The Perks of Being a Dollar Store Shopper

BY: Christine Nguyen

The 99 Cent Store. The Dollar Tree. We all have past these stores while driving at some point in our lives. And what's the first thing that comes to mind? Cheap. Dirty. Grimy. Flimsy. And over all, not worth it unless you are in there to buy something you know will be thrown out within a few months or inexpensive gag gifts to give to friends. I thought this for a while until I really delved into these stores. 

What seems to be a lost cause of a store, is actually a diamond in the rough. Pass the aisles and aisles of disorderly conduct of misplaced items and children's bibles, there are quite a few treasures to be dug out from the shelves. All it takes is a keen eye and the desire to save a few bucks. 

Here are some of the items that I frequently buy at the 99 Cent Store that are definitely worth the purchase:

                     Deal                               Rip Off

Nose Strips & Face Strips: I love nose & face strips. As disgusting as it sounds, it's so satisfying to place one of these bad boys onto a blackhead problem area. And minutes later, rip the little sucker off to remove all of those gunky blackheads and sebum. I usually look at the strip right after and think to myself, "how the heck did I produce all that gunk?!" These strips always leave me feeling clean and refreshed.

At only 99 cents a box that contains three strips, you are only paying 33 cents a strip! On the other hand, the average cost of Biore Deep Cleansing Nose Strips box that contains eight strips is $6.49. That comes to about 81 cents each strip. The savings is astronomical! I use this product about once a week. By using the 99 Cent Store item, I only spend $17 a year, compared to $42 if I were to purchase the name brand. Both work just about the same, although I do find the more inexpensive one to work better for my skin. No biases of course... cough cough. 

          Deal                                         Rip Off

Face Masks: You want to have soft, smooth, silky skin with a product that makes you feel awake and fresh? I certainly do.Warning: these make you look like the serial killer from Slasher. But at least you are getting beautiful underneath the mask, right? Actually one of my favorite things about this product is putting one of these on is waiting for my roommate to come home and scaring the crap out of her. Sorry Marina! 

This item is definitely one that everyone should put into their shopping cart. The mask moistens your skin and brings out a smoothing sensation as well. And because each box comes with two masks, the cost is only about 50 cents a mask. Forever 21's masks cost $1.80 each! Totally not worth the extra dollars for the prettier packaging in my opinion. 

Produce: I know it sounds weird be to buying fruit & vegetables at a dollar store, but it's totally worth it. There is a stigma out there that all food from these types are stores are rotting or extremely tasteless and cheap. But over the years, these stores have been improving with the food that they have been bringing in. 

I recently went to the 99 Cent Store with my mom and got a deal on a bunch of produce there. Boxes of just ripened strawberries were only a dollar; same with the large watermelon, asparagus, milk, pre-washed & cut salads, and bunches of bananas. And to give you guys some ease, none of the foods I purchased made me sick. In fact, it was all super delicious. Nom nom nom nom. 

Balloons, cards, & gift bags: Screw paying 5 dollars for a balloon at a regular grocery store or a party store. Same goes with gift bags, tissue paper, decorations, etc.; Just by visiting your local rundown 99 Cent Store (ha ha) you could score big and save lots for whatever social gathering you want to prepare for or gift you want to wrap. Although the selection is more limited, I figured no one is going to remember any bags or decorations when they are focused on the main event instead, the present & the party. 

Clothes: That's right. I said it. It's surprising to even myself. But stores like these really do provide a substantial amount of clothes that you can dive yourself right into. Although, I must admit, it's more like diving in to find a needle in a haystack when you want to find something in particular. But these discount stores are great for stocking basics and DIY pieces while costing you little to nothing. And I must confess, some of my favorite pieces of clothing (mainly basics) were found right at Dollar Tree and the 99 Cent Store. I guess it is all about your take and perspective on it. As for me, sign me right up!

Those are only some of the things that I found to be worthwhile while shopping on a budget! Don't be shy and explores the wonderful world of generic brands and shove aside the cheap plastics in the pursuit of a bargain. 

That's Like Totally Nicole

If I wanted to the definition of myself and plaster it on an outfit, this would be it! Simple, but with a few touches that really make this outfit stand out on its own. I paired this outfit with simple make up and a high bun to keep the attention on the outfit. The forefront idea is the mixing of different textures. From the knit of the cardigan to the pleather sheen of the shorts, this outfit uniquely blends different textures together into a cohesive unit. I hope you enjoy this outfit while I go to hide in my cave to go study for the rest of the day. All the tears.