Before you go hunting for deals at the local dollar store, here are some practical tips:
Look at the product formats
To be able to sell the product at $ 1 or $ 2, manufacturers reduce the size of the packaging. With a reduced format, the cost per gram may be higher than elsewhere. For example, juices, potato chips or bbq sauces are more expensive at Dollarama if we compare the cost according to the weight of the product.
Check grocery store flyers
It is not always true that Dollarama offers the lowest price. Sometimes the same products are cheaper at another retailer. Check your local flyers before going to your Dollarama.
Follow your shopping list
With prices between $ 1-3, it's so easy to buy more than you need. As a result, the bill may surprise you at the end of your visit to Dollarama. Make a list before you start shopping.
Beware of poor quality
If you buy products of questionable quality, you should replace these items very often. You hardly save with such an approach!
What to BUY at Your Dollar Store
Let's start our list with the items we want to buy from Dollarama:
Everything for a party
- decorations for your next outdoor or indoor party
- balloons, hats, loot bags
- disposable plates and napkins
- invitation cards, wrapping paper, gift boxes
Specialized sites comparing prices claim that these above products purchased from Dollarama allow savings of up to 70%.
Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter decorations
To decorate your house at low cost we head to Dollarama, the price is good!
Beware of the lights: the quality is super low, which is not very safe.
Toys
Toys and children's items: coloring books, play books, doggies, bath toys.
But pay attention to the quality of certain toys, especially those for babies.
We do not touch those which can break easily or which can cause a danger of suffocation or suffocation if swallowed.
Food
One word of advice about food sold here: buy in small quantities and test. In addition, look at the amounts of less healthy elements like sodium.
Any suspicion that the product is not fresh or is not clean (bulging cans, open packaging) is a signal you don't buy it.
School items
Duo-tangs, sheets, notebooks - we buy them at our local Dollarama.
But for all that is pencils, scissors, pens, markers, we go to our local Staples, because the quality of these items at Dollarama is too low. In other words, these items will not last for the entire school year.
Dishes
The dishes sold at Dollarama are good to buy if the plan is to replace them with something more solid and durable in 2-3 months.
What NOT to Buy at Your Dollar Store
Let's move on to the products NOT to buy in your Dollarama. Do not buy them even if these products are on sale and they seem to you as extraordinary bargains. These products are of questionable quality and may pose risks to your health or your environment.
DEODORANTS
You can find lots of deodorants and antiperspirants from known brands in your Dollarama. But before you buy one, check the size. Very often you can find a larger version which costs a little more at your pharmacy. The value of a larger deodorant (the value per gram) is better in your pharmacy.
SODAS
The bottle size is also smaller at Dollarama. If you compare the prices and divide them by milliliters, you will probably see that a larger bottle purchased at your grocery store is cheaper for you. We always compare prices per gram or milliliter.
TOOLS
The tools sold here will last a very short time. The tools sold at Dollarama are designed for emergencies and not for very long use. To have durable tools buy them in specialized hardware stores.
BATTERIES
The batteries from Dollarama do not have the same quality as the batteries sold elsewhere. For their low prices, manufacturers had to save some ingredients or change the formula of the active components. Buy your batteries at Costco or Walmart.
KNIVES
For knives to be used 1-2 times a year, the products from here are good. To use daily them in your kitchen, these knives will not be very useful to you. The quality of the steel is also lower than elsewhere.
USB CHARGERS
The quality of the chargers sold here is also lower than elsewhere. Your charger will work, but it will take longer than usual to charge fully. Find an electronics store or go to Amazon.ca to buy more powerful chargers.
HDMI CABLES
The story is very similar to this one of USB chargers. The HDMI cables sold here break quickly.
ELECTRIC CABLES
The quality of electric cables is lower than that in hardware stores. They can break easily - posing a significant risk of fire.
ANIMAL FOOD
Cheap foods can have sub-standard ingredients. See the list of ingredients in these foods (if your cat or dog has allergies) and the expiration date.
COSMETICS
You have to be careful with cosmetic products, especially if they contain chemicals that you don't know anything about.
CHEWING GUM
With gums, you want to compare prices per gram. Very often the large package sold at Costco would cost you less.
VITAMINS
Several researches carried out in the United States have shown that the ingredients in the vitamins sold in dollar store do not contain the same ingredients as products of other well-known brands.
OVEN MITTENS
The quality is inferior which can give less protection against high temperatures.
GARBAGE BAGS
Garbage bags sold at low prices do not provide good resistance. Buy your bags at a store like Costco or your grocery store.
Get more shopping tips here:
- 15 Products to Buy at Costco Canada
- Don't Buy These 7 Products at Costco
- 5 Things Car Dealerships Don't Want You to Know