My mom has a knack for putting together well-balanced meals that are bursting with color and always worthy of #goodeats posts on Instagram. But a particularly memorable meal she made last summer included grilled salmon, topped with herbs she snipped from her garden, and a kale salad.
But the pièce de résistance? Miniature potatoes in gorgeous purple and maroon hues.
“Did you get these at the farmer’s market?” I asked as I quickly staged the plate for an Instagram photoshoot.
“Nope. The dollar store,” she responded.
Mind. Blown.
The lesson here? The dollar store rocks and has some unexpected finds. (Also, mom knows best!)
With spring approaching, I checked out the dollar store, and consulted my savvy mom, to find out the good deals that you can score in the store.
1. Gift-wrapping goods
An all too common scenario? You’re en route to a party, but swing by the store to pick up a card. Oh yeah, and a gift bag. Dang, tissue paper, too. The next thing you know, you just spent $10 or so. Stop the sticker shock! With spring comes graduation parties, bridal showers and weddings—events that require cards and gifts.
The dollar store is a one-stop-shop for gift supplies to keep on hand, including a wide selection of cards as well as gift bags, tissue paper, wrapping paper and even fancy balloons so you can give a bouquet of them with your gift.
2. Party supplies
Speaking of parties… whether you’re hosting an Easter egg hunt or a graduation party, the dollar store has party décor that syncs up with the seasons. You can also save money there on party essentials like serving utensils and napkins.
3. Cleaning supplies
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a costly project. When you’re at the dollar store, pass on the detergents (they’re diluted) and the trash bags (they’re flimsy). But a few things worthy of your cleaning supply cabinet? Magic Erasers to get rid of marks on the wall, sponges and plenty of name-brand cleaners.
4. Spring décor
Once you’ve finished your spring cleaning, you can feather your nest with some spring décor. The dollar store has everything from seasonal dishes to candles to silk florals to cutesy kitchen towels.
5. Batteries
It’s annoying when you come home after a long day and your garage door won’t open because the battery in your clicker has died. But it’s even more annoying when your smoke alarm starts chirping at 3 a.m. because it needs to be fed fresh batteries. The dollar store carries batteries—even the more rare types for your small remotes.
You can take a few minutes to replace batteries in everything from your smoke detectors to your television remotes while you’re spring cleaning. Your sanity will thank you later.
6. Grill pans
Sure, your patio furniture may have just been blanketed in snow, but warmer weather is en route and with that comes backyard barbecues and summer dinners on the deck. You can pick up grill pans at the dollar store for cheap, as well as aluminum foil and plastic storage containers to stash your leftovers.
7. Sweet treats
Popsicles and shaved Italian ice are warm-weather staples and you can find an array of them in the freezer section at the dollar store. Plus, with the summer blockbuster season approaching, you can stock up on candy (because let’s be honest, a box of candy at the actual theater costs almost as much as your movie ticket).
[h/t: Brad’s Deals]