The Ten Dumbest Things to Buy at a Dollar Store
As of 9/30/09, this post has been read over 167,000 times and was featured on the front page of Msn.com via this MSN Smart Spending post (which has been read over 419,000 times.)
Why all the hoopla over this silly little post? Well, it turns out that Dollar Store Pregnancy Tests are quite popular and have a very loyal fan base. Check out all the comments below to see the spirited responses of Dollar Store Pregnancy Test advocates and for a smile or two.
I just returned from a nice vacation in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In case you are wondering, I had a great time and even won a little money :) If you have never been there, one of the other things, besides gambling, that Atlantic City offers is a 4 mile long boardwalk that has countless of number of stores spanning from luxury retailers to dimly lit dollar stores. Even though it was fun to window shop at things I will never be able to afford, I had more fun looking in these dollar stores for their interesting selection of products.
During these tough economic times, many of us have turned to dollar stores in an attempt to save money. Don’t get me wrong, there are tons of great bargains in these stores that you SHOULD take advantage of and save a little money. However, there are some things that I would argue that you should not even think about buying at a dollar store. Here are some of them that I encountered during my Atlantic City trip. I even managed to take some pictures with my cellphone of some of these items before being questioned by some angry store owners.
1. Home Pregnancy Test
I almost bought this just to see what it looked like, but the girlfriend vetoed this idea in disgust 
If you really think this product would give you an accurate result, you must be nuts. I could design my own pregnancy test and satisfy about half of my customers.
2. Pens
I have learned this lesson the hard way. One Christmas I made all my associates a nice basket of goodies to enjoy. Since we always joke that there are never enough pens at work, I gave each of them a 10 pack of pens from the dollar store. Unfortunately, these pens either quickly fell apart, or never worked at all. Worse yet, one even broke and got ink all over my co-worker’s shirt. I was mortified!!
3. Razors
Another lesson taught to me with great pain. A couple of years ago, I was on a weekend vacation, and I forgot to pack any razors. Being my frugal self, I didn’t feel like spending the $2.50 for the mini-razor from the vending machine next to the ice machine. Furthermore, I thought $8 was a little to much a markup for the razors in the gift shop. As a result, I made the small walk to the dollar store I saw a couple of block away and bought some razors. What a painful decision that turned out to be. These razors shredded my face. The hotel sink ended up looking like whipped cream topped with cherry sauce and my face looked like i got in a fight with a cactus.
4. Vitamins
Is there really anything stopping me from buying a whole bunch of sugar pills and putting it in a bottle labeled vitamins? The better question probably is, is there anyone stopping anyone from China from doing the same thing (or worse) and selling it in mass bulk to dollar stores? Google “Dollar Store Vitamins” for more disturbing info. And one more piece of free advice, if they spell the name of the product incorrectly, I would not put it in your mouth–Just some words to live by.
5. Sunless Tanning Product
Have you ever seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Do you really want to look like this?
This one really makes no sense to me. If you care enough about how you look to use sunless tanning, why would you risk your skin to this cheap product?
6. Sleeping Pills
Dollar Store sleeping pills are great at actually helping you go to sleep. Waking up in the morning though—Not so much.
7. Cologne/Perfume
I had taken a picture of a priceless cologne that actually had the phrase, “Droves the Chicks Crazy” on it, but apparently there was not enough light in the store. Think if it this way, even if you managed to find a scent that worked for you, how would you be able to answer the question, “That smells great honey, where did you get it so I can buy you more for your birthday?”
8. Tampons
Considering the nature of this product, I immediately felt this was not a great idea. When I consulted the girlfriend, she confirmed my suspicion.
9. Any Kind of Paste
Anyone who subjects their child’s ass to the above product is either named Britney or should be prosecuted for child abuse (or both). I suspect the rash that you are trying to treat would be replaced with a bigger one that becomes infected. In addition, one of the more documented things that you should never buy in a dollar store. Google “Dollar Store Toothpaste” for more disturbing information.
10. Perishable Food
See the above box of Fruit Rings Bar–the date on the box said 2002. Now this was not an expiration or used buy date. However, all signs pointed to this product being on various store’s shelves for 7 years. Even brand name food in dollar stores could be years old.
Honorable Mentions: Condoms–unless you want to end up buying #1, Underwear, 1988 Calendars, Batteries, and Toilet Paper.
Did I miss anything that needs to be on this list? Let me know!
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mmmh it might be 10 really stupid things, but its better than having a dollar
I wonder if the dollar store employees secretly mock the people who buy these crazy products…they probably have everyone on tape and watch the surveillance videos while getting drunk & high
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[...] The Ten Dumbest Things to Buy at a Dollar Store | The Red Stapler Chronicles redstaplerchronicles.com/the-ten-dumbest-things-to-buy-at-a-dollar-store – view page – cached I just returned from a nice vacation in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In case you are wondering, I had a great time and even won a little money :) If you have — From the page [...]
Hilarious read. I don’t know how anyone could seriously purchase a home pregnancy kit from a dollar store but I bet it’s done often.
It’s pretty funny until I needed to get a pregnancy test and only $1.00 to spend. Went to the dollar store, got test and it was positive!! Had twins just a few months later!
The Ten Dumbest Things to Buy at a Dollar Store…
During these tough economic times, many of us have turned to dollar stores in an attempt to save money. Don’t get me wrong, there are tons of great bargains in these stores that you SHOULD take advantage of and save a little money. However, there a…
BusyMom - I got one too for the same reason. It showed I was pregnant. When I went to my doctor, though, he laughed and said, “no way, Fred”.
Hey morons - the home pregnancy tests are the exact same one you pay $19.99 for at the grocery store. When you are desperately trying to get pregnant, you can’t afford to spend $20-60 a month on HPT. These tests do work, and they either detect the hcg = pregnant, or they don’t = not pregnant. Best value. Consumers tested them. Only fools pay the full price at the supermarket.
It’s actually pretty funny I do work at a Dollar Store and think its pretty funny when people by alot of these things pregnancy tests being number one. I actually was written up for arguing with a customer who was upset her test didnt work. But the funny part of it all is that I have never ever seen a girl buy just one they always buy like 10 and then whats the point go by a better one.
. But perishable food is incorrest. We are not allowed to put any expired food on the shelves. If there is we mark it to 50 cents and sell it.
The rest is pretty self explained I mean why else would we be able to sell it for a dollar.
Believe it or not, I know LOTS of women who have gotten very accurate readings from the dollar store pregnancy tests. I don’t know one perso who has used one and got an inaccurate reading.
MAKE-UP
They save a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$ when trying to have a baby. Read up! Now they have ovulation tests for a $1. All pregnancy tests work by detecting a certain hormone in the urine or blood that is only there when a woman is pregnant. This hormone is called human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG. It is also called the pregnancy hormone. hCG is made when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This usually happens about six days after the egg and sperm merge. But studies show that in up to 10 percent of women, implantation does not occur until much later, after the first day of the missed period. The amount of hCG rapidly builds up in your body with each passing day you are pregnant.
You actually have no idea what you’re talking about on the HPT, dude. I understand it was all in the name of funny, but the funny part is that you’re actually wrong.
They save a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$ when trying to have a baby. Read up! All pregnancy tests work by detecting a certain hormone in the urine or blood that is only there when a woman is pregnant. (human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG)
Why pay $8-$15 for the same test when it test for the same thing?
You would be surprised about the pregnancy tests…they are actually just as if not more sensitive than some of the more expensive ones and are the same exact tests used in lots of doctors offices. Just FYI.
Grant-
I actually did purchase the home pregnancy test…my daughter was convinced I was pregnant and I didn’t think I was so I bought it to shut her up. Turns out, her little brother will be here in December. (We ended up buying a “real” test to confirm…then we believed!!)
Pregancy test….hmmm…I bought 2 in June(just to make sure)…I really didnt want to spend $12 on one. To my surprise it was acurate…I’m due in March.
You have no idea what you are talking about. The brands of pregnancy tests that the dollar stores sell are actually just as accurate, and sometimes more accurate, as the tests sold at drugstores. If you would have bothered to do your research, you would have discovered this.
I actaully prefer dollar store pregnancy tests, they work better than the expensive brands, and heck, they are only a dollar. I have been pregnant twice, both times the dollar store brand gave me a positive 3 days BEFORE the $15.99 E.P.T test did. Go figure…..
I’ve bought parishable food like Celery, Strawberries, Sara Lee Bread Rolls, Mother’s Cookies, etc… all with normal expiration dates…I’ve never seen anything that’s already expired…ever. I also walk out with bags and bags of products that my family uses and spend about $15.00….
Snobs who don’t shop at the 99 Cent store or the Dollar Store can walk out of a store with 4 items and pay $15.00.
Who’s the real ding-dong?
i have actually purchased the dollar pregnancy test…and it was right! OMG…i purchased it to have fun with a girlfriend of mine…we bought 4 of them after a beer run and each took two….after a few beers we took em….mine two said i was preggers!! I went to the dr to confirm and yup…i have a two year old….those damn dollar store pregnancy tests were accurate….
Yeah, the one dollar pregnancy tests start to look like a good idea when you’re trying to get pregnant and you have to spend $14 every time you THINK you MIGHT be pregnant… (I admit it, I’ve gotten them at the dollar store!)
This article doesn’t even mention the just-plain-rip-off stuff. You know, things that wouldn’t even cost a dollar in other stores. Dollar stores often have “back to school” supplies in August but you can get the stuff at other retailers for way less…
My friend and i both took pregnancy tests from the 99 cent store, that came back positive. Went to the doctor and it was confirmed.
My pens from the 99 cent store work great too..
I also used condoms from the 99 cent store back in HS, with no “issues”. Bought a few really cute pairs of underwear (from Rampage) there as well. Batteries work fine too, not the longest lasting but for a buck and it you HAVE to have them for your remote they’re quite handy.
I was thinking the same about the preg test originally. However, I work for a OBGYN practice and the Dr.’s disagreed. Its testing for a hormone level. They believe that any test will do. All have a false positive or false negitive possiblity. Even the $15.00 one have a chance to be defective. If your pregnant your pregnant. It may not be an early detection test but eventually it will do its job.
while i agree that a person needs to use common sense when buying items at a dollar store - dollar store shopping should not be discouraged. try having only 12$ to provide your family’s household needs for a month. you’ll learn to worship dollar stores.
You need to be a smart shopper if you buy items in an .99 store, the same as you would in a retail chain.
When shopping in my local .99 stores I try to buy only cleaing items, bar soap, name brand sodas in 3 litre bottles, paper goods and some tools. These items are at a cost much lower than the same items or similar items in a retail chain and their expiration dates (if any) aren’t really important.
When I buy food items I play close attention to the expiration date. For me, if an item is up to 4 months past its expiration date I consider it still good. Besides, I can always freeze the item and defrost it when I need to use it.
Some really great items can be purchased at a .99 store if shop carefully and wisely.
I will say that you are wrong about the pregnancy tests. It is the best place to buy them. They are only $1 and they are accurate. They sometimes are not as accurate as the “5 days before a missed period” tests but they are close enough.
ACTUALLY THE PREGNANCY TEST IS REALLY ACCURATE. THATS HOW I DETERMINED I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY 2ND AND 3RD CHILD….
ITS CHEAPER THAN PAYING 7 DOLLARS AT CVS.
My co-workers and I who work for a major appliance store have a dollar store in our center. We ALL eat from there daily. Frozen Chicken Nuggets, and frozen burritos topping off the most popular selections. No one has gotten any sicker anymore eating there than at any other place. In actuality, the Pizza shop in the same center has wipped out 3 employees in one day. The large chain pastry shop in the same center has also given salmonella to one employee. So we will be happy with all of you avoiding our favorite food selections which some of us have eaten for 4 years or more with no more trouble than your favorite fast food chain. Quciks question. WHen was the last time you heard about a chain of 300 dollar stores shutting down due to food contamination? how about fast food joints? Taco bell and Jack in the bOx come to mind pretty quickly. Not to mention the McDonalds Blood worm scare of the 80’s and the Burger King horse meat episodes of the 80’s as well. You take a risk every time you prepare food. You take a bigger risk each time you eat at a restaraunt. My uncle got Hepititus from a nationwide seafood chain, becaus ethey employed a person infected. So come down from the heavens and join the rest of us who frequent the dollar stores.
great list! I would add paper towels or any and all paper products, personal or otherwise
I know it sounds funny to buy pregnancy tests from a dollar store, but I have a friend who has purchased tons of them and they were accurate every time. Based on her recommendation, I bought a couple for both my pregnancies and had accurate results. How did I know the results were accurate? My husband made me drive to Target for a “real” test each time. LOL
The Ten Dumbest Things To Buy at a Dollar Store…
1. Pregnancy Test
I almost bought this just to see what it looked like, but the girlfriend vetoed this idea in disgust
If you really think this product would give you an accurate result, you must be nuts. I could design my own pregnancy test and…
You forgot any type of make-up unless you want to look like Bozo the Clown.
Good things include:
Nail polish remover
Plastic cutlery
Halloween crap (only needs to last a day!)
I saw some home pregnancy tests at the dollar store near my work and had wondered aloud who in the world would trust them.
My manager told me the next day that he had girl in line in front of him buying about ten of them. The worst part is that this dollar store has the tests not only in the toiletry section, but at the end of the aisle with the impulse buys, as if someone would look up while going to pay for their purchase and go “Oh, I should grab a pregnancy test too. I almost forgot that I might be knocked up.”
If I was pregnant and I had ten dollars, I would rather go buy *one* ten dollar test rather than ten one-dollar ones. Personally.
Don’t buy Ammo and weapons at the Dollar store.
The pregnancy test does work. I spent one dollar for the pregnancy test at the dollar store. the result was positive.i didnt believe it so i spent 14 dollars at rite aid pharmacy. so i would have to say that 1 dollar on a pregnancy test is not a bad investment….
I would add Flea treatment - bought some for my dogs at the dollar store…guess what?… they got fleas!
also those FM radios that are $1- they have a reception distance of about 150 yards-huge waste of a $1!
actually, the results on the pregnancy tests are accurate. I have found (and many others i have talked to) that there are fewer false positives, evap lines and ‘incomplete’ tests. Since they are so cheap, they are a practical investment for people who are actively trying to conceive. Name brand tests get expensive after a while. But that is just my two cents
I’m just wondering if you did the research yourself to conclude that the products are crap or if you were just guessing? Your pretty much saying that you could poison yourself by taking them. Slander of products is not cool. My familly uses Familly Care products often and think thay work great.
Never ever purchase any kind of food or candy in a ‘Dollar Store’! Made in China candy could ne landfill remnants!
I have purchased several packets of pens at the Dollar Tree and haven’t had a problem..
I was also skeptical about the $1 pregnancy test, but didn’t want to spend $10+ at other stores, so I purchased a pregnancy test for $1 at Dollar Tree. …and guess what? Tested positive.. I really am pregnant..
So the Dollar tree works for me!
However I do not buy food since most of the items are usually expired.
I was hungry and only had a buck so I bought a box of “FruttiRings Bar” and now I’m going back for Bottom Paste ! ! ! ! Just a few months???? Twins????? WHOA!!!! Now that’s funny ! ! ! Good artical , funny stuff !
Dollar Tree pregnancy tests work great. They have detected all of my pregnancies well before my period was due. They work just a great, if not BETTER, than some name brand tests out there. http://www.peeonastick.com has done a lot of research about various pregnancy tests. Most pregnancy tests only detect a pregnancy at 25 mIU/mL. However, the Dollar Tree test (New Choice), while it is listed as a 25 mIU/mL test, it has been known to detect pregnancies with the hCG hormone as low as 7 mIU/mL. Don’t knock it until you try it!
the author of the 10 dumbest things to buy at a dollar store obviously has no medical background. the pregnancy tests at the dollar store are exactly the same as the overpriced tests at the department stores. ask any physician, and they will confirm it.
I bet with all the layoffs of today the dollar store with be busy with people just trying to save all they can anyway they can. I think there should be better laws about what is ok to sell to the public. I think people are getting sick from these products and do not even know it. They just think they have stomach problems or headach and they don’t put two and two together.
$1 home pregnancy tests are great for the woman who is trying to get pregnant, and has the desire to constantly test herself in the days around when her period is about to start. I never used them, but I was constantly testing because I was so excited. If I had a negative test, I was just sure it was wrong, and I’d get the desired result the next day. It got expensive.
(Wow. Glad I’m married. I’d never get a guy if I were this openly neurotic now.)
nothing funny at all about the $1 preg tests! i doubted them as well until i got a postitve! amazing bargain!
Funny thing about number 1(pregnancy test), they cost a dollar and work just as well as the more expensive one’s from walmart,etc. Used one for my first child, and one for my second child. Why pay more for something that does the same thing as it’s more pricey competitor at a big name store?? Doesn’t make sense to me.
Yea about the pregnancy test, my girl needed one bad, it said positive, we freaked out, told our mommy and daddy..2 days later she got her period…
I’ve found that the dates on food are more current than some of the ones that I find at my local SAFEWAY and Wal-Mart!!
HURRRRAY for Dollar Stores!
For all your joking, the dollar store pregnancy test is nearly as accurate (usually 50 units HCG sensative versus 25 for hospital, i.e. about 1 day difference in reading +) as the hospital tests. And, in the ER, we recommend people spend a dollar instead of wasting a few hundred dollars coming in to find out if they are pregnant. Now THAT’s a waste of money!
This is a great post but I have to tell you, dollar store pregnancy tests are exactly the same as the pregnancy test done in the emergency room of your local hospital (the urine tests). AND, the vitamins and sleeping pills contain the same ingredients as ones you’d buy at the drug store… but I’m with you on everything else!
Actually dollar store pregnancy test is not a bad deal. I don’t know any woman who only takes one of these.. typically you’ll use at least 2 or 3. At $15 plus a pair at the normal pharmacy… the cost adds up. There are plenty of women who advocate for the dollar store tests when trying to conceive.
BusyMom- that’s a real short gestation period!
Funny, ooooh wait I buy the sleeping pills and I even got the pregnancy test and it was positive and I was pregnant. I agree check the dates on food and stay away from cosmetics productsl like perfume and lotion unless it has a brand name on it,l which sometime you find at the dollar store.
Yea…I definitely agree. MOST of the products sold in dollar stores is pure junk - it’s so rare to find any true ‘bargains’, I often wonder why so many people even waste the time to frequent them. However, I’ll say the one good thing about the nature of these stores is their Brand-Name items (like house cleaner, room sprays, etc..) actually being offered at or around $1.00. You just can’t beat getting things for a buck that costs significantly more for the same exact stuff, at any other store. They also sometimes have unique crafty items or knick knacks…but it depends on the retailer itself, and always (with anything) make sure you check whatever product your buying to make sure it’s not a defect! The *Cardinal Rule* people..
Lol, and uh, yea…dollar store pregnancy test? Really? I had actually just made a comment about this recently while at a dollar store…I did not think anyone remotely sensical would take this seriously. And as mean as this may seem to say, if you HONESTLY only have a dollar to spend for the actual test to tell if you’re pregnant…you PROBABLY are in a zero position to have a kid, let alone TWINS!
But then again, everyday I’m more and more amazed by other human beings!!
my best friends sister found out she was preggerz with all three of her children using a $1 store test. when i went to the doc. today the test they did for me lookd just the same…allthou i know they are not. u nvr know!
I had spent $15 on a pregnancy test and it was negative, tho I KNEW i was pregnant. I bought one from a dollar store and it came out positive!
I would just like to let you know that the pregnancy tests bought at dollar stores are actually ones that are used by health departments. Any good doctor will tell you that they are cheap, and they do the job. If you suspect you are pregnant, they tell you that they are the ones you should use, they aren’t fancy, but are accurate. If you call the health department and ask what test to buy they will tell you the dollar store ones. If you go to get a test done, they use the dollar tests. Something doesn’t have to be fancy to tell you you are pregnant or measure the hcg levels, which is what a test does. Also, as for the paste, they do sell brand name items, and Butt Paste, as you have here, is a brand sold anywhere baby products are sold. Also, they sale brand name tampons. So if you can pay a little less for the same thing, why not. At least get facts straight… Esp when it comes to the pregnancy tests… I took one of these and found I was pregnant. I went to the health dept, and what do you know, I was indeed pregnant, and they used the same exact test I had. This was about 2 years ago, so it is recent.
Maybe you should have educated yourself before publishing this article- Dollar Store Pregnancy tests (when used prior correctly) are the same tests that doctor’s offices use. Not only that, but they are actually more reliable than tests that cost 20X more, and will give a positive result prior to missing a period.
In the defense of the pregnancy test, I’ve had several friends buy some from the dollar store and they were actually accurate.
I had my doubts at first, and was in shock when they actually gave an accurate result.
yep, same here busymom… must be magic pregnancy test coz’ got the test from the dollar store and showed positive result and found out later… twins. i get my pregnancy tests from the dollar store and they seem to work just fine.
I know it sounds dumb to buy a home pregnancy test for $1, but it seems to me that it is more dumb to spend $20 on one. The only people who buy the more expensive pregnancy tests are usually a) In denial about whether they are pregnant or b) too stupid to read a regular pregnancy test. You are either pregnant or not pregnant. I have three kids, and the last two pregnancies were confirmed with a pregnancy test from the dollar store. Both results showed up immediately. I took a third pregnancy test when I was not pregnant, and the results came out negative. So 100% accurate results for me on all 3 tests. What’s the big deal? They work.
I agree for some of the items mention, but Dollar Store Batteries are alot better than paying 6 bucks for a pair of double AAs. So i buy 2 packs of 4. It equals out and still save 4 bucks. Toilet paper? They have many name brands there. Please get your facts straight. And no I do not work for them. Great place for birthday Balloons. Why pay 15 bucks at the floral shop. On valentines day , they sell red roses for $1 apiece. When was the last time you bought a dozen roses for $12? On Wall Street, Dollar Store shares were one of the Top 3 shares to buy. It was actually 1st.
After having two kids and spending way too much on pregnancy tests. I decided this time to try the dollar store brand, and it worked fine. Why spend $15 when you can only spend a buck either way you are going to have it confirmed by a doctor. I wouldn’t trust dollar store medication but I have no problem peeing on their products!
Actually the dollar store tests are really not bad at all, and about 1/10 of the price of even a store brand pregnancy test elsewhere. See http://www.babyhopes.com/pages.php?pageid=12 for a comparison!
Dollar stores are one of my favorite places. I found a lot of stuff there you can’t find anywhere else. As long as you buy carefully, there’s no problems. If something looks like cheap junk, don’t get it. Always check the expariation dates on food.
Hey! I buy all my batteries at the 99 cent store! I’ve been buying them for years and they work fine. As for the food, check out The 99 Cent Chef’s blog………..brave man.
http://the99centchef.blogspot.com/
your post is good..The pictures are too good to see.Thanks for sharing the post…
I actually asked my pharmacist about the home pregnancy kits for $1 and he said they work just the same accuracy-wise
great article!! super funny and very true.
i did want to point out a typo in the first paragraph, just FYI…”…I had more fun looking in these dollar stores for ‘THERE’ interesting selection of products.”
me and my wife have 2 childern and we were informed bothe times by a dollar store pregnancy test .
I have to disagree on the pregnancy test. I used one to find out that I was pregnant with my daughter after seeing that my doctor’s office used the same test!
Then I looked into it more and saw that the dollar stores tests have the same sensitivity as many of the more expensive ones at the drug stores. It is all about the sensitivity of measurement.
i just go to the ER for a pregnancy test. My health insurance has no co-pay and I know the test will be correct, or I’ll sue!
FYI-The toilet paper, sleep aids, baby balm AND pregenancy test are the exact same things you get for more at other stores. You just do not pay for fancy packageing at teh dollor store. Just compare them and/or thier ingredients. Although the razors are crap, they sell some just as crappy for three times as much at Walmart.
as a student i was buying school supply. pencil and note books. the lady in front of me at the check out was writring a check. with a wrist brace on her writing hand. probably carpoul tunnel , from writing bad checks.
To: “BusyMom”.. If you only had a dollar to spend, I have to wonder what would make you think its a good idea to have a child. Much less twins! Get a job and you won’t have to worry about buying a dollar store pregnancy test in the future, or even shop at a dollar store. Just some friendly advice.
You are way off base about the pregnancy tests. First, they say on them how accurate they are. Most of them will be totally accurate if you wait til you missed your period. Furthermore, there are lots of couples who have infertility issues and who take a long time to get pregnant, and thus they are testing month after month. Why waste $15 on a pregnancy test each month (or more if you need to test multiple times) if you can get the same result with a $1 test? These tests make sense for these women who need to buy lots of them.
10 dombest thing to buy. You should have been working for other stores.
there was not one item that you would mention positive buying from them. I buy paint bruches that are 80% cheaper than Home depot or sears
I was laughing so hard, I thought I would hurt something, thank God I did not read this at 1 am! I have purchased tampons, they are not the best, but I ahve been in a position of need not time to run to a store that was farther away, I survived it, not all dollar store items suck,but the bottom paste just tickled me to no “end” FYI if you are desperate enough to buy Bottom paste, a healthier option and probably already in your cupboard, a can of “all vegetable shortening”. Not the butter flavored!
The Dollar Store Pregnancy tests work very well. It may not be somthing you want to be frugal with….but it won’t make you more pregnant if you spend 10 bucks on the stick you pee on.
I have never bought a product that was expired from a dollar store or should I say Dollar tree. They sell generic health and beauty aids, new products being released as “try me”. Of course there are some products that are notorious no no’s from those stores.
Batteries-always die very quickly
Canned veggies-3/$1 in major grocery chains vs $1 ea
pens do stink -literally.
Books-less than best sellers, great baby books though
Crayons-wierd wax that doesn’t stick to paper ?!?
Frames-cheaply made and it shows
TP-prison paper at best
Good buys:
Cleaners, snacks, plastic bags, some party stuff, candy
Some school supplies
Don’t knock pregnancy tests-testing for hcg presence is cheap to begin with.
Public-educate yourself on generic equivalents and stop being robbed by advertisements
ie acetaminophen instead of tylenol, zinc oxide cream instead of desitin, ibuprofen instead of motrin, guaifensin instead of robitussin or mucinex
Our society is frequently dupped by pretty packages and stupid cartoons-Geico is the king of spending too much on advertising that does little more than empties Joe Shmos wallet.
How do you call the guy who bought condoms at 99c store? We call him Daddy!
The dollar store pg tests work–Both times I was pg i learned from dollar store pg tests!! Its a whole lot better than spending @ least ten bucks for one test!!
I have bought expensive preg tests but then was told that the dollar store ones use the same chemicals/method of testing and that people shouldn’t waste money on regular ones. In fact, the only time I stop at the dollar store is to get a preg test when I’m TTC. And they’ve always been right! So don’t hate!
I once bought a broom at a dollar store. It broke before I left the store. Hilarious!
BusyMom you got lucky with that accurate result. I had a friend call me in tears because she’d just found out she was “pregnant” (note the quotation marks). She was also very broke and got the test at the dollar store…a two pack no less!! Both said she was pregnant and both were completely wrong, as confirmed by a very confused doctor who couldn’t imagine why she wanted a prenatal exam when she wasn’t in fact pregnant.
I am not sure about the brand at the dollar store you went to but most dollar stores have accurate (and relatively low sensitivity) pregnancy tests. They are wonderful and cheap for monitoring an early pregnancy. They have worked for me on 3 pregnancies early on along with the name brands sold by big box stores.
I would agree that I would not by anything that I would ingest or put on my body at a dollar store, but that is just me.
Lol dollar stores are always shady
It seems like all of the accurate pregnancy tests were positive… Maybe they only work if you’re actually pregnant, and give a false positive the rest of the time?
Also, why is it necessary to test constantly when you’re trying to get pregnant? Can’t you just wait until a missed period to confirm? It’s not like knowing a couple days earlier changes anything.
Home Pregnancy Test - now that really is funny, how stupid can people be to actually buy them from a $1 store? It’s like buying drugs over the internet, never do it as you never know what you are getting
Never ever buy headphones at the dollar store.
Home Pregnancy test from the dollar store? Who would buy this? You might as well give a bum on the street a dollar to make a diagnosis. Ridiculous.
Great list of items! I am a fan of the $1 store but the items you mentioned are some of the few items that stay out of my cart. I always see people buying food in there and it really turns my stomach. And I can’t imagine doing a pregnancy test or taking vitamins from the $1.
I’ve never been to USA so I never shop there, but we got lots of stores like that here in Indonesia, razors and sleeping pills are definitely a “NO” for me.
You know, I liked your post. Actually it really is better to have some of those (except the tampons, tanning products and the pregnancy test kit) that to have a dollar.
I don’t agree with condoms being on your honorable mention list. In any case they should come before the pregnancy test! No matter how accurate it is, the deed is done… wait a few months and you will know for sure, test or not… But the condom actually makes a difference!!!
I have bought those peppers from Dollar Tree in the past and they were okay. They didn’t last long in the fridge before they molded and I’m talking days, not weeks. I prefer the ones I roast myself either on the grill or the gas burner of the stove. I’ll buy them reduced at the store, come home, roast and steam, then freeze on a cookie sheet and bag for use later.
Haha, now I understand why the high number of readers.
This is really funny.
I am not sure anyone who will spend a dollar on the items esp the pregnancy test kit..
HEHEHE
cds….ive never seen a cd in a dollar store by someone ive heard of
The pregnancy tests from the dollar store are actually very accurate. They can detect lower levels of hCG than some of the more expensive ones. You sound like an idiot and should look into it more instead of running your mouth off about something you don’t know anything about. I’ve taken the dollar store’s pregnancy test before and an EPT test before and I like the dollar store’s test better! Why spend $15 on a test when I can spend a buck and get better results!
Man that article was funny! Why anyone would want to buy that stuff from the dollar store is beyond me. The razors were the most realistic….I hate spending money on razorblades!
I really like the Oompa Loompa photo for the sunless skin tatting cream stuff. hehe
Great! Now I must through all thes things away. What you said really scares me. Are those things really harmful? Then where can I buy these stuff? Or just give up on them?
For the god’s sake, do something!
I once bought gherkins. Ew.
I agree about the vitamins. Even if there exists in the pills whatever is claimed it is, the body will never be able to absorb the hard pellet and it only comes out the other end the same way.
“The better question probably is, is there anyone stopping anyone from China from doing the same thing (or worse) and selling it in mass bulk to dollar stores?”
Awesome! Haha, that post was really great, made me laugh a lot.
All the products are looking very nice. I am interested in purchasing the rasers. I ‘ll try to purchase it. Thanks a lot for sharing such nice products.
Your post is great! It made me laugh! So true, why invest on cheap products when it won’t function well, right? Mo
Not sure of the writer’s motivation. An intelligent person can see HE is wrong. “Dollar stores” like Dollar Tree (and discounters (Big Lots) and Trift Stores (Savers) have done well in this economy and Walmart and other chains are paying serious attention to this. Batteries: name brand and use by date, $1 vs $6. Medications: same chemical, same effect; if sleep aid has drowsiness causing antihistamines in it (most do), you’ll be drowsy. Razors: expensive ones (with expensive advertisments) don’t do well on my beard; but I’ve used an average knife to good effect so I’d chalk up his experience to incompetence or hangover. Preg Tests: most OBGYNs question ANY over-the-counter test; aren’t they purchased after missed period? Food: I’m in the west so we see surplused east coast brands, as a non-compete option these surpluses often went to Club stores like CostCo. No more Chinese made product than an average high end retailer. Many of the food products are American made for the hispanic market. Nestle Clasico coffee and Bacitracin antibiotic ointment are two ‘dollar store’ items that are now in mainstream retailers.
Hi,
Great post.Once I had purchased sleeping pills…
I would think condoms would be number one on that list but agree with the sun lotion. Yuck!
Have any of you people ever actually SHOPPED at, or even been IN Dollar Tree? I’ve been buying there since the store came to town, and the only thing I’ve ever been dissatisfied with was a hammer that broke when I pulled a nail with it. They buy most of their merchandise from a company called Greenbriar Int’l, and the rest they get from stores and companies that are going out of business. The Mgr. told me they also buy a lot from Wal-Mart (markdowns and close-outs). Just like any store, you have to check expiration dates, but I have never seen any out-of-date food at the Dollar Tree. (Although I have at Warehouse Market). And they have a dandy return policy. You can’t get your money back, but they cheerfully exchange. Almost anything you can buy at a retailer, you can get there for only a dollar. I get my razors there, and have never had any problems. Like anything else, it depends on the brand Next time, try their Maxx 4 razors. AND they have name brand toothpastes.
About the pregnancy kits, I guess you don’t need to pay $20 just to ensure it’s acuracy because the presence of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin or hCG hormone in the urine can confirm if a woman is pregnant or not. It doesn’t necessarily mean if you buy in a dollar store then it’s not accurate at all, well in buying pens and other stuffs..it’s another story
But I must admit, I was once a victim of this pen from dollar store, quality is really compromised.
Ouch! Regarding the razors. We’ve also seen some products at the dollar store, for example brand name toothpastes, whose ingredients are nothing like the parent brand.
Evidently, these knockoff products are on and off the market fast enough so as to be sue proof. They originate in China, and can be, if not dangerous, simply not what you thought you were buying cheap.
A note: The dollar pin ball ad on this site triggers a programming loop that runs ten, twenty and thirty of the product ads at a time. Filled up our screen, and we had to control delete to be set free. Thought we would let you know. This site is so good normally, we can’t complain if once in a while something goes wrong.
I see you have put a lot of women products! Let me add a guy product then
Condoms!
Not worth it buying them in the dollar store! You will have the an unpleasant sex for sure! Safe? Not so much!