5 Items to Avoid Buying at the Dollar Store

You might think that just because you are shopping at a dollar store that you are getting some amazing deals, because, well, it’s a dollar.  While that may be true for some items, there are other items that you will want to avoid, since it is true that you definitely get what you pay for.  The dollar store might be great for cheap greeting cards, balloons, and gift bags, saving plenty what you would normally spend, there are other items that you will want to avoid buying from a dollar store altogether.

Electronics

I am sure not the first to tell you that the dollar store should not be the go to place for power cords, HDMI cables, or UBS cables.  While they may work for a bit, you definitely cannot expect top quality.  I’m not saying you need to over spend at Best Buy, but there are plenty of cheap items on Amazon that are only a few dollars and will give you the same quality as the overpriced competition on the market.

Canned Items

While you certainly do not have to buy an item just because it says “organic” on the label, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the off-brand canned goods at the dollar store has even the same ingredients as the store brands.  Not trying to be super overprotective, but especially with children, you may want to just stick to the grocery store for food.  Just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s good for you, and you don’t want to fill your body with extra chemicals.

Toys

Speaking of chemicals, if you are shopping in the dollar store and you are thinking of picking up some toys for the little ones, it may be best to leave them there and save your couple of dollars.  Possibly having toxins in the toys, not to mention probably a choking hazard, a trip to the hospital will cost a lot more than buying normal toys from stores such as Target and Toys R’ Us for more money.

Household Tools

Going back to getting what you pay for, if you are in the market for household items such as knives, scissors, and cooking utensils, you cannot set your sights too high if you are wandering up and down the aisles of the dollar stores.  Not only will the shelf life not be too long due to the quality of the product materials, you may look to actually home improvement stores that guarantee their products and can be replaced if broken.

Pet Food & Treats

Our pets are a member of the family, so if we would stay away from dollar store food, as well as avoid for our kids, then there should be no way we would give to our pets.  Their stomachs can be sensitive eating something they’re not used to anyways, let along giving your pet something with strange ingredients and chemicals.  Imagine the cost of the vet bill to get your sick pet better just because you tried to save money and give treats from the dollar store.