Dollar store

The following is a repost of my piece on  the dollar store.  I really did it as a lark.  I don't buy all our food from  the dollar store, nor would I have.  Although, a dollar store would have been a welcome site when we were at the beach with no food!    LOL

I buy a select few things from the dollar store,  most of the things are cheaper at the regular store.   I have been getting things for free lately, and free is a good price LOL.  The frozen veggies are cheaper when they are not on sale at the chain stores.  Recipe starter is .50 and cheaper than making it from scratch.  Enter a fifty cent coupon and it is FREE.  I got Betty Crocker potatoes for fifty cents.  Everybody needs some things you can use on a pinch.  

I GET THE NEWSPAPER EVERY SUNDAY FOR THE COUPONS.  They carry it all week so I don't have to rush down Sunday morning.  I check to be sure that there is a coupon insert.  There are usually two in the first Sunday.  A lot of coupons are for things I don't buy on the first place.  Sometimes, I luck out.  I save the inserts on a binder clip per month.  I just threw June away, most of the coupons had expired.  

I use couponconnections in the Seattle area to check for matchups.  Many times I can get really good buys at rite aid.  Like free or pay me to take something home. It is still not worth it if I can't use it or I don't know a place that would gladly take it.  I brought about two dozen toothpastes to the women's shelter.  It is my understanding that there is a domestic violence shelter opening up in our area soon as well.  They can always use individual packages of personal   products.

The dollar store ( Dollar  Tree) does have normal food as well as junk food.  They have rice, beans, and frozen veggies ...things normal scratch cooking mamas would buy.  I also find some cleaners and tissue there.

We have .99 stores on the area that sell drug paraphernalia.  Not all dollar  stores are  created equal.

The repost !


Now, after I got a tube of toothpaste from the dollar store for free, I have purchased nine toothpastes for a total of two dollars.  All of them are either Colgate or Crest.

I went virtual shopping via my notepad.  I forgot to bring my electronics, so I did it the old fashioned way.  It was my challenge to make a good meal from the dollar store for my five dollar criteria.
I have not tasted the food here.  It was a lark to see of it could be done.  I wouldn't recommend it because the grocery store is cheaper on some things.  


I found

1. Meatballs, ziti, pasta sauce, and mixed California vegetables.  --5 bucks. (Two pkgs meatballs)
2. Chicken strips, French fries, regular mixed vegetables,  - 4 bucks ( using a pound of strips
3. Tilapia,  sweet potatoes, corn, and red peppers.  5 bucks (a pound of fish)(rice*) 
4. Bean and rice burritos with cheese.  ( beans and rice scratch 1 lb for a buck each) tortillas 1.00. Cheese 1.00, salsa .  5.00.  * enough rice for the fish dinner. 

 Four dinners for 19.00 with beans and salsa left over.

I found (some items are cheaper on sale elsewhere) but, my criteria was a meal from the dollar store.  I did not include normal staples like butter, catsup, etc.

Chicken breast strips 8 ounces

7 ounces of meatballs

4 ounces of tilapia

16 ounces Calif  blend veggies

Brocolli

Peas

Mixed veggies

French fries

Onion rings

Sweet potatoes, corn and red pepper medley

Sargento cheese

Mashed potatoes

Uncle Ben's  rice blends

Noodles

Ziti

Elbow Mac

Raw rice
Raw beans

Zatarans

Tortillas 

Pasta sauce

And some other  mixes I wouldn't buy, personal preference

Thanks for stopping by

Jane