Adventures in dollar stores

How was every ones long weekend?  Did you get to relax?  Catch up? 

I took the opportunity to head to dollar store for the start of my "project" that I told you about earlier..(see see what I'm talking about click here)  This was there first of many visits this week.  and I gotta say, I had a pretty good time.. I cant say Geoff did toting around Grace but I feel the trip was pretty successful..

Here's a good look at what my first visit finds were...

So I'm guessing at first glance it doesn't look like much, am I right?  But really, I came home with some pretty fantastic things and some very practical things.   But I think the most exciting things to try  are going to be the things I would never dream of trying from the dollar store-- LIKE maraschino cherries... Or pizza crust...

The crust could be dry and awful, and the cherries could taste like feet.  But How will we know if we never ever try.  They were a buck or so each.  If they work, I saved my family about $5, If they are gross, we're out $2.

And I feel the need to tell you, the dollar store isn't just about compromising on brands, or even looks.  I found Heinz relish is a squeeze bottle for $1.50.  What?  So cheap.  I felt like I was in on a little secret.  I found fleecy(the brand) fabric softer.  $2 for 25 loads.  I don't use alot of fabric softener because alot of my cleaning clothes cant be washed with softener.  So this small bottle for $2, was perfect for my laundry room!

And as far as looks go, I threw out my old broom and dust pan for this beauty...

That's right.. All together this broom cost me $4.  I got to mix and match the base, the handle and the pan.  I like this broom.  I might be moved to sweep a little more often, I know Gracie seems to like it!

You'll notice in one of the pictures I bought a couple of small baskets.  I'm making use of them in my laundry room, storing bottles of cleaners and cleaning cloths.  They look pretty cute and keep my like stuff together and organized.  I also picked up this jar...

I keep my dishwasher blocks in it.  Its nice having them handy and its pretty good to look at too.

But... What I really really loved.  What I felt made this whole endeavor worth it?  Sigh.. these...

Cup cake liners.  Maybe its hard for you to see in this picture, but they have little roses on them.  They had lots of different styles but these ones came home to live with me.  I can hardly wait to make some cupcakes with them.  Hey!  i could put maraschino cherries on the top!! MMMMM!

So, This was only trip 1.  I have a few more trips lined up.  Another for Make-up and personal products, and maybe another for more food type items.  I also should tell you the other things I bought that werent mentioned(but you may have been able to see in the pictures):  Pencils and erasers.  Compostable bags.  Dijon.  Canned Tomatos.  Paint cup.  Cotton balls and Garlic spice.  Not to mention a kindered surpise and a box of smarties. 

All my purchases that day cams to $33 and change.  Seriously.  Compared to other stores, a rough calculation, I saved,  about $27 dollars.  And this was all things I needed or was gonna soon need.  I saved almost what I spent.  I'm thinking in my next trips, combined with this one, I wont spend over $60. 

And just you wait to see what the next trips bring...