Now that The 99/ 99 Cents Only has closed, and inflation continues to cause the price of groceries to skyrocket,  more of us frugal shoppers will be headed to Dollar Tree. I’ve been doing more shopping at Dollar Tree since The 99 changed over from 99 Cents Only a few years ago.

One thing I love about Dollar Tree is that you can buy items from their website in bulk. That means if you love, for example, Powered Drink Mixes, you can buy a whole case (12 packages) for the same price as in-store. This is one of my Top Ten items, in case you were wondering.

Here are my top ten must-buys at Dollar Tree and their price that other nationwide retailers:

1. Belvita dupes – These come in a couple different flavors. Brand name Belvita biscuits and store brand varieties can cost between $2.99-$4.99 depending on the retailer.

2. Frozen onions and peppers, sometimes called stir fry blend. Dollar Tree sells them in 12 oz bags for only $1.25 each.  The same items can cost between$1.99-$2.72 depending on the retailer and brand.

3. Prime, Monster, and other energy drinks. This is a big savings strategy if you like energy drinks. You can buy Monster, Prime, Rockstar, and other brands online by the case! At Dollar Tree, they are only $1.25 (plus any CVR), and other retailers sell energy drinks $2.99-$4.00 depending on the retailer and beverage.

4. Boost Protein drinks. Dollar Tree sells them individually, but most stores sell multi-packs that break down to $2.50-$2.75/each drink.

5. Instant beverage powders, as mentioned above, you can buy an entire case of one flavor online, or go to the store and see all the varieties. They retail in stores for $2.00-$3.99 per box depending on flavor and retailer.

6. Hungry Jack Pancake Mix. This is a favorite in my house. It’s great for pancakes, and waffles, or you can make baked pancakes. Our favorites are from Dollar Tree Dinners on TikTok.  a 16 ounce box is only 41.25 at Dollar Tree vs. $2.72 at Walmart.

7. Spices- This is one where you need to go into your local Dollar Tree. Brands like Kingsford, Tajin, Mortons, Fresh Success, Kraft, and more. There are single spices, spice blends, and seasoning kits like Taco Seasoning and Chili seasoning. These are all available for $1.25 each, whereas other stores charge $1.50-$5.00 depending on blend and retailer for the same items. 

8. C&H brown sugar, 16 oz. This is a pretty good value at just $1.25, my local Target has it for $2.99. 

9. Pillsbury frosting. I usually make my own frosting, but sometimes, in a pinch, you need a can of frosting. Most Dollar Tree locations have a selection of flavors for $1.25 a can. Other retailers sell the same size can for $1.99-$2.49 depending on the retailer.

10. Full-size boxes of cereal. This is one where you need to go into your local Dollar Tree. Varieties and availability differ by location. Recently our local Dollar Tree had Family sized Cheerios varieties for just $1.25 a box! Meanwhile, full-size boxes of cereal can cost upwards of  $7.99 depending on variety and retailer.

Talk Back: I’d love to hear about your favs and must-haves from Dollar Tree!

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