My Favorite Items from Dollar Tree!

Ah, Dollar Tree. Friend to all of us who have, at one time or another, gone through more stringent budgetary times.

Right here at the forefront, I want to specify that this is not Family Dollar or Dollar General — believe me, those are not the same! This is your friendly neighborhood Dollar Tree, where every single item is $1 or less. (*applause!*)

If you’ve never been, you might feel a little unsure about the quality or the types of items they have in stock.

There was a time early in our marriage when we were all about living off of as little as possible. We budgeted using John’s landscaping salary and saved my salary. We spent our Saturdays making the rounds at yard sales and furnished our apartment with our finds.

Our apartment was directly across the street from a newer Dollar Tree. So I decided to take a peek and see what all was there and if I might be able to save some of our precious monthly budget by not going to Target.

I was made into a believer on the first trip, and I still shop at DT regularly!

Below, you’ll find my favorite categories at Dollar Tree, and the items in each I love the most. These are tried and true, and I hope it will encourage you that you can live off of less and not feel as stressed about it!

Party Supplies

Praise God from whom all inexpensive party supplies flow! From streamers in every color to already blown up helium balloons, to those cute gold number and letter balloons you see on Pinterest, to disposable table cloths… DT has got your back if you want to save a little money throwing a party.

For kids, they have whole lines of matching themed plates, napkins, tablecloths, goodie bag items, and decorations — think unicorns, legos, and monster trucks. You’ll also find baby shower supplies, milestone birthday supplies, and a general assortment of colors for disposable plates, napkins, cutlery, and cups.

If you are lacking in serveware for your food spread, DT is also a great place to stock up on large platters, serving spoons, pitchers, etc. without breaking the bank. They are plastic but come in all different colors and patterns — clear, gold, silver, or a pattern befitting of the season (like florals in the spring or holly near the holidays.)

Gift Wrap

This is my absolute favorite category of items to purchase from Dollar Tree. In fact, I find it difficult to shop anywhere else for a gift bag and tissue paper. The markups are crazy at places like Target, and what you hoped would be a $25 gift quickly becomes a $35+ one between the gift bag, tissue paper, and card.

You’ll find gift bags of all sizes, colors, and themes (baby, wedding, birthday, etc.) Some of the solid color gift bags even come in packs of 2 or 4 (for $1!) There are packs of tissue paper in all colors, wrapping paper in all kinds of styles, and gift boxes of all sizes.

I’m including cards in this category. When you’re there, just go ahead and get a bunch for all kinds of occasions! They are either 2/$1 or $1 each for the fancier ones. I’m a card gal, so I never want to give a gift without penning a few special thoughts or wishes for the recipient.

Whenever I’m there, I just go ahead and stock up on these items so I can wrap any gift in a pinch, without stressing about presentation.

Candy

Maybe this is my favorite category?! LOL! John and I have a longstanding tradition that on special events like birthdays or holidays, we get each other our favorite candy from DT (Swedish Fish and Nerds for me, anything chocolate-peanut butter for him, and anything sour and chewy for us to share!)

DT has an entire aisle dedicated to $1 candy, the same sized boxes that you’d buy at the movie theater! We may have been known to sneak some candy into the theater so we wouldn’t have to pay $5 for a box of Sour Patch Kids.

They also have petite bags of fancier candies for the adults, like Werthers, cherry cordials, Andes chocolate mints, fancy chocolate bars, and those gooey-filled Strawberry candies that graced the desks of every secretary ever in the 80’s and 90’s.

This is a great aisle to shop to fill in Valentine gifts, Easter baskets, or Christmas stockings — they always stock holiday-related candies at the right time, like candy hearts, peeps, and candy canes. It’s also fun as a special treat/reward/incentive if you are entertaining a little one - just take them to the magic candy aisle and let them pick out 3 favorite candies for a job well done!

Organizational Baskets/Containers

I love the idea of the Container Store, but I do not love the price tag! You can a great assortment of organizational containers for your pantry, drawers, closets, and more for $1 each at DT. They have all shapes, sizes, and materials - some are plastic, others made of a sort of wire in gold, black, or white, which I love. Next time you want to organize a space in your home, check DT first to see what you can find!

Seasonal Decor

DT will absolutely get you excited about any upcoming season, occasion, or holiday. They usually have their front section reserved for seasonal items, and at $1 per item, you can stock up on little delights that will help you and your family feel more festive. Think red, white, and blue for July 4th, garden trinkets and everything floral in the spring, tons of candy and baskets for Easter, graduation decor and cards, etc.

Kids Gifts

One of my favorite hacks is shopping for kiddos (10 and under) at DT. I think part of that is that I can think like a kid (LOL!) and I also know that most kids have more than enough toys. Every kid loves fun candies, and then there are plenty of fun themed items you can choose from — craft items, trucks/race cars, play jewelry and dress-up items, plushies, yard games — which you can assemble into a fun basket or bag just for their delight!

Garden Supplies

Another great hack to save some major moolah! I love a great garden store, but you know that things add up FAST! I’ve scored planters, cute gardening gloves, knee pads, seeds, bird feeders, and garden decor at DT. It inspires me to try out my green thumb, without added pressure of money wasted. Bonus: these make great gift items, too!

Cleaning Supplies

I’m talkin buckets, sponges, brushes, scrubbers, cleaning gloves, empty spray bottles, dusting mitts, and the like. You can save so much money restocking your cleaning tools here, rather than Targ or Walmy. I will say DT also has tons of actual cleaning solutions like detergents, toilet cleaners, and soaps, but since I try to choose cleansers that are as non-toxic as possible, I opt for more of the cleaning hardware, but I will occasionally pick up bleach or Dawn here.

Tissues + First Aid

I’ll put it plain and simple: I refuse to pay one cent over $1 per box of tissues. I, like my mother before me, act as if the very thing stopping the end of the world depends on my ability to stockpile as many boxes of tissues as possible. And you know what? These are almost always name-brand (ahem, Kleenex) and often are the kind with lotion! And if you need to restock your first aid kit for home or car, do NOT shop anywhere else! DT has everything you need to cover the most-needed first aid items!

Craft + Office Supplies

Paint, brushes, ready-to-make crafts, beads, string, poster boards, glitter — you dream it, DT has it. Try here first before you spend $$ at other big box stores! If you have kiddos, take them along and let them get excited about a craft they want to do, and you won’t cry over how much money you spent for 22.5 minutes of child entertainment. And if you’re needing more pens, pencils, crayons, glue, scissors, or any other office items, stock up at DT!

Baby Stuff

There are some baby items that are worth spending top dollar on, and others you can totally find at the DT! Baby safety items (outlet covers, door stops, cabinet locks), pregnancy/ovulation tests, baby nail clippers, baby thermometers, muslin burp cloths, socks, and sippy cups. When all you do is lose or ruin baby stuff while keeping the baby safe, it’s nice to know there’s a budget option that you won’t regret purchasing! A great hack for filling out baby shower gifts as well.

Are you a Dollar Tree-er? What other frugal favorites do you go to DT for?

Have another budget-friendly store you love? Tell me about it below!

With love and a green DT cart overflowing with goodies,

Sam

P.S. - If you love frugal finds and shopping tips, check out my posts A Beginner’s Guide to Aldi and How to Thrift Like a Pro!