50+ Best Things To Buy at Dollar Tree: Ultimate List that Can Save You Thousands - The Financial Cookbook, LLC (2024)

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This is an ultimate list of the 100+ best things to buy at Dollar Tree that are the exact same items as the big box stores to save you money!

I believe that no matter how rich you are, you are never too good for the dollar store.

Why pay 3-10x more at regular stores when you can get the same exact items (and often the same brand) at the Dollar Tree?

They sell items for cleaning, organization, party, DIY crafts, pantry, and more.

I put together an ultimate list of 100+ things you should always buy at Dollar Tree to save thousands of dollars!

This post is all about the best things to buy at Dollar Tree to save a lot of money!

How Much Money Can you Save by Going to the Dollar Tree?

I always say that I could be making 5 million a year and would still go to the dollar store for the items in this list.

Seriously, ladies! A penny saved is a penny earned.

Just because you have money to spend doesn't mean you should waste it when you can get the same exact item for $1!

I estimate that I save anywhere from $300-$500 a month by buying these essential items from the Dollar Tree. That's $6,000 a year or $60,000 over the last 10 years! That's crazy savings ladies!

Here is what you can do with that saved money to make more money for yourself:

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*Dollar Tree is not sponsoring this post in any way. I just love helping other women save money and I genuinely know that buying these items at the Dollar Tree is a great way to save hundreds per month!! Woohoo!

What Can You Buy at the Dollar Tree?

I love going into the dollar store because I never know what I may find.

In highschool, I started buying DIY craft items at the Dollar Tree and then visited more frequently in college when I was paying for everything on my own.

I was able to find kitchen utensils, household items, cleaning supplies, organizational things for my dorm, party supplies and so much more.

I'd see the same exact items at big box stores for 3-10x more in cost!!

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Why Go to A $1 Store?

As the years went on and I made more money, I found that I was legitimately disturbed by the thought of paying $3.79 for Windex at a big box store when I knew the same exact bottle was at Dollar Tree for $1!

Yes, there's only a $3 difference, but when you're buying all of the essential things on this list (which we all are) at the 3-10x markup price over years, that's thousands of dollars in savings!!

Over a lifetime, it's tens/hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings.

Here's what I do with that additional savings to make me more money in passive income!

It's a no brainer to buy these items at Dollar Tree!

I'm not a cheap skate. In fact, I am a millionaire. I became a self-made millionaire at age 31.

So, why do I buy things at the Dollar Tree? Making wise decisions with my money allows me to invest in the things that will make me and my family more money.

Clearly, I can afford the items at regular stores, but I CHOOSE not to purchase them there to save money while not compromising quality.

Fun fact! Most self-made millionaires drive non-luxury vehicles, have average homes, and dress like average people…there's usually a reason they are millionaires.

They are using their money for investing and business opportunities, instead of spending it on items.

TFC Tip: A penny saved is a penny earned, ladies!

Plus, saving is SO MUCH FUN!!

The feeling of getting a good deal is kind of like a runner's high. I feel great leaving the store with several bags of great items for only $20 that I know are good quality.

Dollar Store Types

There are many different dollar stores out there, but the most popular ones to look for are:

• Dollar Tree (my personal favorite and the store this post is based on)
• 99 Center Store
• Dollar General
• Dollar Store
• Family Dollar

What Are the Best Items to Buy at Dollar Tree?

I have put together a list of all the items I ACTUALLY buy at Dollar Tree.

If I haven't used it, it will not be on this list, so I can truly vouch for all of these things!

I'm actually quite obsessed with the fact that I've been able to buy all of these items at the dollar store all these years.

In fact, it's one of my favorite savings hacks I share with friends. They're all hooked now as well!

I've bought these items for over 10 years now at the dollar store and I've saved thousands by doing so.

Get your shopping list ready, ladies!! Come shop with me!

DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AMAZON AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING THAT I MAY GET A SMALL COMMISSION AT NO COST TO YOU IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A QUALIFYING PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. ALL REVIEWS AND OPINIONS ARE 100% MY OWN.

1.) Cleaning Supplies

The cleaning supplies at Dollar Tree are actually quite amazing! These are the items I always make sure to pick up and restock at my house:

1. Comet– Yes, the name brand Comet is sold here. The same one from big box stores.
2. Windex– They often sell the name brand Windex. If not, get the generic brand and it will do exactly the same thing
3. Bleach– A big bottle of bleach for cleaning or for your whites in the laundry. I have so many uses for bleach.
4. Bleach Tablets for the Toilets– I put these in all of my toilets every other month to prevent brown rings from forming. The toilet water is always blue and fresh smelling. This is an easy cleaning trick to never have to scrub those ugly brown rings! These are surprisingly expensive at big box stores (about $3 per tablet!)
5. Toilet Cleaner- I keep a bottle of this in each bathroom as well for easy access.
6. Dishwashing Soap– They carry Dawn and Palmolive so I always grab those!
7. All-Purpose Cleaner-I keep one of these under every sink for counters, etc
8. Floor Cleaner– They do have hardwood floor cleaner, which I use in my inexpensive self-spray mop from amazon that I'm obsessed with found HERE.

Cleaning Tools

Cleaning Gloves– I always keep a pair of these under the kitchen sink and each bathroom sink for easy cleaning. At the big box stores, they're around $4-$5 for a pair of these gloves. They're the same exact item, ladies!

Sponges– Grab a few kitchen and bathroom cleaning sponges to have on hand.

Dishwashing Cleaning Brushes- I always have a few of these on hand so I'm ready to go when I need to replace mine. I even put it in the dishwasher each week to keep them sparkling clean. These are such a steal!

2.) Greeting Cards

Ladies, this is one of my favorite things you should ALWAYS buy at dollar tree!!

It's a fantastic saving hack! Buy ALL of your greeting cards at Dollar Tree.

They are 2 for $1 and the more premium cards are $1. In fact, i've noticed they seem to be just cards from previous years because I've noticed the same exact cards I bought years ago at a big box store (the birthday remote card for example) now at the Dollar Tree!!

They are all the same quality as the big box stores and all have the normal high price tag on the back, but they are only 50 cents or $1!

The greeting card markup at big box stores is ridiculous and cards get thrown away after they're given. This is such a no brainer!

Here's what I do.

Every time I go to the dollar store, I get a bundle of greeting cards.

Categories of Greeting Cards to Buy

• Birthday (funny, serious, and religious)- Think of people in your life you may need them for and purchase accordingly. Friends, husband/wife, dad, mom, in-laws, siblings, etc. I have tons of girlfriends so I always make sure I pick up cute, glittery, fun ones for when a girlfriend's birthday comes up!
• Get well
• Sympathy
• Congratulations
• Miss you
• Friends
• Just Because
• Wedding
• Anniversary
• Baby Shower
• Holiday/Seasonal
• Mother/Father's day
• Retirement
• Thank You– These actually come in packs for only $1! Both professional cards and cute thank you cards. I write a lot of thank you cards for my day job so I always make sure I have professional business thank you cards on hand and then cute thank you cards for my friends and family.

At home, I have a greeting card organizer from Amazon (linked here). There are tabs for thank you cards, birthday cards, and everything else goes in miscellaneous cards. It's amazing and helps me in a bind when I'm rushing to a birthday party and can just grab a quick card from my organizer!

I then use a mini-calendar to keep track of all birthdays and dates to remember so I never forget any important dates. When I have an event coming up, I reference my file box for the proper cards and I'm good to go!

3.) Organization Items

The dollar store is a great place to find organization bins! You can gather some cleaning baskets for under the sinks, some drawer organizers, or even some pantry/fridge organizers.

Organization items to look for include:

1. Bins for fridge
2. Drawer organizers
3. Baskets
4. Shower caddy
5. Under the sink caddy
6. Organization bins
7. Wastebasket bins
8. Silverware trays
9. Drawer Dividers
10. Cleaning Bucket- I keep a cleaning bucket under each sink that has cleaning gloves, comet, toilet cleaner, Windex, a sponge, a few bleach tablets, all-purpose cleaner, and a roll of paper towels (you can also get paper towels at the dollar store, but I find that you don't get as much for the price so you should buy paper towels at Costco for the best quality at the best price)

4.) Gift Wrap Supplies

This is another MUST BUY at the Dollar Tree.

There is such a huge markup at big box stores and this is the same quality stuff!

I view gift wrap the same way I do greeting cards.

I always have them on hand for when I need them in a pinch. The last thing I want to do is have to go to a big box store and pay $6 for a gift bag.

I always purchase bundles of these items at the dollar store to keep on hand.

I organize everything in this awesome gift wrap organizing container from Amazon.

As you may know, I like everything in my home to have a place and be contained. This container holds gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons, scissors, tape and wrapping paper (I'd recommend getting wrapping paper at Costco, Ross, Marshalls, or Home Goods),

Anyways, the things you should always buy at Dollar Tree for your gift wrap supplies are below!

1. Gift Bags
   • Birthday
   • Holiday- Christmas, Valentine's Day, etc
   • Any occasion- I get glittery gift bags for friends and housewarming presents
   • Brown Craft Paper Bags- For DIY crafts (luminaries anyone?) and manly gifts
   • Any events I know are coming up like baby showers, wedding showers, bachelorette parties, etc
2. Tissue Paper- I always grab lots of white and a plethora of colored paper
3. Ribbons– They have the cutest decorative ribbons! I keep a little box at home of decorating ribbons for presents!
4. Gift tags
5. Scotch Tape
6. Scissors

I use this gift wrap organizier to put all my wrapping paper, bows, gift wrap, tissue, and gift bags in one place together.

5.) Party Supplies

These are typically things that get thrown away right after the party anyways so you should definitely purchase these items at the dollar store to save A TON of money.

1. Disposable cups
2. Paper plates
3. Paper napkins
4. Eating Utensils
5. Table Cloths
6. Balloons- 10-15 per package
7. Happy Birthday Sign
8. Glow Sticks– I love getting glow necklaces and bracelets for parties, concerts and night races
9. Streamers
10. Silly String- I pick up these for kids birthday parties or to get the boyfriend when he least expects it. It's easy to clean up and so much fun.
11. Wedding Shower Decor- They always have some fun things!
12. Baby Shower Decor
13. Kids Party Favor Toys
14. Children's Party Decorations– They have so many themes like Frozen, Cars, etc!

This brings me to my next item.

6.) Helium Balloons

Ladies, these are a steal!

You can actually get helium balloons at the dollar store!!

This is one of the best things you should always buy at the dollar tree! They are only $1 and they blow them up for you at check out!

Helium balloons can be so expensive at Party City and at the grocery store!!

Save yourself a lot of money by getting them here! They always have a ton to choose from and even have one for the holidays!

7.) Holiday and Seasonal Items

The Dollar Tree always has a section up front of seasonal holiday items. You can find decorations, candy, gift bags, hats/necklaces, etc.

They actually have great items for decor, especially if you're looking for items for a party where you need decorations for tables and buffet layouts.

8.) Kitchen Essentials

I learned this trick when I was in college. I now purchase some of these things in bulk at Costco, but if you just need one package and want to save money, you can buy these things at Dollar Tree!

1. Aluminum Foil– Look for name brand like Reynolds Wrap
2. Plastic Wrap
3. Ziploc/Sandwich Bags– They have name-brand items like Glad and Ziploc
4. Bag/Chip Clips– They have packages that are 6 for $1
5. Popcorn Buckets- Sometimes you can find those cute popcorn holders. If you find them, grab some for home use or to make cute gifts by adding some box candy and some theater tickets.
6. Foil Pans-These are one-time use pans to bring to parties and other people's houses when you don't want to lose your nice dish. I always keep some of these at the house. They have all different shapes and sizes for you to choose from at the Dollar Tree.

9.) Candle-Related Items

You can find candles for crafts and parties, etc!

1. Candles- tea light and other
2. Long lighters- You must ALWAYS buy these at the dollar store since they are so much cheaper than big box stores

10.) DIY Craft Items

1. Scrapbook Stickers and Decor– Dollar Tree has a LOT of stickers and they are of amazing quality! They usually have gorgeous glittery stickers that would normally cost me $7 at a craft store!! I kid you not, I've saved thousands by purchasing these items at the dollar store
2. Small vases for candles and flowers- I keep some on hand for decor for parties. I put roses in them with rock on the bottom for a gorgeous look on my tables
3. Decorative Rocks- I use these in my fish tank and on the bottom of vases as decorations for parties
4. Twine- this can be used for so many things, but I've used it to attach to gift tags for gifts or wrapping. I've also used it around mason jars and put candles in them for party decorations.
5. Glasses to Paint- These are a great gift idea! In college, the Lolita painted wine glasses were very popular, but I couldn't afford them so I would go to Dollar Tree and get wine glasses, beer glasses, martini glasses, or champagne glasses and paint them for friends' birthdays. It took me hours so hopefully, they kept them!! This is the waterproof glass paint from Amazon I use on the glasses linked here.
6. Markers
7. Coloring Books for Kids
8. Metal Wreath Ring- You can buy these at the dollar stock and make ribbon wreaths or regular wreaths at home for cheap!

Related Post: DIY Luxury Holiday Wreath for CHEAP

11.) Candy

We love going to the drive-in theater so sometimes I'll grab a couple of things of movie theater box candy to have on hand. I also grab bags of candy when making party favors or filling pinatas, etc. I've done a Candyland-themed party where I had candy all over the house as decor. It's just a great place to get cheap candy.

Also, look for classic candy that isn't sold in grocery stores anymore! They often have some of those candies we haven't seen in years like fruit stripes gum!

• Movie Box Candy
• Candy Bags
• Classic Candy

I've also done movie candy bouquets for gifts as well as big candy greeting cards. You can get the poster board for the candy cards at the dollar store as well! This brings me to the next item.

12.) Poster Board

The poster board at the dollar tree comes in many different colors and is 2 for $1. Grab some big markers on the way out and you're good to go!

I use poster boards to make signs for races and marathons, kids' events, lemonade stands, yard sales, etc. I also love to make candy cards for people. It's such a cheap and fun way to make someone smile.

This brings me to the next item.

13.) Yard Sale Stickers

If you're planning on doing a yard sale, you can get those little circle stickers at the dollar store to put price tags on all of your items.

14.) Picture Frames for Documents

The picture frames from the dollar tree are not my favorite for pictures, but they are great for framing documents like college and high school degrees, certifications in an office or store, etc.

In fact, I have a wall in my office of all my marathon medals and race certificates. I use the black picture frames from the Dollar Tree to frame my marathon certificates.

You can also spray paint them to give them an uplift!

15.) School Supplies

Dollar Tree is a fantastic place to find school supplies!! They have a plethora of things and most of the items are NAME BRAND. Ladies, these are no-brainers!

1. Scotch Tape
2. Scissors
3. Glue
4. Pens
5. Highlighters
6. Markers
7. Folders
8. Sharpies
9. Sticky Notes
10. Writing Pads
11. Paper Clips

Also, if you're a teacher and need to decorate a classroom, you can find really cute classroom decorations for only $1 in the Teacher's Corner section!

16.) Bathroom Essentials

1. Hand Soap-I always have to get my hand soap here. They have the EXACT same soaps they sell in big box stores. I mean, the EXACT ones. They sell Dial and SoftSoap and have all the same scents. They are 1/3 of the cost of the big box stores.
2. Bubble Bath– I go through bubble baths so fast that when I see them at the dollar store, I have to get it
3. Bath Salts

I've never seen bath bombs in the store, but if I ever do, I am definitely going to buy them in bulk!

17.) Toiletries and Guest Room Essentials

I have a bin of travel essentials that I keep at all times not only for traveling but for guests that stay in my home. You can grab all of these items in name brands at the dollar store.

1. Toothbrushes
2. Dental Floss and Dental Floss Sticks
3. Mouthwash
4. Body Wash
5. Disposable Razors

When I have a new guest in my home, I grab a toothbrush, mouth wash, dental floss, disposable razor and body wash to place in a welcome basket in their room so their stay is more comfortable.

I also take these things with me on trips and since I travel a lot, a good price is certainly appreciated!

18.) Donation Items

Grab items for all kinds of donation drives!

1. School Supply Drives
2. Book Drives- yes, they sell books!
3. Canned Food Drives
4. Women’s Hygiene Drives
5. Kids Toys- I always bring a bag of children's toys down to Mexico when we go down to build houses

The list is endless!

19.) Tumblers

Believe it or not, they sell plastic tumblers with the straws included!

If you have a Cricut (also one of my favorite splurges!), you could customize the tumblers for gifts for people or to sell.

You could also grab some candy and add a gift card for a perfect little gift or party favor!

20.) First Aid Kit for Car or Natural Disasters

I keep a first aid kit in the car, in my earthquake kit, and in my “go bag”.

If you don't live in an area with earthquakes, you most likely deal with other nature-related things like floods, tornados, and hurricanes.

You should make sure to have first aid kit essentials in your emergency bin.

I also have a “go bag” for if things hit the fan and I need to leave my home. I get a lot of the first aid items at Dollar Tree.

1. Neosporin- Get the name brand Neosporin
2. Bandaids- I add a few bandaids to my purse essentials
3. Gauze

21.) Gardening Supplies

They typically have a good selection of gardening supplies to grab. It's usually best in spring!

1. Kneeling Pad
2. Digging Tools
3. Bags of Seeds
4. Foam Inserts
5. Gardening Gloves
6. Hanging Baskets
7. Growing Cups

22.) Mailing Supplies

I mail A LOT of stuff for my day job and to friends/family for gifts since many of them live far away. The dollar store is such a steal for all of these things!

1. Regular Envelopes
2. Padded Envelopes
3. Bubble Wrap
4. Packing Tape

100+ Items You Should ALWAYS Buy at the Dollar Store

I have saved thousands of dollars over the years by purchasing items at the dollar store vs the big box stores. I'm proud of my savings and I think it's an AWESOME and EASY way to save money!

If you find additional items I've missed, please let me know and I'll add them to my list!! Happy Saving!! =)

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100+ Best Things To Buy at Dollar Tree: Ultimate List to Save You Thousands

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