top ten

My Top Ten Grocery Items to Buy at Dollar Tree

Abby H.

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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Deal on Berries at 99 Cents Only!

Abby H.

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99 Cents Only is hooking us up with tasty berries treats this January!  For the entire month of January, all blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are only 99¢ at the 99!

99 Cents Only makes eating healthy a breeze! Name brand produce, and so many other healthy foods (I love that they have both dairy and non-dairy milks, cheese, and yogurt), that’s why it’s the first stop on my weekly shopping trip!

Wanna know what else is a great buy at 99 Cents Only? Here is my Top Ten List!

 

Talk Back: What is your favorite thing to buy at 99 Cents Only?

Top 10 Herbs and Spices needed for a Well-Stocked Kitchen!

Abby H.12 Comments

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I get a lot of people who ask about my spice rack- what do I keep in my kitchen, since we cook at home so much. I made a list of what I use, then I polled my Facebook friends. Below is a reflection of what we use most at home, plus what most of my foodie friends use too all combined into a handy dandy top ten list!

I prefer spices and herbs from Penzey’s– They have the best quality and a wide variety. They tend to be a little more expensive, but they are very high-quality herbs and spices, and you will use much less than their cheaper counterparts. If you have a Penzey’s store near you, it’s worth checking out. Join their mailing list- they frequently have coupons for freebies and really good deals (and free shipping sometimes too if you don’t live close to a store). Penzey’s also sells their spices on Amazon!

  1. Mural of Flavor
  2. Cinnamon
  3. Cumin
  4. Chili Powder
  5. Italian Seasoning
  6. Oregano
  7. Ginger
  8. Bay Leaves
  9. Paprika
  10. Turkish Seasoning

These are of course in addition to Table Salt, Kosher Salt, a pepper mill for freshly cracked pepper, roasted garlic, granulated garlic, toasted onions, onion powder, and air-dried shallots. For me, these are pantry staples and every kitchen should have them, as they are used in so many recipes, in addition to the 10 above.

 

Talk Back: What are some of your favorite seasonings?

Top Ten Must Haves for Your Summer Swim Bag!

Abby H.

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We braved the very very cold pool at our HOA today, which prompted me to go through our Swim Bag and make a list of new Pool Toys that we “need” (according to the kiddos).

I usually replace the pool toys once every 2-3 years. We swim 5+ days a week in the late spring and summer, that means our pool toys and swim equipment gets a lot of wear. I tend to buy a lot of the items on the list below at Dollar Tree or 99 Cents only. The quality is usually the same as what you find at Target at the Dollar Spot area, or at Wal-Mart in the seasonal area. The main reason we’re doing an overhaul or our pool toys this summer is it has been 3 years since I’ve bought new ones. Some of our current pool toys will be kept as they are in good shape, but some of the older toys (mainly the squirt guns) are starting to fall apart or have developed extra holes.

Here are the Top Ten things you need in your Swim Bag:

First off, you need a good bag! I like the All Purpose Utility bags, like these. They’ve got pockets on the outside. Roll up your towels and stuff them into the pockets, or use for SPF, bottles of water, or snacks- You can’t forget the snacks!

    1. Goggles. We go through a lot of goggles, mostly because my kids are clumsy, or they share them with friends and they disappear. I usually pick some up at 99 Cents Only to keep just in case, but we have several pairs of these Aegend goggles and they are excellent.
    2. Floaty toys- Like Inflatable Rings, or animal shapes. We’ve got a giant shark that lives in the garage in the off-season (November-May).  I like picking up a handful of inflatable rings at Dollar Tree and stashing them in the closet. If I need extras when friends swim with us, we won’t be short. I like these rings. I ordered 8 online for store pick up. Kick boards and arm floaties also fall under this category. I usually keep a few of each in the arsenal, just in case.

3. Fun Toys. Henry enjoys playing frisbee in the pool, so we’ve got a couple. Margaret likes trying to swim after an inflatable ball, so we’ve got a few of those. They both love the diving sharks. They are big, and they glide like a torpedo under water. The weighted diving toys like dive rings and the little ribbons with the weight attached are nice too.

4. Squirting Toys. Squirt Guns are a favorite. Not Super Soakers, but regular, old fashioned small squirt guns. Another favorite are the water squirters that look like long, giant pencils.  I usually get them at 99 Cents Only. Our rule is: No squirting people in the face!

5. SPF- Ok, this should really be #1. A good SPF. Water proof, sweat proof. You want a broad-spectrum SPF that protects against UVA (the rays that age skin) and UVB (The rays that burn skin). I like mineral sunscreen. And remember to reapply as needed!

6. Good Towels. I’m not talking about Egyptian Cotton, plush, fluffy towels that cost a fortune, but good, durable towels. I like to get white ones, since the chlorine from the pool can bleach the colors out. We tend to get the larger towels, or bath sheets. We have these from JCP. They were around $7 each.

7. Extra sunglasses. I don’t know what it is about my kids, but they lose sunglasses ALL THE TIME. I pick up a fistful at the beginning of the summer at 99 Cents Only or Dollar Tree, and dole them out. I keep 2 pairs in the swim bag.

8. First Aid Kit. Seriously. Kids get hurt all the time. It doesn’t need to be a fancy one. You can get small first aid kits with everything you need for less than $8.

9. Reusable water bottles. It’s hot and you are in the sun playing. Hydration is important. We have an Extreme Canteen, and it’s really awesome. I fill it with ice and water, and it stays cold all day with minimal ice melting.

10. A waterproof sealable pouch or bag to keep your keys, phone, and other important stuff in (Like snacks). We usually use a large ziploc bag (or two and double bag).

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Henry age 3, swimming with Mommy.  I’m pretty sure the pool was freezing then too. 

Now a few bonus items that Henry told me to mention (we may have a guest writer on our hands soon) include a swim mask (like this one), a shark fin and tail (like the one he got for X-mas), and diving fins. Those are all items that he uses regularly in our swim time.

Talk Back- I’d love to hear what’s in your Swim/Pool Bag!

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