# Things you'd never buy at a Dollar Store **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 21, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130 "2011-02-21T17:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [February 21, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/21 "2011-02-21T20:47:45Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > Oh, the pregnancy tests are legit. Lots of people with fertility problems will stock up on pregnancy tests at the dollar store. And a home pregnancy kit from China isn’t going to get you pregnant. (At least I’m pretty sure.) It’s the condoms at the Dollar Store, however, that I would never take a chance on. On the other hand, I buy [everything in the 99 Cents Only Store that is related to Hannah Montana](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=575544). I would NEVER buy those things at the _Dollar Store_, though. It’s just not the same experience. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/22 "2011-02-21T20:47:49Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > Dollar General’s not a dollar store technically. And sadly. It isn’t? Is Family Dollar a dollar store? If not, why do they call themselves dollar stores? Are you saying only those “everything for a dollar” stores are the only real dollar stores? How do you feel about five-and-dimes? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/23 "2011-02-21T20:49:47Z")
I buy Dollar Store or equivalent steak knives, 4 for a dollar. I use them for everything. About once per year the tang breaks free from the plastic handle of one of them, but at $3 dozen I think I’ll survive. Baby bottles and formula. I just don’t trust the materials/ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/24 "2011-02-21T20:53:12Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Baby bottles and formula. I just don’t trust the materials/ingredients. If your baby can’t handle a little bit of lead and/or insecticide at that young age, how will he ever survive to adulthood? ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/25 "2011-02-21T21:04:11Z")
The dollar store pregnancy tests are actually some of the best on the market (according to multiple women trying to conceive on the Fertility Friend message boards). ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/26 "2011-02-21T21:06:27Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > And a home pregnancy kit from China isn’t going to get you pregnant. (At least I’m pretty sure.) No, but when you’re trying to conceive you’re peeing on a stick nearly every time you pee, hoping against hope this one will be a + when all the others haven’t been. ☹ > [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > It isn’t? Is Family Dollar a dollar store? If not, why do they call themselves dollar stores? > > Are you saying only those “everything for a dollar” stores are the only real dollar stores? > > How do you feel about five-and-dimes? 😛 I’m going to say that a ‘dollar store’ sells everything for a dollar or less. That’s what a dollar store is, to my understanding. Ask around, maybe I’m laboring under some false idea of a dollar store. And I WISH five-and-dimes were still around, though the last one I shopped at (1987?) they didn’t price that way at all. > [@TravisFromOR](#): > > If your baby can’t handle a little bit of lead and/or insecticide at that young age, how will he ever survive to adulthood? How else will he get the valuable cadmium he needs to..grow…something. Second head or left elbow or something. Dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Jennmonkye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@Jennmonkye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennmonkye)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/27 "2011-02-21T21:08:15Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Batteries. I used to, but they just run out so fast that I realized I wasn’t saving any money. Seriously - I have a tiny box fan that runs on 8 D cell batteries. Not cheap. The dollar store batteries don’t even power it for a whole day, but the name brand drugstore batteries go for three or four days. So it’s slightly more expensive to use the cheaper batteries, and creates triple the waste. I buy the batteries there for the price…I work at a public garden where our ballroom is open for rentals for weddings, business meetings or fundraisers. Any time someone needs to use our microphone system, I replace the batteries with a brand new pair since you can never tell how much juice the mic will have before the batteries go dead (and it would suck for the mic to go dead on someone like Warren Buffet when he is speaking :D). Since they are only used once, I purchase the cheapies from the dollar store and throw them out at the end of the day. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/28 "2011-02-21T21:13:06Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Batteries. I used to, but they just run out so fast that I realized I wasn’t saving any money. Seriously - I have a tiny box fan that runs on 8 D cell batteries. Not cheap. The dollar store batteries don’t even power it for a whole day, but the name brand drugstore batteries go for three or four days. So it’s slightly more expensive to use the cheaper batteries, and creates triple the waste. > > There’s nothing wrong with the home pregnancy tests, though. The toiletries tend to be watered down, but they’re not too bad. I’ve never seen condoms at the dollar store, but I think I’d probably take a pass on those, simply because I’ve seen the morons that work there, and I’d be afraid they were left in a hot room too long, or the box opened with a knife that cut too deep or something else which would compromise the integrity of the condom. I’m probably fooling myself that the employees at WalMart are any more competent, but still… The batteries typically sold at dollar stores are “heavy duty”, not alkaline, which probably accounts for the difference in power. Even “heavy duty” ones from a normal store suck in comparison to alkaline batteries. My local 99 cents only store has condoms- some off brand I’ve never heard of. They were the very first thing I thought of when I read the thread title. When in grad school, I used a lot of dollar store stuff, but didn’t skimp on the condoms. That’s false economy for sure! ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/29 "2011-02-21T21:17:57Z")
All the dolar stores I’ve been to carry really weird brands of jams and jellies-from places that I never knew made them (Egypt, Bulgaria, etc.). These are actually quite good. Most of the other stuff is crap, although their packaged spices are OK. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/30 "2011-02-21T21:21:02Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > It isn’t? Is Family Dollar a dollar store? If not, why do they call themselves dollar stores? > > Are you saying only those “everything for a dollar” stores are the only real dollar stores? > > How do you feel about five-and-dimes? 😛 I was referring specifically to “everything’s a dollar” stores, like [Dollar Tree](http://www.dollartree.com/home.jsp). The point being that some things (though apparently home pregnancy tests aren’t one of them) should cost more than a dollar. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/31 "2011-02-21T21:31:49Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > The Dollar General private brand (“Clover Valley”) food is actually pretty good, at least what I’ve had. I wish they had more diet soda flavors other than cola. I get their Girl Scout Cookie knockoffs when the Girl Scouts are out of season. > > What I do not buy there are electronics. I bought an alarm clock ($8) that broke after a few days. The Clover Valley Parmesan Cheese is pretty butt-kicking. Better than Kraft’s. I haven’t found any around here in about 5 years, though. BTW, a previous post mentioned Dollar Tree’s house brand. What is the name? Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/32 "2011-02-21T21:36:11Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > The Clover Valley Parmesan Cheese is pretty butt-kicking. Better than Kraft’s. I haven’t found any around here in about 5 years, though. > > BTW, a previous post mentioned Dollar Tree’s house brand. What is the name? > Best wishes, > hh For the relish it’s Breckenridge Farms, but you know any time you see Greenbrier International, Chesapeake, VA it’s Dollar Tree brand. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/33 "2011-02-21T21:40:51Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > I noticed home pregnancy tests. That’s one thing that I really, really think I’d rather spend the whole $8 for a name brand one. Yes, its quite possible that the no-name one at the DS is made on the same production line as the expensive ones, but its equally likely that its imported from China. I think Dollar Store prgnancy tests are just a popscicle stick with the word “Yes” printed on them. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/34 "2011-02-21T21:42:50Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > I think Dollar Store prgnancy tests are just a popscicle stick with the word “Yes” printed on them. Turn it over if you don’t want to be pregnant. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/35 "2011-02-21T21:49:13Z")
Random thought just occurred to me: If one reason why stuff from China is so cheap is because of prison labor, wouldn’t that make any feminine hygiene product that much more gross? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/36 "2011-02-21T21:53:34Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Random thought just occurred to me: > > If one reason why stuff from China is so cheap is because of prison labor, wouldn’t that make any feminine hygiene product that much more gross? Cite? And also, why are feminine hygiene products gross to you? They’re bleached cotton and nylon. Lastly, why would prisoners make them ‘gross’ at all? Are prisoners ‘gross’ to you? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/37 "2011-02-21T21:54:54Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > They do have product line closeouts there for some expensive stuff. You can get premium stuff for a dollar. I wouldn’t buy a lot of their cheap brand stuff, but I can’t rule out a category of item because they get those product closeouts. If you know what you’re buying, you can get great deals in places like dollar stores, or Family Dollar, or Dollar General, or Big Lots. However, as a general rule I won’t buy stuff that was specifically manufactured to be sold in dollar stores or in Big Lots. I look for closeouts and overstocks, especially of name brands. If I can find something that I need or want at a quarter of the price that it was originally sold at, great. If I need something and can’t find it at Big Lots, then hey, I’ll go to a regular store, all I’ve lost is a few minutes. But the stuff that’s manufactures to be sold in dollar stores or Big Lots is usually so crappy that it’s not worth hauling home. I regard Family Dollar and Dollar General as today’s equivalent of the five and dime stores that were around when I was a kid. They’re small stores with an assortment of merchandise, most of which is economy priced. I’ll buy stuff from those stores when “good enough” really is good enough, that is, if I need some cooking twine, or some toilet paper, or a lot of Christmas ornaments. The merchandise won’t be top quality, but it’ll do. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/38 "2011-02-21T21:55:55Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > Cite? And also, why are feminine hygiene products gross to you? They’re bleached cotton and nylon. Lastly, why would prisoners make them ‘gross’ at all? Are prisoners ‘gross’ to you? Wow, I dunno why it’s so common here but when somebody starts taking one word out of context and starts flaming my brain just shuts off. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/39 "2011-02-21T21:59:09Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > I was referring specifically to “everything’s a dollar” stores, like [Dollar Tree](http://www.dollartree.com/home.jsp). The point being that some things (though apparently home pregnancy tests aren’t one of them) should cost more than a dollar. I guess it depends on your definition of dollar store, that’s fine. Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Family Dollar and 99 Cents Only pretty much share the same market space, even though at DG (for example) only about 40% of their products are $1 or less. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130/40 "2011-02-21T22:03:10Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Wow, I dunno why it’s so common here but when somebody starts taking one word out of context and starts flaming my brain just shuts off. Sorry you feel so defensive about your inability to explain yourself. That must be frustrating for you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youd-never-buy-at-a-dollar-store/572130.md?page=3)