baby stage, but we have family and friends whose families are growing and you can find plenty of blankets, towels, memory books, and clothes for their new little bundles. Just last week at a local thrift store I found a brand new baby time capsule – it was still in the original box with price tag. The clear window in the box was not even scratched. The original price was $19.99 and I picked it up for $3.
• I know when our kids were young they loved to be swaddled, but all of the receiving blankets were too small to stay tucked in tight. My mother in law spent 2 hrs sewing up a pile of receiving blankets – approximately 1x1 meter each. They were awesome for swaddling, nursing in public, putting on the floor under baby, and clipping to the stroller to provide extra shade. Fabric can often be found second hand.

Snacks
• It’s difficult to beat the price of dollar store snacks, but why not buy a small cloth cooler bag and stuff it full of grapes, cheese and crackers, and water bottles? You’ll sacrifice dollar store quality snacks for healthy, nourishing, and tasty real foods instead. Plus, you’ll be sending less to the landfills by using reusable containers for your snacks.

Holiday Decorations
• I have 3 words: Garage Sale, Baby! You can find the most beautiful things at times and many people clear out Christmas decorations in summer when Christmas is still far from their minds. Take advantage!


Photo Credit

By choosing dollar store alternatives, I find myself making more significant purchases. I don’t mean significant as in large purchases, but rather, purchases that are significant for the person they are intended for, significant for our finances, and significant for the environment.

We’re curious – what are your dollar store alternatives?