The key to shopping smart at Dollar Tree is knowing what to scoop up and what to avoid. You don’t want to get sucked into buying smaller sized items or certain generic items at Dollar Tree. If you’re buying anything off this list, stop doing it ASAP!
Here’s a list of all the things you should never buy at Dollar Tree.
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1. Avoid Dollar Tree crayons — they’re twice as expensive as Crayola.
Dollar Tree school supplies can save you a bundle when you grab the basics like scissors and calculators. But go to Walmart for crayons instead – they’ve got actual name brands for half the price.
- Walmart Crayola crayons, box of 24: $0.50 each
- Dollar Tree Playskool crayons, box of 24: $1 each
Crayola coupons
2. Avoid the generic Dollar Tree “Vaseline.”
You’d think Dollar Tree prices would be reliable for generic items, but nope, not always! Forget the Dollar Tree version of Vaseline and go with Walmart’s Equate brand instead.
- Walmart Equate Petroleum Jelly, 13 ounces: $0.15 per ounce
- Dollar Tree Personal CarePetroleum Jelly, 3.53 ounces: $0.28 per ounce
3. Get four times the sugar at Walmart and save.
Dollar Tree sugar might seem like a good deal, but you can get four times as much for much cheaper per ounce at Walmart.
- Walmart Great Value Granulated Sugar, 4 pounds: $0.52 per pound
- Dollar Tree Azul Granulated Sugar, 16 ounces: $1 per pound
Sugar coupons
4. Buy Crest toothpaste using a coupon at Walgreens instead.
You can use coupons at Dollar Tree, and sometimes that results in a sweet deal. But sometimes item quantities at Dollar Tree make it so a coupon is unusable. You won’t be able to use a toothpaste coupon that’s specifically for 3 ounces or more on a Dollar Tree tube that’s 2.9 ounces.
Instead, combine a Walgreens promo with a coupon to get some Crest toothpaste totally free:
Buy 2, receive $4 in Walgreens Cash
Use one $2.00/2 – Crest Toothpaste 3 oz or more, Walgreens L2C Coupon (walgreens.com)
Pay $4, receive $4 Walgreens Cash
Final Price: Free, when you buy 2
- Dollar Tree’s Crest Toothpaste, 2.9 ounces: $0.34 per ounce
Toothpaste coupons
5. Don’t buy General Mills cereal at Dollar Tree; buy it at CVS instead.
When you’ve got cereal coupons, use them at a store like CVS instead of paying $1 for 3.6 ounces of cereal at Dollar Tree. Instead, just use a coupon and Ibotta rebates to get twice the amount for cheaper:
Use one $3.00/5 – Kellogg’s Cereal 7.2 oz or larger, limit 4 (coupons.com)
And submit four $0.60/1 – Kellogg’s Froot Loops Cereal, Ibotta Rebate (ibotta.com) – limit 5
And submit one $0.50/1 – Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Cereal, Ibotta Rebate (ibotta.com)
Pay $6.95, submit for $2.90 in Ibotta credits
Final Price: $0.81 each, when you buy 5
- Dollar Tree Cocoa Puffs, 3.6 ounces : $0.27 per ounce
Cereal coupons
6. Avoid Dollar Tree’s generic soda; look for freebies on name brands instead.
Dollar Tree soda might seem like a great deal, but why not use an Ibotta offer to grab name-brand soda for free instead? Take a look at this:
Submit one $1.78/1 – Pepsi Zero Sugar 2 L, Ibotta Rebate (ibotta.com)
Pay $1.78, submit for $1.78 Ibotta credit
Final Price: Free
- Dollar Tree Shasta, 2 liter bottle: $1 each
Soda coupons
7. Use Ibotta rebates on Walmart coffee creamer and save $0.07 an ounce.
Dollar Tree has 8-ounce containers of Coffee Mate liquid creamer for a buck. But with Walmart prices and an Ibotta rebate, you can get four times the amount of creamer for much cheaper:
Submit one $1.00/1 – International Delight Creamer Bottle 32 oz, Ibotta Rebate (ibotta.com)
Free store pickup with Walmart Grocery Pickup orders of $30+
Pay $2.64, submit for $1 Ibotta credit
Final Price: $1.64
- Dollar Tree Coffee Mate Coffee Creamer, 8 ounces: $0.12 per ounce
Creamer coupons
8. Skip Dollar Tree’s generic shave gel and get Edge brand with coupons at Target instead.
Whenever you can get a brand-name item cheaper than generic with coupons or rebates, you should absolutely do it!
Sure, this is only a couple cents savings, but remember, you’re getting a way better brand of shave gel too.
And submit one $1.00/1 – Edge Shave Gel, Ibotta Rebate (ibotta.com)
Pay $1.99, submit for $1 Ibotta credit
Final Price: $0.99
- Personal Care Dollar Tree Shave Gel, 7 ounces: $0.14 per ounce
Shaving cream coupons
9. Don’t buy Carmex lip balm at Dollar Tree — you’ll save almost $0.10 each.
Walmart sells three packs of Carmex tubes and jars that both end up being cheaper than a single Dollar Tree container.
- Walmart Carmex three pack, 0.25 ounce jar: $0.91 each
- Dollar Tree Carmex, 0.25 ounce jar: $1 each
Carmex coupons
10. Buy garlic powder at Walmart instead of Dollar Tree and save $0.10 an ounce.
Walmart’s store brand garlic powder isn’t just cheaper than Dollar Tree, but you get more of it.
- Walmart Great Value Garlic Powder, 3.4 ounces: $0.28 per ounce
- Dollar Tree Supreme Traditions Garlic Powder, 2.5 ounces: $0.40 per ounce
What’s something you always avoid adding to your Dollar Tree haul? Drop a comment below!
