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TIME magazine ran a story on how well the dollar stores have done this past year while we all wrestle with the economy. One statistic surprised me.
... Dollar General's fastest-growing customer segment is households making more than $70,000.
Dollar Stores: Getting More Bang From the Buck
Do you shop more at the dollar stores since the economy got shaky?
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I think I'm spending about the same as I've always been. I don't notice that my bill's getting any higher at the checkout anyway. The quality is improving in the clothes, that I did notice. The fabrics used to be so thin you could have spat through them.
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I have never been inside of a dollar store, though I have seen them while driving. Explain to me why I should stop and what kind of merchandise they have the next time that I have a few minutes and a dollar in my pocket?
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They have canned foods, sodas, household supplies like dish detergent, laundry soap and paper plates/napkins/kitchen roll/trash bags, toys, stationery, OTC pharmacy stuff like painkillers, allergy medications, bath and body stuff- deodorant, shampoo etc etc. They have product sections like you'd find in a Walmart store but not much fresh or fridge/freezer range, just a few necessities really. There's also seasonal goods and crockery/cutlery, bathroom stuff, towels, pillows, sheets, pet food and accessories etc.
Best buys are the cards. You can get a very nice birthday or anniversary card, whatever the occasion is, for a dollar or sometimes two for a dollar. When I go I stock up with them as far ahead as I can think of. And despite the name, not everything's a dollar anymore since the ranges were expanded. I think you'll be surprised what you find. Go on a field trip! :)
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Different chains carry different products too, micharch. I like Dollar General best. There's also Family Dollar and Fred's, plus individual mom and pop dollar stores. If you don't like a store you pop into, try another kind.
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Yes, Zoey's right. Don't judge them all as being the same. Some carry big stuff too like furniture. I know Fred's used to sell items like bookcases, recliners and dining sets. I've bought some nice framed pictures in the dollar stores. Photo frames are much cheaper too.
I've always been a dollar store shopper and do shop there slightly more than I used to. It's more to do with their range expanding and better quality products than any conscious decision I made. Our closest one stocks bread and milk now for example and didn't before.
Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are. - Alfred Austin