Look Who's Back

What irony. I post a comment on a blog post about what to buy and not buy at the Dollar Tree, and I find my old Dollar Tree blog!

See it here: http://www.holy-craft.com/2012/02/things-to-buy-at-dollar-storeand-few.html

Ladies LOVE the pregnancy tests! (Thankfully I have no use for them as of now.)

I had just been thinking about starting this up again the other day and was worried I had lost the link. Well, here I am and here is my come back post: my gargantuan comment from the blog that led me here:

Wow. This has gotten a little TL:DR, but I will add my bit to make it even longer. Microfiber cloths are a good deal here, two to a pack. I love Reynolds Wraps pre-cut foil. They make great toaster oven "pans" oven/cookie sheet liners and foil packets. They also have floppy water bottles in now that are dish-washer safe and nice to carry to work. Other things I buy that are cheaper than at the grocery store: Nail polish remover, cotton balls, shaving cream, toothbrushes, Listerine-like mouthwash, generic Benydryl/cold medication/Zyrtec, dog bones, Goop hand cleaner (great for getting nail polish remover off), generic Woolite, gauze wrap, Goo Gone, ace bandages, antibiotic cream, salycidic acid astringent, salicydic acid face wash, acne cream, scar gel(which I think is wishful thinking, but if you're going to buy it you might as well pay less), they sometimes have generic Tide pens, hair brushes, nail glue, they have come out with some very nice body wash lately, and sometimes you can find some nice picture frames. Don't buy their staplers or regular scissors- they stop working fast. But I use their hair scissors on my dog and they have stayed sharp. Travel sizes are slightly cheaper at Wal-Mart, but this is a great place to buy travel stuff you wouldn't mind losing like bath poufs and cheap sunglasses. Suduko books! Most stores sell Sally Hansen discontinued or overstock products, like InstaDry polish, but they sell out fast. They also have Betty Crocker branded kitchen utensils. I got a very nice silicone baster. The fake nails only come 12 to a pack, all different sizes. The designs sand off easily with a nail buffer (also sold here) if you want to customize them but get 2 packs. And I love the AsSeenOnTV knock offs you can usually find near the registers like grocery bag carriers and long-reach-grabbers. Don't buy the lens cleaning wipes- they just make your glasses streaky! And forget the batteries. I have bought some that work, but then some that didn't, I say buy them at Wal-Mart so you don't pay for duds. And they have something called "Hot Patches." Those are just icy hot strips that fall off easily, not generic Thermacares. The shower curtain liners seem like a good idea, but they last 3 months tops. The little holes are not re-enforced. The softener is also a no-go. Lysol is OK, my boyfriend thinks it stinks.  They sometimes have Cliff bars which I like to eat on the go, but I have found they are always cheaper at my grocery store, and are available in more flavors. Same for Renuzit air fresheners, I think the ones at the grocery store are fresher because there is a higher turn over. Chair back supports are great! Their bath fizzies, bath salts and bubble bath make nice gifts to others or for yourself. Another thing to avoid are the CD/DVD books- the last one I bought fell apart as I was putting the CD's in! Headphones are also not a good idea in any form, bud, padded or speaker. I bought some dog treats there by Sargent's, which is a brand name, and they made my dog's poop weird- bright orange (color of treat) with, like, mucus in it. I threw them away and it never happened again. Wall Decals are super cheap and available in some really cute designs. I recently bought some paper lanterns and decals and spruced up my kitchen bar area for $6. Mrs. Freshley's snacks are pretty good, but I'd avoid the cookies made in other countries. They taste terrible! I bought knock-off Mexican Nutter Butters and they tasted like nothing. Molasses cookies? Make your own pun. I will close this extremely long comment by saying: DON'T BUY THE TWEEZERS. They all suck.

But that's not all folks! Things I forgot to add:

Good To Buy:
Thermometers
Chlortrimeton
Tooth brush covers
Round cotton pads
Colormates Lipstick- super moisturizing
Mini sewing kit
Potpourri spray
Reading glasses
Glasses cases
Hammer
Screwdriver
Mini screwdriver kit
Wisps (single serving toothbrushes)
Dog bones
Dog squeaky toys
Travel dog bowl- can be put through the washer!
Extra dog bowls -I like mine heavy, but plastic ones are good for when the ceramic ones are being cleaned or for travelling
Birthday cards
Calculators
Velcro cable bundlers/markers
Dog brushes/combs
Hand lotion- this may not be the greatest lotion, but it is nice to put next to your soap so you can re-moisturize your hands after you wash them. I wash mine a lot and they get dry easily.
Notecards
Baked potato microwave trays -I thought I did not need them, but then I cooked a potato in the microwave and it was super messy.
Dog poo-poo bag holder
Dog poo-poo bags
LA Colors Nail Art nailpolish
Glitter
Super glue

Not Good To Buy:
Sandpaper- the sand seemed to not be stuck to the paper very well
Big multi-packs of toothbrushes and covers -flimsy
Aim toothpaste -Does not contain anti-tartar ingredients. It does taste good though!
Dog collars- It broke the same day I opened it. I was on a walk and my dog went running around the neighborhood. It's so cheaply made, I don't know what dog could wear one and not break it! Really dangerous. DO NOT BUY.
Band-aids- do not stay on
Packing tape
Duct tape -no stick to either of these
Jordache perfume- I gave these a shot. I went to a Dollar Store in a different area and smelled them all. I found one that didn't make me gag (Stella McCartney) and bought it. When I got home, it made me gag. It was so horrible I couldn't even use it as an air freshener. When it comes to knock off perfumes, you generally should look to pay $3-10 for a semi-decent one. Great gag gift though. Literally!
Generic Chapstick- I bought the blue kind on the go and it was almost like Vicks. Maybe good for when you have a cold.
Wax melts -do not have much smell
Donna Michelle foundation- it is like tinted lotion, which is not enough coverage for me
Flea control -I really wouldn't trust what I saw there. Can't remember the brand name, but it said "All Natural," and that really isn't a substitute for proven flea prevention methods. Trust me, fleas are the pits.
Lotion -I haven't found a good one yet, but I'm spoiled by B&BW.
Trash bags -super thin
Garlic salt -there's SUGAR in it!! Augh, it was the sickest thing ever. I used a few times and it just tasted wrong. I eventually looked at the label and threw it in the trash.
Paper towels -bad value

Also, I have to rescind one of my earlier reviews and say do not buy the USB iPod/iPad/iPhone cords- they will work for a couple months, and that's it. It's worth buying a higher quality cord to not have to wiggle it around and to have the cord last for years.

Alright, well that's all I can think of for now! I am sure I will be visiting my local Dollar Tree soon and dig up some more dirt to review. That reminds me: the hand trowel I bought there was nice! That was a good buy. The little bags of soil, however? Not a good deal. I got a giant bag at Giant Eagle for less. And the plastic pots have no drainage holes, pass on them. And so it goes...