# Is stuff at .99-cent store safe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 21, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544 "2015-05-21T20:19:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/21 "2015-05-22T11:58:35Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > [Quote=Musicat] > > Show me where there is a “.99-cent” store. What sells for less than a penny? They’re all over Texas… [/QUOTE] Pssst… **faithfool** …short math lesson: .99 cents is not the same as .99 dollars. One is a hundred times the other. ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/22 "2015-05-22T14:16:26Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Show me where there is a “.99-cent” store. What sells for less than a penny? Reminds me of my other _bête noire_, “$20 dollars”. Where do you get square dollars from? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/23 "2015-05-22T14:20:33Z")
I have always wondered about the safety of those “energy drinks”-many are Chinese imports. Presumably, somebody has tested the contents-but knowing Chinese standards, I would not drink any of them. What I do see in a lot of these places, are weird Canadian and Mexican brands-labels I have never heard of. Of course, these are probably safe, but there is a reason they are discounted-if no regular chain carries them, why take a chance? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/24 "2015-05-22T16:19:57Z")
> [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](#): > > Reminds me of my other _bête noire_, “$20 dollars”. Where do you get square dollars from? [Here ya go.](https://squareup.com/reader) > [@Dibbs](#): > > You people are so bright, knowledgeable, generous and amazing! Nacherly. And we’re fucking humble, too. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/25 "2015-05-22T16:44:22Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Pssst… **faithfool** …short math lesson: .99 cents is not the same as .99 dollars. One is a hundred times the other. [Does **faithfool** work for Verizon?](http://verizonmath.blogspot.com/2006/12/verizon-doesnt-know-dollars-from-cents.html) ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/26 "2015-05-22T18:19:01Z")
Heh. I know I’m wrong, as I’ve seen it explained a million times on these boards. Sadly, my brain won’t always cooperate and do the right thing, so the bad version slips by and I’m left with shame and ridicule. I’ll go apologize to the ghosts of Funk and Wagnall. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/27 "2015-05-22T19:03:02Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Pssst… **faithfool** …short math lesson: .99 cents is not the same as .99 dollars. One is a hundred times the other. Holy shit, is that a patronizing comment. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/28 "2015-05-22T19:14:24Z")
No one will believe this post probably… There was a independent 99 cent store in a poor part of Houston that was really run down, parts of it looked like junk yard with bins of tangled random cell chargers and batteries. But they had some cool deals one cleaning chems and even car parts, it was just a damn mess. They had a box in the area with bandaids, rubbing alcohol and OTC meds with random RX bottles in it, there were people’s names and addresses on the labels. Mostly stuff like vitamins and stuff, I found a bottle of Cheratussin with codeine in it. No shit I found it hilarious and bought it, had someone’s name and addy on it. I can only guess they raided a dumpster at a pharmacy(the labels were for a nationwide chain). They also had zigzag papers and glasstube roses and steel wool helpfully next to the register. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/29 "2015-05-22T19:27:07Z")
Do NOT buy razors at a dollar store. The cheapo razors you find at those stores are guaranteed to leave your face (or legs, armpits, coochie, or whatever) looking like it just lost a fight with a honey badger. Dollar store razors are probably made by the same evil people in China who sell pet food that poisons your pet. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/30 "2015-05-22T19:31:26Z")
I get my razors from The Dollar Shave Club. (No, really.) ---
**Author:** ![stirdontshake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@stirdontshake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stirdontshake)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/31 "2015-05-22T20:23:34Z")
You don’t have to worry. That is the same kind of stuff that they sell at your local supermarkets. You might find the same brand for .99 cents what they sell $1.99 at the regular stores. Essentially, the same quality. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/32 "2015-05-22T23:17:50Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Holy shit, is that a patronizing comment. It’s patronizing to point out that someone doesn’t understand the difference between dollars and cents? In what elementary grade is the decimal point introduced? > [@stirdontshake](#): > > You don’t have to worry. That is the same kind of stuff that they sell at your local supermarkets. You might find the same brand for .99 cents what they sell $1.99 at the regular stores. Essentially, the same quality. Won’t someone think of the units? Oh, the inanity! If anyone knows of a “99 cent” store that will sell me their entire inventory for “.99 cents” per item, I’ll back up my truck to the loading dock. And pay cash. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/33 "2015-05-23T04:26:59Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > It’s patronizing to point out that someone doesn’t understand the difference between dollars and cents? In what elementary grade is the decimal point introduced?. No. It’s patronizing to _assume_ they didn’t. I DO know the difference. Hell, if I didn’t, there’s enough pedantic grammar nazi-ing around here that would’ve taught it to me sometime since 2001. But I just had a brain fart, as I sometimes do when I’m posting from my phone and not really paying as much attention as I should. Unlike years of yore where this board was my life, now I’ve got tons of things better to do than give much of a shit about anything so trivial. However, you knock yourself out. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/34 "2015-05-23T04:33:35Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > It’s patronizing to point out that someone doesn’t understand the difference between dollars and cents? In what elementary grade is the decimal point introduced? That’s not what you did and you know it. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/35 "2015-05-23T06:07:59Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Do NOT buy razors at a dollar store. The cheapo razors you find at those stores are guaranteed to leave your face (or legs, armpits, coochie, or whatever) looking like it just lost a fight with a honey badger. I’ve tried out the various razors sold at the 99 Cents Only store, and found that while this is true for most of them, _it’s not true for **all** of them_. I’ve found two that work just as well as the disposables sold in CVS or the supermarket. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/36 "2015-05-23T15:22:37Z")
I work at a discount store. We only buy name brands, at auctions and closeouts. Our local government and anyone else is welcome to come in and check out our merchandise. Everything the owners do is above board, which keeps up open and with lots of satisfied customers. ETA: Last week, someone asked me if we sold condoms. No, we don’t, and even I’m not sure I’d buy them at a discount store (though I have no use for them) ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544/37 "2015-05-23T20:50:11Z")
I don’t even remember the last time I saw a $.99 store. They’re all dollar stores now. Fuckin inflation. Thanks obama. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-stuff-at-99-cent-store-safe/720544.md?page=1)