Kaylee's not-a-blog
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My favorite dollar store chain is Dollar Tree.
Their pricing model (everything-is-a-buck) is easy to understand,
and they carry a decent variety of frugal gear & food staples,
including some fairly rare shelf stable items.
Here are some items that I recommend:
Food:
- applesauce cups (4-count), other individual portion fruit cups
(pro tip: the cups are a handy size, and can be reused for sundry cooking & other tasks)
- fruit&grain bars
- Hormel pepperoni (2-count packs)
- grated parmesan cheese ("Colonna" brand, 71g(2.5oz))
- sundry spices, I highly recommend their "Italian seasoning" (a mix of Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Basil, Rosemary, Sage)
- cup-o-noodles (3-count)
- sundry snacks & candy
- sun dried tomatoes ("Galen" brand, 100g(3.53oz))
- tofu (in a shelf stable tetrapack box)
- rice pouches ("Village Harvest" brand, 240g(8.5oz))
- Velveeta cheese sauce pouch
- sundry frozen entrees & ice cream treats
- sundry canned meals, including: beef stew, beef hash ("Southgate" brand, 283g(10oz))
(disclaimer: their "Southgate" items are "meh", but they're comfort food items, and I usually carry a can of each of those beef items)
Note that both the sun dried tomatoes and rice pouches are not available at all stores.
Hygiene:
- hand sanitizer (I usually buy the kind with aloe; the refill bottles contain more, and it's easy to refill the pump bottles)
- wag bags (40 count pack of 4 gallon plastic bags)
- baby wipes
- disinfecting wipes (for wiping food prep & other surfaces; do not use on your body)
- mini tissue packs
I regularly buy the first 3 items (about once per 2 to 3 months), and the others about once per year.
Gear:
- mixing bowl (makes an excellent female urination catcher - has a stable bottom, and a built in spout that makes it easy to transfer to your pee jug)
- funnel set (3 count, different sizes)
- laundry bag (great for storing your recycling, but terrible for laundry)
- tarp (low quality, mainly for emergencies)
- car shammy (useful for wiping condensation off windows/etc)
- eyeglasses (adequate, and a good backup)
- First Aid items including: over-the-counter drugs, bandaids, compression wrap, gauze
They're also a good place to buy van-friendly smaller sizes of baggies, clingwrap, cooking oil/spray, and some food items.
© 2020 "Kaylee" c/o PitaFree.com
Last update: 2020-Mar-01