Dollar stores often use simple, under-the-radar tactics to scam you out of your hard-earned
cash. It's like magic.
"I'll take you to one place where you can get it all… Check it out!"
While you're bound to find great deals in pretty much any dollar store, you may also
find yourself getting totally scammed in a number of ways. Here's how they do it.
Take a close look at the label before you buy anything from a dollar store… particularly
electronics. According to Consumer Reports, a lot of dollar-store electronics may lack
a UL label or even have a fake one.
"Los Angeles police officers say fake electronics are flooding the national market with potentially
deadly consequences."
UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories, one of the top safety certification companies
in the United States. Having a UL label on a product means it meets or exceeds the safety
standards required of that particular item.
So what does it mean if this label isn't there or a fake label has been slapped on? Well,
the wiring may not up to snuff, it could simply not work, or it could catch on fire. A nightmare,
basically.
As you're strolling down the kitchenware aisle of your local dollar store, just keep on strolling.
You're much better off getting your utensils elsewhere. Knives are likely to come dull
— and a dull knife is a dangerous knife. They don't cut well, and you're likely to
hurt yourself while trying to prepare your meal. Do not listen to the Dollar Tree Budget
Diva… She is full of lies.
"Dollar Tree carries a wide variety of quality dinnerware and drinkware."
Skip the hardware aisle, too. According to a FatWallet shopping expert, the hammers and
screwdrivers sold at dollar stores are of exceptionally poor quality, and you probably
won't get more than one use out of them.
And pay close attention to brand-name items. A recognizable brand name doesn't necessarily
mean a quality product when you're shopping at dollar stores. According to The Street,
those brands often have alternative products made dirt-cheap. Buyer beware!
If you're going to shop for groceries at your local dollar store, be sure to check the expiration
dates. These stores are reportedly notorious for selling items that are expired or perilously
close to being expired, lingering for ages on the shelves.
"Dairy, meat, and produce guaranteed fresh or your money back."
One product you might not think to check is sunscreen, but it has an expiration date,
too. According to Mayo Clinic,
"Sunscreens are required by the Food and Drug Administration to remain at their original
strengths for at least three years."
Ingredients in the sunscreen can indeed expire, thus becoming less effective in protecting
your skin. A quick look at the bottle sitting on the dollar store shelf will tell you if
spending a dollar is worth it or not.
Planning to pick up batteries from your friendly neighborhood dollar store? Well, don't do
it. You might save a few bucks on batteries, but you'll pay for it in the end if those
batteries wreck your favorite gadget. Like so many other products in dollar stores, their
batteries are cheaply made. They won't just break or stop working either. They might leak…
which could end up costing you hundreds of dollars if they leak inside your preferred,
top-of-the-line electronics.
You're better off spending a few extra bucks on decent batteries to protect all your favorite
devices and doodads.
By now, it should come as no surprise that many items at dollar stores are cheaply made.
In fact, they're likely to fall apart or break shortly after you take them home. But as it
turns out, some of the materials might be toxic, including items like children's toys.
"My dollar always goes a long way. All the way to the end of the month."
According to a 2015 Ecocenter study, 81 percent of the 164 items tested from dollar stores
contained at least one toxin. 49 percent contained at least two toxins. These findings outraged
many shoppers and protests were staged outside several stores.
"I want to buy toys for my little baby brother who's five years old but because they contain
certain chemicals, now I'm not able to purchase these products."
Toys and plastic goods aren't the only place you might find toxic materials. Canned goods
also may contain a toxin called Bisphenol A or BPA for short, which has been known to
adversely affect health if ingested in large enough amounts.
Need to get your daily dose of vitamins? Get it from someplace that isn't a dollar store.
Otherwise, you run the risk of your vitamins being past their expiration date or not full
of the nutrients you're looking for. You're much better off going to your local pharmacy
or big box store to ensure that you are getting the daily dose you need.
We hope you're sitting down. It turns out that many of the items at your favorite dollar
store will end up costing you much more than a dollar, presumably to appease investors
and increase profits. Totally worth the extra cash, though.
"Plates, napkins and cups. I even got graduation decor and party favors."
In fact, Consumer Goods reports that only about 25 percent of items at Dollar General
are under the one dollar mark. Of course, that doesn't stop bargain-hungry shoppers
from flocking to these places.
"I don't have time to waste. So I shop at Dollar General. It's quick in and quick out."
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