How to Shop at the Dollar Store

Still haven't set foot inside a dollar store? The millions of people who have have discovered more than just party favours and gift bags. They have found a wealth of everyday needs from dishpans to dinner plates and from crayons to canvases. You soon realize that the maxim, "you only get what you pay for," ain't necessarily so. Let's examine the basics of dollar store shopping and see what a buck will buy.

A dollar store chain that is large, neat and stocked like a mini department store, such as Dollarama, offers a wide range of products and makes it easy for you to find what you're looking for fast. As well as greeting cards, gift-wrap, bows and ribbon, check out the canned goods, candy, house wares like glasses and kitchen utensils and hardware items like well-made tools and light bulbs.

I find it best to buy an item when I see it. If you think its pretty/useful/decorative, chances are others will too and you may not be able to find it again when you come back the following week or even the next day. This is especially true of seasonal merchandise. Case in point - the solar light sticks that Dollarama had in stock this spring were snapped up quick. I have five of these and they are all performing admirably.

Tastes vary and any store can be guilty of ill-conceived or flimsy merchandise so, as a guide, look for items that are similar to those you might find in a larger department store or your favourite decorating magazine and are made of sturdy materials. The look-alike of a famous brand can opener that I bought for a buck, fell apart the first time I tried to use it. It left no impression on the can whatsoever. On the other hand, some screwdrivers I bought for $1 each at Dollarama are equal in quality to anything I've seen at national hardware store for three times as much.

If you're into home decor, but don't have the budget for the vases, scented candles and picture frames you see in those glossy home decorating magazines, chances are you can satisfy that need to decorate with similar items at the dollar store.