So I had about 20 minutes to kill today, and I came across a giant dollar store--about grocery store sized--and went in to see what I could find. I came away with an extra pair of reading glasses, a pack of four different sizes of tweezers, a wired cellphone headset and a tool bandoleer/pouch that I plan to load up with ammo--for $4 plus tax. Nice.
Sure, dollar stores are filled with Chinese crap and stuff that didn't sell at real retail chains. But for some preps quality doesn't matter as much. As far as I'm concerned, dollar store made-in pakistan tweezers are pretty identical to Chinamart tweezers. And your cost--$1--for each item is so low that if something breaks or is a disappointment, you're not out much.
There were rows upon rows of hygiene and kitch products as well--toothpastes, shampoos, floss, toothbrushes, soaps, first aid stuff, dish soap, steel wool, scrubber pads, dish cloths, rubbermaid containers, plastic bags, etc. These cost typically $3-$4 each from a store like Target or Wal-Mart. Your dollar goes 3 to 4 times further burying the dollar store stuff. If you can cope with knowing that you bought your stuff at the dollar store, then it's a no-brainer when stocking up on certain items.
Of course, always check expiration dates and ingredient lists--who knows how long the stuff has been sitting on a shelf or where in the 3rd world it was manufactured. And keep in mind that not all dollar stores are created equal--sometimes you have to search to find a good one.
So, give the ol' dollar store a look over next time you pass by. There's bound to be at least a few potential preps
