9 Big Misconceptions Shopping at the Dollar Stores!

Last night, I was reading one of my favorite bloggers when I saw her most recent post, 7 Reasons You Should Never Shop the Dollar Stores. What? Never?!? I was shocked. Y'all know I'm a big advocate for the dollar stores. It has saved my family a small fortune over the years! I love walking in to the 99 Cent Only and getting items on my weekly shopping list. As a coupon blogger, I would have believed other extreme couponers would love the dollar stores as much as I do, but as I have found, it's not usually the case.

I understand shopping at stores like the 99 Only or Dollar Tree have their own ebb and flow. You can't shop there like you do a "regular" grocery store, but there are some simple ideas that anyone can easily follow to get more savings on their grocery bill (all without coupons).

1. Sizes are smaller. Sizes might be smaller on some things, but that doesn't mean you're getting more for your money when you buy a bigger item at another store. Visually sizing up a item can be misleading. This is why you must know your products and compare. For example, I'll often find a 7 oz bag of chips at the dollar store for $1.00, but 9 - 12 oz bags at other stores for $2.00 to $3.00! The bag often looks bigger, but in this case the dollar store is a better buy. To know if you're getting a good deal, it's easy to find the price per ounce. Simply, divide the price by the ounces printed on the bag. The smaller the price per ounce, the better the deal.

2. You impulse purchase. This is a bit silly. I'm going to be frank; if you're likely to "impulse buy" at the dollar store, you're going to do it at any store. I never go shopping without a shopping list or budget in mind, even at the 99 Only! It's important to stay on budget, so make sure everything you buy has a purpose in mind.

3. Quality isn’t always up to par. I have found some junky items at Bed Bath and Beyond, too. Just because you bought it at the dollar store doesn't mean it will be poor quality. The moment you treat an item as low quality, it is no longer of value to you. Be a shrewd shopper. Check your items, look them over carefully the same way you would if you were to spend more on them. If you don't like the quality in the store, you won't like it at home. This is what I call shopping with green colored glasses. Don't be blinded by "it's just a $1!". Dollars add up no matter where you spend them.

4. You don’t have many healthy food options. This is so wrong! The 99 Cent Only has a huge selection of produce and organic options! They even have a healthy food ambassador who posts on their Facebook and Instagram. The options are fantastic. I especially love that I find gluten free foods like Glutino and Udi's.

5. Avoid the knick knacks. I don't agree. Sure there are a lot of frivolous things you can buy, but have you see the silly things at Walmart? Again, don't buy with green colored glasses! If you wouldn't buy it elsewhere, don't buy it for the discounted price. Plus, there are great decor items that come from Walmart, Target or even Michael's that end up on dollar store shelves.

6. A buck isn’t always a good deal. It's true, but that goes for any store. Know your prices. Have a purpose. Stay on budget.

7. Lack of name brands. I can't even begin to express how frustrating that statement makes me. Many families depend on "off brands" to supplement their food budget and never step foot in a dollar store. I don't believe "off brand" means poor quality and it's a sad statement that implies inferiority. Plus, it is simply inaccurate. I could list the countless brand names I've seen at the 99 this month, but why don't you check out my Instagram instead and see what I've found or my previous 99 Only posts with my favorite finds!

Here are two more I have heard over the years....

8. You do all your shopping at The 99 Cent Only Store? It's unhealthy and unbalanced. I don't. I can't. The products vary from day to day and you never know what you'll find. It makes it a bit of an adventure, but so is couponing! Just think of the dollar store as a compliment to your regular shopping. I always shop there first, then pick up the rest of my groceries at a big chain store after.

9. Only low-income families shop at dollar stores. I am better than that. Again, this is so sad when I hear it and truly inaccurate. I had a friend ask me for some tips on couponing a while back. She wanted to know everything, but I was on my way out and couldn't sit down and share with her all the ins and outs of coupons. I suggested that she try The 99 Only until we could talk more, and much to my dismay, she was severely offended that I would suggest it. She felt it was "beneath her". The dollar store is for everyone, every income level, and every walk of life. Trust me, I've met some amazing people there from incredible backgrounds!

Don't let misconceptions get in the way of your shopping goals. There are many ways to save, dollar stores are just one of them.

Do you agree? Let me know about your experience with the dollar stores in the comments below!