99 Cent Stores

[ClearClouds]

Do you shop at 99 Cent Stores?

I went recently and got 5 bottles of Pom Pomegranate Juice for $5. They are usually about $7 per bottle at my grocery store.

[mom-from-missouri]

The ones here also take coupons, so I can get brand name items such as shampoo,conditioner, toothpaste, spices, foil, glad wrap and more for free.

[disneysteve]

I am not really a fan of buying food items at dollar stores. There have been a number of cases of recalls involving counterfeit products from China. I know my mom got a tube of "Colgate" toothpaste that got recalled for containing harmful chemicals. Fortunately, she was fine but that was kind of scary. It isn't worth saving a buck if you are putting your health at risk.

On the flip side, we buy some cleaning supplies at the dollar store and have not noticed any difference in how they work compared to their more expensive counterparts.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I feel the same way as disneysteve regarding food from dollar stores. I'm not confident of them. I do try to remember the dollar stores when I need something like a single use paint brush, wool felts for under the chair legs, packaging tape, wire and nails to hang a picture, refrigerator magnets...um...all the stuff that normally lives in my kitchen junk drawer. I used to find CDs of music from other countries. DH found some good recordings of symphonies of various smaller cities around western Europe. Oh and I think there are even some good kids' toys.

[inneedofhelp]

I just found one of those dollar tree stores----my goodness! when I was growing up, the dollar stores really only had maybe dollar t-shirts (they had slight imperfections, but I loved them, as they fit me), and plastic junk.

but now! you can buy tons of home items and cleaning stuff and food and there was even a frozen section! I live very far from the store, so I didn't want to risk something melting or going bad....great store and i will probably shop there again.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by inneedofhelp

when I was growing up, the dollar stores really only had maybe dollar t-shirts (they had slight imperfections, but I loved them, as they fit me), and plastic junk.

I think when the dollar store concept first began, it was like a close-out place that would buy up odd lots, discontinued items, seconds and irregulars, etc. But as the concept grew in popularity, the need arose for a steady stream of merchandise. I'm sure that at this point, there are many factories in China cranking out nothing but dollar store merchandise. A few years ago, I got copies of some retailer import catalogs and they were loaded with vendors selling merchandise for dollar store owners.

[pretty cheap jewelry]

I have heard that near me the farms are 'gleaned' by entreprenuers who resell produce to the 99c store. I am ok with this but the report is that this produce used to be donated to the local food banks.

So while I do buy produce and a few other food items from the 99c store, I try to minimize it.

Also, the food in the refrigerator cases are largely REALLY unhealthy, processed meats and convenience things. With exception of eggs, baby carrots, etc.

So what did I do yesterday? I bought tortillas, ramen noodles, and fig cookies there (I confess!!!)