The local Dollar Tree store may not be the first thing that comes to mind when I say “the place to be,” but it has really become a favorite spot of mine (and some of my frugal friends) when we’re looking for something that is inexpensive and we need it in a hurry.

The dollar store can typically save time and money for those on a budget, and for a lot of us even when we have money, time isn’t necessarily something we have to spare. I say that because it will only take five minutes to run into the “everything’s a dollar store” to get something that would take you at least half an hour to get from Target or Wal-Mart.

I personally think that the best time to go to the Dollar store over another store is when you are throwing a party like a wedding or baby shower.

Recently, I wanted to throw a friend of mine a baby shower. All the decorations for the shower came from the dollar store. It might sound like a “cheap” thing for a friend to do, but when it comes to streamers, balloons, and other cheap novelties, is there really a difference between what you will get at the dollar store for a buck and what you will get from Target for three? For $30 I was able to decorate my house, wrap her gifts from us, and also buy the ingredients to make the food (I didn’t buy the cake mix and stuff at the dollar store though). The best part is that everything turned out great.

I have found some pretty interesting things at the dollar store like name brand makeup, glass picture frames, drinking glasses, and dog toys. I think I’ve purchased all the cutting boards in my house from the dollar store.

I would really suggest for anyone trying to save here and there to check it out if you haven’t already. The stores really do have a lot more than plastic bins and off brand toothpaste. They have actual items that you can use.

Again, the key to being frugal here is to make sure that you actually use these items instead of just deciding that you need it while you’re there. Even a list for things that you need at the Dollar Tree can actually help you save a couple of dollars here and there.

I’m going to tell a story about someone I know who tried desperately to save a little bit of money when he tried to start growing fruit, grapes to be exact.

He knew little about growing fruit or anything really, he just knew he wanted to grow grapes and that his grandfather grew grapes, raspberries, and blueberries when he was young (so how hard could it be, he thought). The idea to grow grapes came from the fact he was tired of paying so much per pound for grapes when he went to the grocery store.

So after making the decision to grow grapes, he went to Sam’s Club and purchased a set of 4 seedless grape vines, they were all different kinds. The set of grapes cost $15, not bad if they proved to be fruitful.

He took them home and planted them in large buckets with holes drilled in the bottom, these buckets he had laying around his house so they were free. However, the soil was not free. He ended up buying Miracle Gro garden soil for fruit (or something similar). Each bag was close to $10, and if I remember correctly he bought 2.

On a daily basis, he watered the grape vines and every week or so would put in some extra Miracle Gro hoping that they would “liven up” a bit. Two of the vines died. He then had to put up a small fence of chicken wire to keep his dogs from getting to the vines (grapes are toxic to dogs). As the two grew, he also had to make sure they were growing in the right direction and not all over the place, at this time pruning was required.

Winter was coming and the buckets were too small for the two vines that survived. He managed to wrap the vines up in something a bit bigger, smaller than plastic bins but bigger than the buckets. I would try to describe the set up but I would fail miserably. At this time you’re probably asking yourself, “Why didn’t he just plant them in the ground?” Well, I’ll answer that the best way I know how: The ground is simply too harsh to plant the grapes and I think he wants to take the vines with him when he moves.

Spring rolled around this year and the vines began to bloom. The one “on the right” began to produce grapes! The one “on the left” produced vines…

On a daily basis he went outside and watered the grape vines. It was like clockwork, he would wake up and water the grapes one gallon of water each. Then he realized that the grapes on the one “on the right” weren’t getting any bigger, so it was time to upgrade the pot…once again. This time he purchased 18 gallon plastic bins and drilled holes in the bottom. ($8 each) Then, more soil was needed…

So here we are today…there still aren’t any grapes. The ones that are on the vine “on the right” are sad and really not getting much bigger and are starting to turn from green to…dead.

He is persistent that he just wants to grow something and that he likes growing them, but I know the entire project started as a way for him to save a little money and enjoy some fruit from home.

The local Dollar Tree store may not be the first thing that comes to mind when I say “the place to be,” but it has really become a favorite spot of mine (and some of my frugal friends) when we’re looking for something that is inexpensive and we need it in a hurry.

The dollar store can typically save time and money for those on a budget, and for a lot of us even when we have money, time isn’t necessarily something we have to spare. I say that because it will only take five minutes to run into the “everything’s a dollar store” to get something that would take you at least half an hour to get from Target or Wal-Mart.

I personally think that the best time to go to the Dollar store over another store is when you are throwing a party like a wedding or baby shower.

Recently, I wanted to throw a friend of mine a baby shower. All the decorations for the shower came from the dollar store. It might sound like a “cheap” thing for a friend to do, but when it comes to streamers, balloons, and other cheap novelties, is there really a difference between what you will get at the dollar store for a buck and what you will get from Target for three? For $30 I was able to decorate my house, wrap her gifts from us, and also buy the ingredients to make the food (I didn’t buy the cake mix and stuff at the dollar store though). The best part is that everything turned out great.

I have found some pretty interesting things at the dollar store like name brand makeup, glass picture frames, drinking glasses, and dog toys. I think I’ve purchased all the cutting boards in my house from the dollar store.

I would really suggest for anyone trying to save here and there to check it out if you haven’t already. The stores really do have a lot more than plastic bins and off brand toothpaste. They have actual items that you can use.

Again, the key to being frugal here is to make sure that you actually use these items instead of just deciding that you need it while you’re there. Even a list for things that you need at the Dollar Tree can actually help you save a couple of dollars here and there.