October Household $ Finds…Food, Beauty, Cleaning, Etc., Products That Work

I hadn’t been in any dollar stores lately and when I did finally make it to the Dollar Tree, I ended up spending several hours in there! I’m always amazed at the great deals I can usually find, on items I need. I noticed a lot of name-brand food items this week that were better deals than the grocery stores. Sometimes the food items are smaller than the same item at the grocery stores, which end up not being a better deal so you do want to shop wisely. All the items below were $1.00 each.

I typically make all my potato recipes homemade because potatoes are usually on sale and I prefer making most everything from scratch. But occasionally, I want to just pull out a box of something and not have to think about it. I personally think Betty Crocker makes great-tasting boxed food items and these Scalloped Potatoes are almost as good as mine but take a lot less effort and are actually way cheaper when they only cost a dollar. (4.7 ounces – 5 servings.)

I was hungry while shopping, which happens a lot of times because I don’t stop for lunch sometimes so I picked up these crackers for a quick pick me up. Lance brand is sold everywhere and I thought a dollar for 6 individual 4 packs was a good deal. They had the cream cheese & chives variety along with cheese crackers and peanut butter. Great to carry in your purse, keep in your desk drawer or to toss in the lunchbox.

Pop tarts can be quick and convenient but also kind of pricey. It’s been a long time since I’ve bought them and didn’t even realize they came in a low-fat version. These Kellogg’s Pop tarts (8 to a box) are Low Fat, contains 11g of Whole Grain and 3g of Fiber per serving, has 0g Trans Fat, are Cholesterol Free and a good source of 8 Vitamins and Minerals, including B Vitamins. And for me, at 180 calories, something I won’t feel guilty about eating every once in a while.

I like a cappuccino every couple of days and usually use the Keurig pods but that does add up. I didn’t think this cappuccino SUPREME French Vanilla would taste that great but was pleasantly surprised. There’s 5 single servings per box and you can add water or milk. I tried it with water and while it wasn’t as good as my Keurig, it was good and something I will drink again. And at 20 cents a cup, well, you can’t beat that. (90 calories when using water.)

These next two items were my favorite finds of the day. I cook with fresh garlic but always have minced/chopped garlic in a jar in the fridge too for those days I don’t feel like chopping and peeling it. I typically pay anywhere from $1.99 to $3.99 for a 4 ounce jar. This Pampa Minced Garlic tastes just like the more expensive jars and was only a dollar for 8 ounces! I will always buy my garlic at the Dollar Tree now.

The other day I cooked minestrone for one of our cooking videos and chicken broth wasn’t on sale, which was wreaking havoc with my goal of a $10 or less meal (for a family of 4.) I found this Kendale Farm Chicken Broth and it worked perfectly and helped me reach my dollar goal. My friend Ashley was cooking with me and said she only buys gluten-free broth and pays up to 4 times as much at the grocery store. It’s gluten-free, there’s no added MSG and the minestrone tasted wonderful. (32 ounces – 4 cups).

Cleaning cloths may not be something you get all excited about but I love these and they do a great job. Clean Team Solutions AllPurpose Cleaning Cloths with scrubbing bumps that help clean stubborn messes. They are non-scratch, super absorbent and machine washable. Three cloths for a dollar.

I’m already planning my holiday baking (for gifts) and I load up on these bread and loaf pans to not only bake in but to use as containers for the gifts. I’ve done carrot breads, pumpkin breads, beer breads….I also use these as containers for cookies. Last year at Christmas I gifted our mail carrier and waste management guys with breads in these…easy and inexpensive.

Air freshener and tea lights….It’s a name brand air freshener (Air Wick), which my husband prefers over my homemade concoctions, not because it necessarily smells better but he likes the convenience and I use tea lights every day…they are also great for you jack-o-lanterns (16 for $1.00).

I recently dropped one of our cat bowls and why would I spend more than a dollar if I don’t have to? They also have large and medium-sized bows with cat and/or dog designs. Need a nightlight? Even at the discount stores they cost around $5 and the Dollar Tree had all kinds of shapes, colors and designs…

 

Nail polish remover, eyeshadow brushes, cotton balls, lip gloss and nail polish…$5 for all of these “basics”. You would pay two or three times more, even at the discount stores.

I love to wear heels but I have to admit, they don’t always love me back. I was curious if these Memory Foam Heel Cushions would actually work, fit in my shoes, actually feel comfortable? I tried them in several pairs of heels and they did fit and they were comfy if a bit high. Of course they wouldn’t work in any shoe that doesn’t have an enclosed heel. And if you have a really small foot, it might not work since it only comes in one size. I wear a 7 and they were almost too large. But they did make a difference. (In a good way.) And I buy all my reading glasses at the Dollar Tree and I swear they work as well as my expensive ones. I like to read in bed and have bent many a good pair of readers because I fall asleep with them on. Lots of different frames, strengths, and shapes and if you lose them or break them, well, you’re only out a dollar.

When you shop at dollar stores you can save a ton of money. Not every item sold at them are a “deal” and some items aren’t going to be as well made but when it comes to cotton balls, dog dishes, tealight candles, etc., why would you pay more? And if you can get the same, or similar food items that you can at the grocery store for a fraction of the cost, well, I’ll pay less.