Why Dollar Tree is good for preppers

[November Foxtrot]

Dollar tree has become my new favorite store. Since I'm in the infancy stages of prepping,  especially with regard to my finances,  I found myself seeking cheap ways to at least start living my version of the prepper lifestyle.

This place has a ton of stuff and everything IS
A DOLLAR!

Just a few examples of stuff I've gotten are below. Most are sheeple and prepper items so I can get buy in from my resistant wife.

-Small variety of canned veggies
-Advil,  anti diarrhal, antacids, antihistamine and more
-first aid tape, gauze,  peroxide,  alcohol, bandaids, anti bacterial ointments and more
-cheap flashlights, one in every room
-batteries
-small variety of hand tools
-containers of all sizes and types
-baggies
-foil, not for hat making
-duct tape
-lighters
-edc food items. I'm munching trail mix and slim Jim's and bottled water from my edc bag right now as I didn't get a lunch break today. Yum.
-six packs of bottled water
-personal care items.

I could go on for quite a bit more but I think everyone gets it. I haven't had any quality issues with anything from Dollar Tree yet. Most of the things are smaller sized which is great for edc or BOBs. 
Go check the place out.   

[Cianaodh]

Excellent point! I've been focusing so much on the bulk items I forgot about the great bargains like the ones you listed from the dollar store. I'll be picking up some of these this weekend.

[Herbalpagan]

I make it a habit to get to my Dollar Tree at least once a month. I am familiar with the prices of regular items I buy, so I don't hesitate to pick up similar items at Dollar Tree. You can also buy from them in BULK! The order can be shipped to your local store for a savings in shipping or delivered to you at a reasonable price.
Some of the things I get at Dollar Tree are:
cleaning supplies
containers
Milk (Gosner, althought they are surrently having an issue over pricing)
OTC's (and I buy them by the dozen!)
shampoo's and other beauty stuff
pie filling

[porkchop]

Big Lots is another great under appreciated retailer when it comes to prepping items and other foodstuffs.
Their selection is always changing and can often contain hard to find items.

[MightyRunt]

Excellent point! I've been focusing so much on the bulk items I forgot about the great bargains like the ones you listed from the dollar store.

Dollar tree is also great for stocking up on barter type items.

[Count Orloff]

Dollar stores are a great place to buy generic bleach for around $1 a gallon. Bleach has an excellent shelf life and can be used to purify water, sterilize equipment and food preparation areas, as well as for general cleaning.

[technicalanarchy]

Yep! Espessially bandages and med stuff. A lot on the brand stuff i prepped with starting in 2007 for my bob expired, to replace it would have been maybe. A couple hundred dollars. Got the dollare tree replacements for maybe 30 bucks. So im ready again.

If you ever find an Aldi grocery store it's heaven for low cost canned goods drinks and chips. Great quality too.

[gundog]

Dollar stores are a great place to buy generic bleach for around $1 a gallon. Bleach has an excellent shelf life and can be used to purify water, sterilize equipment and food preparation areas, as well as for general cleaning.

I believe the opposite is actually true. I have read that bleach does not last much past 6 months.....although I am no expert.

[moprep4life]

I believe the opposite is actually true. I have read that bleach does not last much past 6 months.....although I am no expert.

I had read that recently also,  AFTER I had stocked quite a few jugs of it. I just opened a jug of it that I've had since September 2010 and that stuff seems even more potent than when new. I think it's like anything else & depends on a lot of different things as to how long it lasts. Temperature, light etc.

[Dawgus]

There is only one Dollar Tree close to here, but we have the usual assortment of Family Dollar, Dollar General, and Deals. Yesterday, while at the grocery store, I noticed a huge "Clearance Sale" sign in the window of the Deals store in the same shopping center. It turns out that this store is closing, and everything is being marked down.
 I went in for a look, and everything in the medical isle was 75% off!! I grabbed a basket and filled it with bandages, med tape, alcohol, and generic ibuprofen, antibiotic ointment, and a few other misc items. The place was a zoo, but no one else seemed to be grabbing this stuff at all. They were all going for cheap dishes, pots & pans, and kitchen gadgets. YAY. More for me! I may go back today after work for a second basket full. (depending on what is left)

[Westonian]

I built a medical kit from supplies purchased at Dollar Tree last weekend, including one box of every medicine in the medicine aisle, as well as band-aids, waterproof tape, gauze, rubbing alcohol and other first aid gear. The total cost was around 25 bucks, which considering the amount of medicine in each container was a good deal. I told my wife who is not really a prepper about my medical kit, and she just said 'Oh, good for you." Then the next day I saw the box was open and I asked her: "What did you use from the kit?" She said: "I didn't use anything, but that kit is impressive. It has everything." I smiled, took my chalk to the board, and made one dash under 'Convert.'

[RPZ]

No quarrel with OP in general. But avoid those Sunbeam brand batteries. They are very short lived. And as far as batteries go, save your money and buy the Energizer Ultimate Lithium "8x". They are pricey up front, but have a long shelf life with little loss of power, and will far outlast cheaper alkalines. You do not want battery frustration when the chips are down.

[November Foxtrot]

I built a medical kit from supplies purchased at Dollar Tree last weekend, including one box of every medicine in the medicine aisle, as well as band-aids, waterproof tape, gauze, rubbing alcohol and other first aid gear. The total cost was around 25 bucks, which considering the amount of medicine in each container was a good deal. I told my wife who is not really a prepper about my medical kit, and she just said 'Oh, good for you." Then the next day I saw the box was open and I asked her: "What did you use from the kit?" She said: "I didn't use anything, but that kit is impressive. It has everything." I smiled, took my chalk to the board, and made one dash under 'Convert.'

I did the exact same thing.  I also got duct tape,  zip lock bags,  a dozen or so flashlights,  fire kit stuff like cotton balls,  vaseline,  aluminum foil etc. Although the batteries are crap the 9v are good for the steel wool fire trick.  I stop at dollar tree to fill up my edc food,  slim jims, trail mix etc. Bottled water etc. The possibilities are endless really. 

[reefmarker]

I believe the opposite is actually true. I have read that bleach does not last much past 6 months.....although I am no expert.

according to the clorox web site if it is stored between 50 and 70 degrees F it will degrade about 20% per month.  It starts out around 6% sodium hypochlorite.  They actually put more sodium hypochlorite into the bleach in the summer to offset this degredation due to temp.

[GPSpokane]

Check all the $1 stores in your area, even the same chain will have a different selection.
My wife is a Nurse and so we have been getting a lot of medical supplies, One store has a lot more then the others so anytime we are in the area we have to stop in.

[Spencerusvi]

We just outfitted a whole RV at the Dollar Store and Big Lots.  Most everything was a bargain especillay medical, kitchen and cleaning supplies.   Be be careful on some items.   The duct tape was a very small roll of 6' for $1 and not good quality.   The big roll at Home Depot was only $3.50 and 10 times the amount..... Also the quality on bungee cords and straps was very poor.

[Frugal Upstate]

Although you have to be careful on quality and size, I do love the various dollar stores (not just the Dollar Tree).  We have a local chain in my area of Upstate NY that has GREAT hardware stuff-I think they buy more closeout type stuff so the quality is a bit higher.

I used the dollar store to buy a few things to make my bicycle a bit more rider friendly.  I already had hubs put saddlebags and a rear basket on last year (we live in a village with sidewalks-so I can easily run local errands on my bike)--but at the dollar store I bought a terry lined shower cap that I use as a bike seat cover if there is a chance of rain (don't need a wet butt on the way home!) and I use those weird short bungee cord sets they sell to keep stuff strapped down in the rear bike basket.  Works like a charm on a pile of library books etc to keep them from falling out.

[atleif]

For tools and garden stuff I'd add harbor freight to the list. Also the local flea market for cheap tools,plants, ect..

[Prepper Recon]

My favorite dollar tree item is super glue. They always have it. It is essentially liquid duct tape. I keep two bottles in my B.O.B. I would never recommend using it to seal a wound , but it might be better than bleeding out.

[Freebirde]

I too buy a lot from a local Dollar Tree, but there are some things to watch out for.   As some have pointed cost vs quantity vs quality can be disappointing.   A couple of other things to check out are product source and ingredients.   Many, if not most, of the items in the local store are made in China.   I use to buy the 3 liter sodas for the grandkids visit until I read the ingredients, they were not marked diet but all had artificial sweeteners.   Artificial sweeteners are not good for small children in general and me in particular.

[PorcupineKate]

I have found  all sorts of inexpensive things at the Dollar tree
10" garden pots (spring)
boxes of candles
crazy glue
solar lawn lights (spring)

[November Foxtrot]

Funny that this thread resurfaced.  Look what is hanging in the front window of my favorite dollar tree..

From The Rock Hill Mission

[loyalty4eva]

I buy stuff from their once and a while I usally drop like 50 bucks when I go. I buy all types of things like everyone is saying but can openers and old school can openers I buy from their I don't use them really But I keep them as spares and barter items because well think about it some day if things did go bad we would have tons of cans and if you dont feel like using your knife to open a can and wrecking your knife doing so a can opener would be worth a lot and for a buck having a lot of extras is always nice. I also buy lots of other stuff their.

[Grannywhiskers]

I am a Dollar Tree fan.  Also, Big Lots.  My closest Dollar Tree is 87 miles away so when I get there, I really stock up    Like others say, I buy all of the above plus more.  Great trade items there.

[PorcupineKate]

The Dollar tree now takes manufactures coupons.     This will save me a bundle.   

[Downeastwaves]

<g> lighters 4-5 for a buck. Got one in each jar candle in different rooms. Ready for the next power outage.

[homesteadlife]

ill have to try this out again... for some reason the dollar stores in my area are just another store with, most of the time, the same prices that every other store is selling at... but i will make a point to go out this weekend and hit as many as i can in hopes to find "gold" lol... thanks for the reminder.

[MightyRunt]

homesteadlife, look specifically for Dollar Tree stores, not just any dollar(ish) store. Around here, Family Dollar and Dollar General aren't worth cr@p.

[joeface]

Just got back from Dollar Tree. Picked up gauze, band aids, various meds cloth medical tape etc. get to the register and the cashier asks if I'm reloading the first aid kit. Told her I was making another for the vehicle, a pretty good start for under 10 bucks.

[homesteadlife]

we used to have a dollar tree in our mall but the mall is a half empty ghost town now so ill do some research on one in a town near me, thanks for the tip.