# What can you buy for $1.00 (including tax) today?... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 15, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580 "2019-06-15T20:43:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/1 "2019-06-15T20:43:52Z")
Putting on my old man hat after a nap… When I was growing up in the 60’s & 70’s, 1.00 could buy half a bag of candy (about a pint) or a dozen Popscicles with change to spare. I don't remember the exact price breakdown, but I remember getting a Big Mac and a small soda for .90, then added a waffle ice cream sandwich from Woolworth’s for an additional $.14. It sticks in my mind because our local tax was 4%, so my meal was exactly $1.00 before tax. Excluding Dollar and 99 Cent stores, because of additional local tax, what can you buy for $1.00 or less today? Offhand I can think of: A candy bar, possibly two if they’re on sale Two five packs of Wrigley’s Gum (They’re still $.35 right?) A small handful of loose nails and screws from the hardware store A can of soda or juice Hmmm…what else??? ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/2 "2019-06-15T20:53:30Z")
From my latest few trips to the local 24/7 gas station Lottery ticket Muffin / Pastry Coffee / water Banana / Apple Onion Potato Loaf of bread Package of hamburger buns 1/2 pint of milk \ ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/3 "2019-06-15T21:03:43Z")
Taco Bell has an impressive Dollar Menu these days. Alas, our 11% sales tax goes on top of that. The vending machine in my office will give you a vile cup of coffee for a buck flat. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/4 "2019-06-15T21:08:50Z")
A can of name brand kidney beans or black beans (no sales tax on food in my state) at Target or Wal Mart. The store brand is usually around $0.79. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/5 "2019-06-15T21:12:55Z")
Too easy. There are lots of things you can still get for under a dollar—out of curiosity I just went to [walmart.com](http://walmart.com) and found quite a few examples. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/6 "2019-06-15T21:27:03Z")
> [@PoppaSan](#): > > From my latest few trips to the local 24/7 gas station > Lottery ticket > Muffin / Pastry > Coffee / water > Banana / Apple > Onion > Potato > Loaf of bread > Package of hamburger buns > 1/2 pint of milk > > \ A loaf of bread or buns for less than $1.00 at a gas station??? In Hawaii, the last loaf of bread I bought was $4.50 at the market and the cheapest I’ve seen hamburger buns go on sale was $2.00. Must be all the rice we eat in Hawaii! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/7 "2019-06-15T22:00:38Z")
A bag of Fritos or a bag of Doritos from the vending machine at work cost $1 each. The liquor store down the road features small bags of peanuts at the register that are 2 for a buck. (Those are an excellent purchase, especially the hot peanuts.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/8 "2019-06-15T23:24:15Z")
Can of beans at our Safeway when they are on sale, which is fairly frequently. Also box of Rice-a-Roni or Noodle-Roni when on sale. Almost counting - before tax - is a sheet of posterboard at the dollar store. I bought four of them, taped them together, and made a puzzle board which can handle a 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. $1 each. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/9 "2019-06-16T00:18:12Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > A bag of Fritos or a bag of Doritos from the vending machine at work cost $1 each. The liquor store down the road features small bags of peanuts at the register that are 2 for a buck. (Those are an excellent purchase, especially the hot peanuts.) Deer nuts are also under a buck. (ducks and runs) ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/10 "2019-06-16T00:53:04Z")
The Coca-Cola plant in town has six vending machines outside near the back doors that vend one can, or one bottle, for one quarter each. The soda or juice is either old (almost at the sell by date), or an oddball drink. What I usually buy there is Mello-Yello, Mr Pibb, or one of the Crush products. I also will gamble on the “Mystery sugar” drinks. I have tasted some weird stuff with that selection. Although the last “Mystery Sugar” drink I bought turned out to be a Sprite, which I like, so I won with that one. One of my co-workers buys all of the Tab that they have. She tries the “Mystery Diet” drinks. There are all kinds of oddly named diet drinks out there. Neither of us has any inclination to try any of the flavored water drinks. Thus, I can say that I can buy four cans/bottles of soda for a dollar. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/11 "2019-06-16T00:58:17Z")
At my local Aldi’s you can get a dozen eggs for under a buck (was 59 cents a few weeks ago, but .93 this week) Cheap loaf of bread is under a dollar, too. They sell a 10 lb package of dark meat chicken (a random selection of legs and thighs and thighs connected to legs) for around $4.50, so a $1.00 portion of that would be a pretty significant amount of chicken. Most fast food places have a mini burger or a taco or something for $1.00. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/12 "2019-06-16T01:14:49Z")
I see signs up at some of the local dispensaries offering dollar grams–if you have a medical card there’s no tax so there you go! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/13 "2019-06-16T01:23:38Z")
You can pretty much always find some name brand of yogurt that’s on sale for a dollar. And the store brands sell for under a dollar. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/14 "2019-06-16T01:32:20Z")
Wendy’s has a pretty good dollar menu, too. Or there’s a 4-for-4 deal that gets you a choice of sandwich, nuggets, fries, and a drink. No tax if you get it to go. You can usually get off-brand 2-liters for .99, and the Aldi store brand is only .69. Aldi’s single-serving yogurt is usually about $.39. There are often a variety of sales/coupons on Life cereal, and I’ve seen it dip under a dollar a box when enough of them overlap at once (though you generally have to buy four boxes at a time to get that). And for a cool summer treat, you can get a Speedway Speedy-Freeze for 79 cents (any size), or a McDonald’s cone for 50 cents. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/15 "2019-06-16T01:52:47Z")
In Ontario, you can’t even get gas station air for a dollar. We got rid of the penny here a few years back. We could seriously get rid of the nickel and then the dime and no one would notice, or care. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2019, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/16 "2019-06-16T02:01:30Z")
A car? I just sold one “For One Dollar ($1.00) and other good and valuable consideration,…” The buyer got a bargain. I’m pretty sure it was worth at least…ten dollars. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/17 "2019-06-16T02:02:34Z")
Ohio doesn’t have tax on food so candy and food at Dollar Tree an at fast food places really is a buck. You can get 2 cans of green beans at Wal Mart or Giant Eagle for 49 cents each. Probably a lot of other canned store-brand veggies too but I just buy green beans for my dogs. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/18 "2019-06-16T03:17:19Z")
> [@](#): > > xcluding Dollar and 99 Cent stores, because of additional local tax No sales tax here, so… Today I was at a farm and yard store. Cany was under a dollar, and the 4H kids were selling hamburgers for a quarter each in the parking lot. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/19 "2019-06-16T03:29:47Z")
> [@susan](#): > > No sales tax here, so… > > Today I was at a farm and yard store. Cany was under a dollar, and the 4H kids were selling hamburgers for a quarter each in the parking lot. Couldn’t figure out how anyone can make money on a $0.25 hamburger, then realized…4H! Good for them! ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580/20 "2019-06-16T03:43:22Z")
There is no sales tax on food in Indiana. Therefore, at Dollar Tree you can get a 6 ounce bag of frozen spicy breaded chicken breast strips. I use them as a snack or cut them up and use them as “meatballs” in spaghetti sauce. Of course, there’s the usual range of chips, sardines, and other snacks. They have frozen White Castles 2 for $1, which is cheaper than the restaurant price. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-you-buy-for-1-00-including-tax-today/835580.md?page=2)