Dollar Store

     Never having much extra cash I've long been a fan of the dollar store. Before these stores popped up all over the place we had stores like Woolworths, Rockbottom and Mccrorys. These were the stores I frequented when my teenagers were babies. I could always find good cheap stuff that I needed. Once these stores closed, dollar stores became more prominent everywhere.
    There were plenty of them around and I certainly had my favorites. Not a single one was a chain store and I never trusted them enough to buy food items from there. It just seemed too sketchy. But the toys for the kids, holiday decorations, picture frames and most important baby items were always what I went for. I even bought all the ribbon and flowers and decorative items I used to make the centerpieces for my wedding in a dollar store. Of course I found many items to purchase, but never spent more cash than I had on me. I didn't trust using anything but cash in these stores. Once friends of mine were having kids I'd make them a bag of useful goodies from the dollar store. Things like bottle brushes, teething rings, bibs, outlet covers and more, all for a dollar. I've no doubt they were used.
     Family Dollar was the first chain dollar store I went to. Of course not all their stuff was a dollar but I thought it was a great store. I found many deals there and shopped there quite often. They even had great cheap clothes for the kids in addition to lots of other useful stuff. When we first moved into our house I bought tons of house things we'd need at great prices. Laudry baskets, curtains, bedding, cleaning supplies, candles, decorative items for the walls, tools, kitchen items, so much stuff.  Sometimes the quality wasn't always there, sometimes you wouldn't even notice the difference. They also had decent dry food goods. I slowly began purchasing food from the Family Dollar store. But rarely the cold stuff. Couldn't take that big of a step yet, it still felt sketchy to me. Stock was always changed and it didn't seem old or strange. And the candy, sweet items made for great easter baskets and whatnot.
     Unfortunately they started raising the prices on many of their items. The deals weren't as good anymore. I found myself at Family Dollar less and less. This was also the same time many of the dollar stores upped their prices. I'm guessing the economy tanking helped that happen. It really started to bother me though when all the stores named "Only $.99" and such started adding these small signs "and up" to their names. Things inside were now $1.29, $1.59, and $1.99. Not too many items had the $.99 sticker on them anymore. Needless to say I stopped shopping these stores also. Although I've been in Family Dollar periodically there's mainly one thing I shop for. My youngest loves their version of Tylenol. It's the one medicine he'll take every time he's sick without a fight. At $2.25 a bottle it's really not bad either. If he's going to take it, rest, and feel better I'm going to keep getting it.
     I am now grateful Dollar Tree stores have opened out here. Everything in the store is truly only a dollar. They don't have as many baby items as the other stores used too. Good thing I don't have much use for those anymore. They have a lot of party stuff, holiday items, household goods, and food, and of course lots of other things. Funny now though how one of the main things I do go for is the food. Dry and cold. Being a well known, clean, chain store I have no qualms purchasing and consuming their food. Of course the same thing about quality of product still holds. Sometimes it's good sometimes not so much. With four growing kids it's really wonderful. I can buy all sorts of items I'm not sure anyone will like for just a dollar. It gets them to try new things, I can try new recipes with other cheaper ingredients. If they like them I can always get plenty more or the better brands in the other stores. But if no one likes it, it's really easy to toss away as it was only a dollar. I don't feel like I'm being wasteful that way. I hope Dollar Tree will be around for awhile. If not I sure hope I'll find another store to replace it.