Top 10 Things to Buy At the Dollar Store

Every momma on a budget knows that saving even a little bit of money can help in a big way, so I have curated this list of things that you can buy at the dollar store that are exactly the same as you can find at Walmart of your local grocery.

When I got divorced and was super broke, I used to even do my food shopping there, because you can buy just about everything except for fresh vegetables or eggs. Some things are a bit questionable, but here are 10 things that I still buy there today!

1) Cleaning Supplies

Some of the cleaning supplies I buy at the dollar store are dish soap, bleach, all-purpose cleaner and sponges. You can get the same name brands as at any other store, though they will usually be in a bit smaller quantity, the price still comes out much cheaper! You can also get mops, brooms and rubber gloves.

2) Birthday Cards

My dollar store has an entire aisle full of these. Some are even Hallmark! Especially if you are shopping for kids, all they care about is the graphics, and this makes a card more affordable. You can also buy bulk thank you cards and Christmas cards. $1 for a box of 10 is pretty unbeatable!

3) Gift Bags

Gift bags have gotten so over-priced in the last few years that sometimes they even cost as much as the gift at your supermarket! I buy the large ones at the dollar store for $1, or a pack of 3 for the smaller ones! You can also buy rolls of gift wrap at the holidays!

4) Art Supplies

If you have a toddler like mine who loves to make crafts, this can be a life saver! They have poster board 2 for $1, crayons, markers, glitter, glue, coloring books, and tons of other seasonal items. My toddler can slather an entire bottle of glue onto one craft, and it helps my piece of mind to know it wasn't expensive!

5) Sippy Cups

Little ones are forever spilling things, so when you can get 4 spill-proof cups for the price of one, it makes life much easier! They also frequently have water bottles that you can use for yourself or older kids.

6) Band-aids

With kids, these are an essential! My toddler tells me she has "an owie" probably 20 times a day and wants a band-aid (even if there is no cut!) so I feel better letting her have them when I am not spending a fortune.

7) Candles

I love to burn candles throughout my house to keep things fresh-smelling and to help me relax. Usually the dollar store has at least two shelves devoted to them. Last time I was there, I even found sticks of incense.

8) Soap

The dollar store is great for buying anti-bacterial soap for kids to wash their hands. If it's a good day, you might even find Dove or Yardley Lavender there! Last week I got the Yardley soaps that even included a $1 off coupon for the next purchase!

9) Hand Sanitizer

Now that we are constantly having to sanitize everything, it is great to find a big bottle of hand sanitizer for $1, when most regular stores sell a tiny travel size for that price!

10) Candy

Typically, you will find smaller size bags of candy at the dollar store, but even if you have to buy 2 of them, it is still cheaper than anywhere else! Last time I even found a bunch of Trolli and Haribo there in the usual size packaging. Just remember, if you are going to buy your Halloween stash there to do it early!

For more tips to save money on your grocery shopping, check out this video.

These are some things I always buy at the dollar store, but there are tons of other things you can buy on a weekly basis that are pretty awesome too! Let me know some of your fav dollar store finds below in the comments!

If you love the Dollar Tree as much as I do, you can also check out all my Dollar Tree Hauls!