Double Coupons- It Pays to Ask

I am very tired and did not have a good day today, so I'm going to take a break from reviewing Dollar Tree products and tell you a story. A story that happened today. A story about doubling coupons. As I mentioned in the introduction I am trying to master the art of couponing (while also trying to figure out how to get rid of my dogs fleas [I've LITERALLY tried EVERYTHING, poor guy], pack for my move in a month, get ready to take a college class, figure out which medicine I'm on is making me dehydrated, find a job, and stay sane), which I have found is like bingo crossed with a hidden object game crossed with...well, it's a really complicated game. I clipped all the coupons I have, but they're not for anything I need. I scanned the ads, and I couldn't get anything for free. Most of my coupons didn't even apply to the sales

Couponing tip #1: Stores seem to have the same brands on sale at the same time. Everyone from Dollar General to CVS to Giant Eagle had Maxwell coffee, Gilette razors and Dove deodorant on sale, for example.

So I found a resource online (which is hard to trust because coupon policies differ from one store to the other) that said Meijer doubles coupons. Their website said they only double coupons during certain special times. I saw they had Bic products for .89-2.49. I had two coupons. I went thinking they probably wouldn't double. In fact, I was so sure I didn't buy all .89 products- I thought "I'll be practical and get the more expensive pencils for back to school." I don't even really think I needed them. My coupons were for $1 dollar off any Bic product so I bought two packs of pens, the pencils and a pencil refill pack. I took my coupons to the register and as I was checking out, I asked if that Meijer doubled coupons.

Couponing tip #2: Always ask if the store doubles coupons at the register. Read on.

The girl wasn't sure. Were the coupons supposed to be doubled? She didn't know. So much to my surprise, she doubles them! If I had went with my original plan to get the cheapest products, I could have walked out of there with .40 and given the two extra bags of pens to charity helping kids go back to school. But because I was "practical" and did not, I ended up spending $1.63. The moral of this story is:

Couponing tip #3: Always go with the cheapest option for the coupon you have if you think there is a chance of doubling. If you do not need all the cheap items, put a few expensive items in your cart along with them so if you change your mind later you can be smooth at the register.

So that was my first attempt at couponing. I got about seven dollars worth of school supplies for $1.63. At the end of the day, I succeeded, but I still wish I had that forty cents. Every cent counts! :)

Reading glasses

I have mild near sightedness, and mild eye strain when I read for long periods of time. So I thought it would be a good idea to get reading glasses. And where else to get them but The Dollar Tree? Every Dollar Tree has at least on spinning rack of reading glasses ranging from 1.00+ to 3.25+. If there are higher magnitudes I do not know, I wear a 1.25+. These reading glasses are, well, let's call them "delicate" instead of cheap. You can't be throwing these around. I bought three pairs and three hard cases to go along with them (review later) because I thought it was worth the investment to have them not break. One time in college I got reading glasses for finals and they were $20.00 at CVS with no case. I believe they are just a bit less at Wal-Mart. So even if you get multiple pairs and a case for each one, you are still saving money.

A note about cleaning the glasses: As I state in my reviews of Dollar Tree's spectacle lenses and microfiber glasses cloths, there really is no good way to clean glasses available at The Dollar Tree. They have them hanging right by the glasses for you to impulse buy, but just say no! They both get my seal of disapproval.

LA Colors nail polish

I love LA Colors nail polish! I think it outperforms similar low-price brands, like Love My Nails, Ice/Bon-Bons, Sinful Colors (which really are a sin- terrible quality, extremely flaky, the worst nailpolish ever in my experience) and Wet and Wild's 99 cent line in terms of staying ability, being chip prone, and dry time. The only problem is that they don't release new colors very often. You can also get LA Colors nail polish at Dollar General for a dollar, but I am not sure if their other LA Colors products are one dollar too.

Betty Crocker can strainer

Don't you hate draining the liquid out of canned goods, just to see that too much is left in the jar or that some of the food falls in the sink? I do! It drives me as crazy as one of those people in an infomercial who never learned how to flip pancakes. Luckily, you can go to The Dollar Tree and get a can strainer. I'm not sure I had ever heard of these, but I knew it would be useful. And it is! It strains really well. It is also made of a good quality thick plastic which is dishwasher safe. The only drawback to this gadget is that you have to wash it every time you use it. Yes, indeed I am lazy.

Sassy and Chic hand mirror

Hand mirrors are great for a number of uses. You can check the back of your hairstyle. You can check to see if you have weird moles growing on your heiney. You can see what your nether regions look like. And I'm sure there are other ways to use it. This mirror is nice and big. I think there is another similar mirror that also comes with a mirror compact, but I have too many of those already. I also broke one of these mirrors by dropping it on the floor, so I had to buy another one. Floors are bad places for mirrors. Remember that.

"Benadryl" allergy liquid

If I ever have more than a mild allergic reaction, I reach for the liquid Benadryl. It is the fastest acting, most effective medicine to stop constant sneezing/itching/hives in their tracks. And The Dollar Tree brand does just a good of a job as any other diphenhydramine liquid. I've only had my allergies act up really bad a few times, but it is a pain to have to go to the store during an allergy attack and buy the stuff. It seems like I am never at home when it happens, so I plan to keep one in my car (I have this whole emergency basket idea that I will complete- SOMEDAY). As mentioned in the previous post, Benadryl makes me sleepy, and because I also have had to go somewhere and do something when I get the attacks (meeting, work, class), I am going to stick a caffeinated pop in along with it. It's labeled for children, so it's also good for them.

"Benadryl" (Diphenhydramine) tablets

Benadryl is my go-to med to go to sleep. I probably use it too often, but only two a day before bedtime. Therefore, I go through it kind of quickly, especially if I get in the habit of drinking a lot of caffeine or am really stressed out and CAN'T SLEEP. So I want the best value (as we all do). This is it. They work as well as any other Benadryl tablets. I have checked around at different stores, and I have never found a store brand that beats the value of 36 tablets for one dollar. Try and top it! I encourage you! I want to know where/how to get the cheapest everything!

Fiddle Faddle Butter Toffee

Can you tell I am on a junk food kick? I don't usually crave sweets, it must be the whole "lost my job" thing. All I know is I couldn't walk by the Fiddle Faddle and not pop it in my basket. And it's pretty good. I think there is another brand of butter toffee popcorn that is better, but I can't remember what it is. I guess I wish it were more...butter toffee-y? Anyways, it's a nice snack. I especially love the pieces that are stuck together.

Mrs. Freshley's Buddy Bars

Buddy Bars are more like my frenemies. I am not a big chocolate lover, but I can tell when it's fakey. And this chocolate is way fakey. And not the good kind of fake chocolate like soft-serve ice cream. It's funky fake. The peanut butter cream is good, but majorly disappointed in this, especially after the swiss rolls by this brand (also chocolate, review later) tasted great. Boo. I guess it all depends on personal taste, so try it if you want to.

A note on Mrs. Freshley's: They are...fresh! I have never bought something stale/out of date/sticky candy from The Dollar Tree. I'll let you know if I do, but hopefully it won't happen.

Bath Pouf

I could not believe how good of a lather I got out of my Dollar Tree bath pouf. I picked it up to keep at my boyfriend's (he's a washcloth man :P) not expecting much, but it makes a better lather than my fancy-pants eco friendly bath pouf I got at Wal-Mart (I bought it because it was bigger than the cheaper poufs). The real test of a bath pouf is how long until it falls apart. Although I have to use more soap on my "deluxe" bath pouf, I have had it for a year and it is still tightly together. Will The Dollar Tree's bath pouf unravel? Or will it stay intact?

Time for a:

To be continued...

Softsoap Hand Soaps

Sure, you can get the same or similar soaps at Wal-Mart or Dollar General for a dollar and change. But you're still paying more. The Dollar Tree has some great scents and of course you know it is quality soap. The only issue I have is with the design of the bottle. When you get to the last half-inch of soap in the bottom, the bottom of the pump doesn't reach it and you can't get it out without taking off the pump and shaking it out. But like I said, it's good soap.

Nail Shaper

If you've read my nail product reviews, you'll know I'm a bit into nails. Who am I kidding, I LOVE nails. And I love fake nails. So when I saw a nail shaper at The Dollar Tree, it piqued my curiosity. This was one of the things I sometimes encounter in The Dollar Tree: something I've wanted to try but didn't want to put a lot of money into. So I bought it, and tried it. And guess what? It works very nicely. I would say there is no alternative use for this other than shaping real and fake nails because I have tried it. I tried to even out paint that was a little gloppy on one of my crafts and it didn't work. And I could tell that it was hard on the shaper as well.

A note: I thought mine stopped working and bought another one. But tonight I tried it again, and after I unscrewed the bottom and rescrewed it back on, it worked just fine. I'm happy about that!

LA Colors Glitter Gloss

Although no lipgloss can compare to Victoria's Secret or Bath and Body Works' (did you know they are owned by the same parent company?) LA Color's glitter gloss is pretty darn good. I got an orangey-red color and it had a nice, smooth medium consistency, stays put fairly well, has no unpleasant taste and a mild fruity scent. The glitter is noticeable but not over the top. It's been awhile since VS/BBW has made a true glitter gloss- but for fellow glitter gloss lovers check back around Christmas. But enough about other stores. This was a suprisingly good buy, and I predict this will become one of my regularly used glosses.

Oil of Beauty

I forget what this face lotion is called. It doesn't really matter if I remember. It has a thin consistency like what it is trying to emulate, which is Oil of Olay's Beauty Fluid. But unlike the original, it smells like a grandma. And not your hip, cool grandma. A frumpy grandma who puts doilies on everything. I don't like Beauty Fluid so I forget why I thought it would be a good idea to buy this. If you like thin face lotion and don't mind smelling like a grandma, go for it.

April Face Lotion

I love Love LOVE this lotion! Although not non-comedogenic, it has a GREAT smell! It is a medium weight moisturizer with a creamy, nice moderately thick consistency and goes on smooth. And it comes in a glass jar that makes me think of very expensive face lotions you get at department stores. One of the jars lasts me 1-2 months. Very similar to the Tour De Bath products, this sold out at my local dollar store and I have not seen it there since. Unlike those products, these have been freshly restocked several times at other Dollar Trees I have shopped at. When I found a store that had a plentiful supply I stocked up. People are very subjective when it comes to facial lotions, but I would suggest giving it a try.

SUPER FIND! because I love it so much, and face lotion even at Wal-Mart is ridiculously priced

Car Duster

So I have a dusty car. I am in The Dollar Tree. I see a car duster. I buy it, get into my car, and open the package. I think Amelia Bedelia invented these because when I opened the package, it dusted my car alright- with blue fuzz! My mom said that this was the kind of dollar store find Jay Leno would love to have on his show. I agree. For reference, this is the car duster that has the "fingers" on it.

SEAL OF DISAPPROVAL

Makeup Remover Wipes

These do a pretty darn good job of removing makeup, even waterproof mascara and eyeliner. They aren't scented so that is disappointing, but when you're tired at the end of the day and you don't feel like washing your face (which is me like every night) these are great. Although not as easy as the gel eye makeup remover I use (not available at Dollar Tree), with a little elbow grease you can go to bed with a fresh face. These are great for traveling as well.

Clear Container Sealing Tape

It is called "Container Sealing Tape." So why does it not seal containers very well? I had to wrap this tape around a package I am returning like five times and it still wasn't very tight. I will not use this for sealing boxes when I move next.

ALTERNATIVE USE

1. Wrapping presents- if you can stand constantly not knowing where the end of the tape is

2. Wrap it around your hand and use it like a lint roller

3. General use- for example to tape pieces of paper onto boxes when you move, arts and crafts. Whatever you use tape for that doesn't require a small piece of tape.

SEAL OF DISAPPROVAL because it doesn't do what it says it will do.

CD Case

I'm not gonna lie. These are terrible! There were CD cases in another bin that looked very flimsy and had soft covers. I erroneously thought that since the tie-dyed CD case had a hard case that the insides would be sturdier than tissue paper. I was wrong. They are. Not only do you first have to remove half of the plastic to make the slot to get the CD/DVD in, but it is hard to get the CDs/DVDs into and out of the slots once they are in there. Really, I am sorry I tore the tag off of this before I took a good look at it. It is THAT bad. I could have exchanged it for some Glow body scrub. Really there is no excuse to make something this terrible. I have gotten CD cases in years past from The Dollar Tree and they have been sturdy. I guess that was then and this is now.

SEAL OF DISAPPROVAL

Sandpaper Set

This contains pieces of sandpaper ranging from extra fine to coarse. No Dollar Tree I have been to has anything to put the sandpaper on (like a block) and personally I don't sand things too often so it's not worth investing something for now. I just take a piece or tear a piece off and sand away. It's adequate stuff. I am pretty sure all sandpaper is this way, but it is very messy. Sand outdoors! And do not get it wet. That is pretty basic but I left some outdoors in the middle of a project and it flipped over in a storm and stuck to the patio. Not pretty.

Colored Party Cups

These are thin but fine for everyday use by people who don't tend to tip things. But one question plagues me- are Dollar Tree's 6 cups for a dollar TRULY a better deal than Wal-Mart?

FURTHER RESEARCH NEEDED

To be continued...

Sunglass Clip Holders

I once tried to use one of these and wondered why my huge sunglasses didn't fit. But when I thought I'd give sunglass holders another try, I figured it out and wondered why I had been so thick the first time. Unfortunately, the holder I bought to test drive broke after I forced it open too hard. But because I really do have nowhere to put sunglasses in my car, I am giving it another shot. I even got a second one- not in case one breaks, but for passengers to use. Some things you have to be gentle with, like with moose meat.

Liquid Skin

When I saw liquid skin at The Dollar Tree, I had to try it. I had always wondered about the so-called "liquid band-aids", and here they were for a dollar! The moral of my experience: less is more and don't touch your face. This is really good to use where band-aids won't work or won't stay on. For example, I had a sore hangnail and had to continuously wash my hands at work. Liquid skin to the rescue! It worked so well that I put more on- but then it started to flake off. It is not supposed to do that- the idea of liquid skin is that it protects your wound like there is skin over it, and gently wears off. So if you can pick it off once it dries, you have used too much. Don't touch your face, or any other sensitive area. It's kind of like super glue, which means if you hypothetically get it in your eye it will stick your eyeball to your eyelid, glue your eyelids shut, and if you frantically move your eyes, it will stick to a few more places in your eyelid as you move your eyeball around. AND IT WILL HURT. Not that I know anything about that, but I hear that the worst thing to do if you get something in your eye is to rub it. The second worst thing is to try and pick the liquid skin off. Don't play with liquid skin, kids. You might end up going to the Urgent Care and being very embarrassed. Not that I could relate.

Glow Body Scrub

I love it! It is a creamy body wash with a nice, gentle exfoliation. I am not sure it is gentle enough for everyday use, but is nice for a few-times-a-week use. It is also handy if you do not have a bath pouf and wand more scrubbing oomph than a washcloth can give you. I like the Mixed Berry scent. There is another scent in a yellow jar that I did not like- something citrus-y. There is no seal on these, so go for ones in the back and open the lid to make sure no one's stuck their fingers in for a free sample.

Salt and Pepper

I was out of salt. I was at The Dollar Tree. I saw salt. I bought salt. It's iodized, it's salty- how can you really mess up table salt? I don't know, but The Dollar Tree didn't. I don't know about the pepper, however. Not a big pepper user. But the salt is...salt! Word to the mess prone- it does not have a close-able lid like some of the fancier brands at grocery stores. It does have a nice metal base though, and is not easily tippable.

Mesh Back Supporter

As I type this I am reclining on my mesh back supporter from The Dollar Tree. It's great! You just stick it on your chair, or lean against it in your chair if the straps won't fit over the back, and you are in comfort city. This was an item that sold out fast when it first came to my local store, but now they are plentiful. I've used mine for half a year and it's held up. It's ergonomic and only a dollar. In my opinion, an awesome buy.

USB Car Charger

The USB car charger is another great Dollar Tree find. I have had varying luck with lighter devices in my car, but so far, it works! And it has two USB ports! I used the aforementioned iPod cord with it and my phone's USB cord and it charged them both up nicely on a long drive. While I do not know how long it will last, I am happy to have it while it does.

iPod Usb Cord

Oh my gosh you guys. This find is one of those where you have to do a double take. An iPod usb cord? At The Dollar Tree? WHAT? Yes my friends they have them- if you are lucky and act fast. I've only seen them at two stores. I bought one to try it and when it worked I went back to get more, and they were all gone. I found two left at another store and bought them out. I am using one right now to charge my iPod. They work perfectly and are even retractable. I got one to keep as a spare to my Apple brand cord, one to keep in my car for my car charger (review later!) and one to leave plugged in to my wall charger for travel (I love my iPod!).

I give the iPod Usb Cord my first ever:

SUPER FIND AWARD!

Microfiber Cloths for Glasses 2 Pack

Is there no good way available at The Dollar Tree to clean glasses? It seems not. I whipped one of these bad boys out of the package and instantly got microfibers all over my shirt. They didn't clean as much as they smudged.

ALTERNATIVE USES: Terrible quality doll clothes?

SEAL OF DISAPPROVAL

Spectacle Wipes

Streaky. There, I said it. I was super disappointed. Maybe a good option if you get something really stuck on your glasses, but for everyday use it's not worth a dollar.

ALTERNATIVE USE: Use them to clean the windows of someone you don't like? I got nothing. And I got one less dollar.

I have to give this product my very first:
SEAL OF DISAPPROVAL

California Nails Nail Glue

I love Love LOVE this stuff. It sticks and won't let go for days. I tried the glue that came in another nail kit I got at Dollar Tree (review later) and that stuff only lasted two days before my nails were popping off. It does not dry as clear as the glue in the kit, but like I said, the staying power is unbeatable in my experience. This applies to the older yellow package glue and the new "improved (why it needed it is beyond me)" pink package glue.

California Nails Fake Nails

I am a lover of glue-on nails. No long-term commitment, no wear and tear on your own nails, little maintenance and instant long nails for a week? I'm all over that. Thankfully, The Dollar Tree usually has fake nails, though different stores seems to carry different brands and they are all not an equal bargain.

Today I noticed that a lot of new California Nails designs had come in. They had very nice looking subtle french nails, a few so-so designs, and a new collection of animal prints. Normally I would snatch up all of my favorites. But I had to limit myself to two styles, and put back the others that I wanted. Why? Not only because I am on a limited budget, but because you need two packs of each to get a symmetrical manicure. No joke.

When I apply fake nails, I have a system. First you get all the nails out of the package and line them up from biggest to smallest. Then you separate the pairs of two in the line and try different nails on to see what size fits what fingers. If a size matches, I pull those two out and lay them out the way my hands are laid out: thumbs in the middle with pinkies on the furthest left and right.

You can not do this with a single pack of California Nails. There appears to be some symmetry in some of the smaller sizes, but none with the medium or large. So two packs it is.

Another thing to watch out for with California Nails are scratches/flaws in the designs on the nails. Look very carefully at the nails before you buy them- you don't know which sizes you'll use and you don't want one wonky nail in the mix. You can't see the smallest nails in the bottom of the package, but that is a risk you take.

California Nails are also thin as false nails go, which is good for scratching and picking things up, but they are more susceptible to bending.

Another feature that makes California Nails appealing is that if you do not like the design, you can wear it off with a nail buffer (which you can also buy at The Dollar Tree! Review later). That's handy in a pinch if they only have two designs you don't like and no other brands. At $2 for a manicure, it's still cheaper than fake nails at Dollar General.

Mrs. Freshley's Oatmeal Cremes

Nom nom nom. I think they are smaller than Little Debbies, but know they taste better. Less "creme" too, which makes them in my opinion less greasy. No trans fats, 8 for a dollar, seen this brand at Wal-Mart. All signs point to "Yummy Junk Food!"

Trim Tweezers/Light Up Magnifying Tweezers/La Cross Lash Comb and Tweezers

Getter-outer of splinters, plucker of hairs, and picking up tiny things. Tweezers are handy to have around. But be careful picking them out at The Dollar Tree. Here's the good, the bad, and the "eh."

Trim Tweezers

Such a disappointment. The one thing they are supposed to do- have the ends close tightly enough to grab things- they do not do well at all.

Update: SEAL OF DISAPPROVAL


ALTERNATIVE USE: I used mine to get hair clogs out of a sink drain. Takes more time, but less gross than poking around in there with your finger. (That can't possibly be taken out of context.)


Light Up Magnifying Tweezers

Woh-woh. They light up, they magnify- but they suck at tweezing. This just seemed sooo cooool that I had to try it, even after I knew to be wary of Dollar Tree tweezers.

ALTERNATIVE USE: This would be good for crafting, but I might Goodwill it. I already have crafting tweezers. I'll see.

La Cross Tweezer/Lash Comb

We have a winner! La Cross, a brand by Sally Hansen, makes a fine tweezer. And it's at some Dollar Trees! I really bought it for the "lash" comb, which I am going to use to manage my longish eyebrows (comb them up and cut with tiny scissors). Nobody likes bushy eyebrows.

Eyebrow Razors

I hate plucking my eyebrows. It takes time and it hurts. And sometimes you pluck too much, or not how you intended to, and your mom calls you Jack Nicholson. Not that that's ever happened to me *shifty glance*. So when I noticed there was a thing called "Eyebrow Razors," and those things were two in a pack at The Dollar Tree, I thought, "Why not?"

I tried them twice. While it was a lot easier, quicker and manageable than plucking, there are two major drawbacks to eyebrow shaving that made me stick with tweezing:

1. There is no way to use shaving cream and know where you are going (that I can tell), so you have to shave dry, or moist.
2. STUBBLE

Both of the above facts were very irritating- literally. Where I shaved was red the night after I did it and sore the next day. I had to put antibiotic ointment on under my eyeshadow the next day, it was that raw. I have sensitive skin, and the razors may not have been the sharpest on the block, but regardless, the stubble sealed the deal. AAARRRGGGHHH THE ITCHING! You do not want itchy eyebrows, trust me, especially when you are stressed at work and sweating.

This purchase was a bust for me. But do not lose hope, for I have ALTERNATIVE USE ideas!

1. I am into crafting with polymer clay, and though I have not tried it yet and can not say if it works, an eyebrow razor would probably make a great detailer/texturer, and depending how cleanly it cuts, a nice slicer.
2. This would be great for shaving off trouble hairs you don't want to pluck, or as a last minute effort. Examples include the stray hairs on your great aunt's chinny chin chin. I tried it on my least favorite hairs- mole hairs!- but again, I'd rather pluck than shave those in the long run.

Plucking up next!

Tour De Bath Products

Ah, a seemingly fleeting line of body lotions, shower gels, and moisturizing body sprays in three fragrances: Thai Paradise, African Rhythm and French Kiss. I fell in love with my African Rhythm body spray in spring of '10 and quickly used half of it. Then when I went back to get more a few weeks later, they were all gone! I have only seen the body spray one other time, a month or so later at a different dollar store, and I bought it. It must have been so popular because it really does moisturize. One of the main ingredients is glycerin, which is a bit sticky wet but moisturizes nicely when dry. This was the first time I'd really liked a Dollar Tree fragrance, and I was very happy last winter when I stumbled upon what seemed like a stash of Tour De Bath shower gels and body lotions- but of course, no body sprays- at the biggest Dollar Tree I had ever been at. I went overboard and bought the African Rhythm shower gels that still had the seal intact and the lotions that weren't gooky around the cap- like, almost all of them. I also picked up two each of the Thai Paradise and French Kiss body washes.

Since that fateful day when I discovered that there were still Tour De Bath products in Dollar Trees, it seems like I find them whenever I go to a Dollar Tree I hadn't been to in a while. I picked up about six more bottles of the stuff in varying fragrances (I really like Thai Paradise as a shower gel and hand cream, and though I have yet to experiment with French Kiss I love the fragrance).

Now, some of you will be quick to point out that the products have been sitting on the shelves for over a year by now. And you have a point. So far I had one African Rhythm shower gel that turned and smelled like plastic or something, and I am pretty sure other products have faded. So reaching into my stash is a little like playing Russian Roulette. But I say bring it on. After all, even if only half smell good I still have enough to last me for months. And because I do have a stock, if one turns out to be a lemon I don't regret that I didn't buy more, and I can use them without thinking I will never have another one. I'm usually not a stocker-upper, but since now I have no job I'm glad I did. In this economy, stocking up with enough cheap products to keep you going for a few months is a good idea, an idea I will probably reiterate many times on this blog.

Update: I realized I did not describe how good these products work. The shower gel foams very well when used with a pouf and you can get a good, pretty lasting lather out of a quarter size (if you use soap to shave your legs or another big body part [back] you'll probably need another quarter for a nice lather). They are fragrant but not overpowering. The body lotions are smooth and stay on relatively well through most first time and some second time hand washings. They do not "ball up" if you use a lot like the lotions in Wal-Mart's gift baskets and other inexpensive lotions I have tried. I like to keep one by my desk and keep my hands (and lips, with lipgloss of course) moist and soft. It's a comfort thing for me. I can put multiple layers of the lotion on and it will not get gooky. The lotion, I think because it is old, has a subtle scent compared to Bath and Body Works. This works for me because I do not like my hand lotion scent to compete with my perfume. These are also nice if your work does not allow strong perfume.

Welcome

I'm the Dollar Tree Hunter. This blog is about The Dollar Tree. I'm going to do product reviews, creative uses for dollar products, and maybe reviews of other free or cheap resources to get the most out of your money.

I've been in love with The Dollar Tree since I was a little girl. In middle school, I remember looking at all of the things they had, and telling my mom that when I got my first apartment I would go there first to get what I need. Zap forward to the present day and here I am, doing just that. I go to the Dollar Tree and will try their version of almost anything I need once before buying it at Wal-Mart. Now that I'm really cash strapped, I think I will also try to buy more staples at places like Family Dollar, Dollar General and Big Lots (which I may call Odd Lots out of habit). I am a (mostly former, since I have enough decor/household appliances/books/games/clothing/knicknacks that I am Clean Housing my apartment) thrifting diva as well, but personally because of the nature of thrift store finds, think reviews of what you can find there are kind of pointless other than as illustrations of how great thrift stores are. There's my endorsement: just go to one! They are not gross, and if you are worried about germs don't buy wigs, shoes that can not be sanitized or underwear (one of my rules) and wash/clean everything as soon as you get home. I also endorse garage sales, but again, reviews are pretty pointless and the season is about over now. I am also interested in couponing, so I may regale you with my tales of getting into that game. I'm a single lady looking for a job with a dog in America, trying to live a champagne life on the budget of that drunk homeless guy who always asks you for money. Alright, so I exaggerate. But I'm still pretty darn broke. Most of the things I will write about here will be purchases I made when I actually had a steady income.

One last little tidbit: I am not endorsed by The Dollar Tree or paid by them to do or say anything (but I wish I was!).