Calling All Shoppers!

Are you a dollar store shopper?

If not, you should be, because even if you aren’t working from a limited budget, who wants to spend more on something than they have to? Plus, shopping at clearance retailers is always a little like a treasure hunt, you never know what you’re going to end up with.

Dollar Tree is one of the last true dollar stores and can be very friendly to your pocketbook. There are stores conveniently spread across the U.S. and Canada. Click here to find a location nearest to you. Unless you’re buying in bulk, you’re not going to want to shop online, as you have to buy by the case.

Unsure what Dollar Tree has to offer? Here are 11 things you really should be buying there:

1.     Drinking Glasses

Dollar Tree has absolutely the best glass selection of any dollar store out there, today. These cute glasses are green (they also had them in cobalt blue, and the website lists a pink color), hold 12 oz., have a nice weight to them, and are very sturdy. The texture and thickness of the glass was even all the way around. These would be perfect water goblets at dinner, or a fun way to serve a cocktail like a piňa colada, mudslide, or any pretty frozen drink. Most of the glasses don’t have any decoration or ornamentation, so you could easily personalize them with glass paint pens, or an etched design.

2.     Organizing Bins

These handy drawer divider/organizer bins come in white and black. They’re made of strong plastic with a rubbery, non-skid surface on the inside of the bottom, and have 4 round, rubbery, non-skid pad feet on the bottom of the outside. They come in 4 different sizes:

• 9.75 in. x 6.75 in.
• 9.75 in. x 3.75 in.
• 5.50 in. x 5.50 in.
• 5.50 in. x 2.50 in.

They are all 2 in. deep.

These bins would be great in the kitchen for utensils or spices, in the bathroom for makeup or hair ties/pins, in the office for pens or clips, in the garage for nails/screws, in the bedroom for jewelry or medications. They’re so versatile, even if you don’t have a need for them at the moment, buy a couple and tuck them away and you’ll have them when you do.

3.     Glasses Case

This neoprene glasses case is really well designed. The zippered compartment opens flat, easily fits an oversized pair of sunglasses and gives great lightweight protection from scratching. This water repellent case comes in several different patterns. A heavy, plastic swivel lobster claw clip is attached to the end, making it easy to attach to the outside of a bag, tote, backpack, or purse.

4.     Reusable Shopping Tote

This heavy duty plastic tote is the ideal shopping bag. It’s a flexible, reinforced, woven plastic material with two long handles that easily fit over the shoulder. It folds flat and can be tucked in your purse, or will sit under it in your shopping cart. It measures 18 in. x 13.25 in. x 6.75 in. and comes in 4 or 5 different colors with the same polka dot pattern. It would be great for the bookstore or to take on a quick trip into the grocery.

5.     Ballpoint Pens

These pens are both cute and functional. They come 3 to a package and there are several different patterned packets. Each pen has a screw-on cap with a pocket clip, a medium tip, and writes smoothly in black ink with no skipping. These would go well in a gift basket with a journal, word puzzle books, or a travel diary.

6.     Reading Glasses

If you already wear reading glasses, you know, one pair is NEVER enough. Due to the fact that you only wear them when reading or looking at something close up, they’re easy to misplace, or lose altogether. Because of that, it’s simply easier to have them in multiple locations where you tend to use them the most. That’s where Dollar Tree is a lifesaver. You can pick up several and keep a pair anywhere you would need them.

These particular glasses are also wonderful if, like me, you park them on top of your head and completely forget they’re there. Mine have made many a crash landing on the pavement or cement, and very few have actually broken. In the event they do, they’re easily and inexpensively replaced.

When you find a particular style you like, pick up 2 or 3 pairs and put a couple back for when your current ones get lost or bite the dust.

7.     Lighter

This small butane lighter comes in 4 or 5 different colors, has an electronic ignition and a longer nozzle for extra reach away from your hand. The entire lighter measures just a bit over 4.75 in., and the extended nozzle, alone, almost 1.75 in.

While the ignition is very stiff and takes a firm pressing motion to light, it does not have any other child safety measures, so you would need to use extra caution regarding storage when not in use.

Perfect compact size for road trips, especially if you’re camping, at the office, or at home in a bedside drawer or safety kit for when you lose power and need to light candles, etc.

To note: these are not refillable.

8.     Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lip Balm

Palmer’s is one of the name brands you’ll occasionally find at Dollar Tree. This cocoa butter and vitamin e lip balm is a holy grail product for many people, men and women.

This has a lovely texture, thick and moisturizing without being greasy. It has great staying power and will keep your lips soft throughout the night if applied right before bed, a light chocolatey cocoa scent, and a mild cocoa flavor. The 15 spf sunscreen is a nice addition to protect against the sun’s harmful rays.

Recently, they’ve also been carrying the Palmer’s Coconut Oil lip balm, as well.

9.     Dispenser Bottle

These little bottles are so handy. They hold about 6-6.5 oz. and are made of a heavier weight plastic. The dispenser lid screws on and off the bottle to refill. To operate, flip the lid open, place a tissue or a cotton pad (which is what I use) on the top, and push down 2 or 3 times to depress the pump and dispense the liquid.

I have one for astringent, one for toner, and a third one for nail polish remover. This is particularly suited for something like polish remover, as it wouldn’t spill if you accidentally knocked it over. You also don’t have to take the top off and then replace it every time you need to saturate another cotton pad.

10.     Bags of Miniature Candy Bites

If you have a sweet tooth like I do, these are the perfect bite-sized treats. The Butterfinger Bites are square and not much bigger than a postage stamp, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are about the size of a nickel, and the York Peppermint Patties are sized between a nickel and a quarter. The Butterfinger and York bags have 3 oz. each, and the Reese’s, 2.4 oz.

Grab 2 or 3 pieces for a quick bite and you’re good to go! If you’re needing some more serious chocolate love, there’s no worries. In comparison, at 2.4 oz. this bag of Reese’s is still less than the king sized option (2.8 oz.), which has only 4 peanut butter cups.

11.     Makeup

Dollar Tree usually has a number of offerings from a few makeup lines. But you’ll also find some overstock from more popular brands, from time to time. Recently, they carried the Fergie Collection from Wet n Wild.

Here’s a short run down of what I picked up:

• Fergie Centerstage Collection Around the Clock blush in A Brush with Brilliance – rosy pink blush with the slightest hint of gold overtint
• Fergie Centerstage Collection Around the Clock blush in A Brush with Destiny – neutral peachy pink blush
• Photo Focus Eye Shadow palette in Desert Festival – 5 colors:
  • matte charcoal brown
  • shimmery dark sooty brown/black
  • matte terra cotta orange
  • metallic copper
  • matte nude beige-y pink
• Fergie Perfect Pout Lip Color in Bebot Love – brownish nude with a hint of dusky pink
• Fergie Take on the Day Eyeshadow Primer – a fantastic drug store alternative to expensive makeup brand primers

Even though it’s been discontinued, the Fergie Collection was worth including since the company will revive and repackage some of the more popular collection pieces. Keep an eye out for re-releases if there’s something you’re currently looking for and can’t find it.

Honorable mention to gift bags. Dollar Tree has a fantastic selection in every size you can imagine. Unless I was experiencing a gift bag emergency, I wouldn’t buy them anywhere else.

There you have it! A little list to get you started on your very own Dollar Tree shopping trip. And here’s the good news, even if they don’t have the exact product I’ve listed, here, they’ll usually have something comparable.

Let me know about your dollar store must-haves in the comments.