Walmart or Dollar Store?

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

SF VIP
Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
I like shopping at my local Dollar store. For some reason, I always buy something. Yeah, the Dollar store sells cheap stuff. You're not going to buy big screen TVs there. I could probably get the same stuff at Walmart. I admit I'm biased against Wally World. Shopping there has always been a hassle. for me. Outside of clothes and food, where do you like to shop better- Walmart or Dollar stores?
 

I start at the $tore and go from there.

It amazes me how so many little things like plastic ice cube trays, dishpans, etc… they offer for $1.25 and at other more upscale stores they are $5.00.

I developed a new appreciation for Walmart during the pandemic. For me, it’s a one stop shop for most of the things that I use on a regular basis.

I still check the weekly flyers for all of the local stores and shop where I find value but I stop at Walmart at least once a month.
 

It is always hard to find easy parking anywhere close to the store at our walmart, and after they took away the cashiers, then we had long ines at the few stations that did have an actual cashier. Going to Dollar General was much easier, closer, and simple to park, and the prices were generally comparable for small items.
However, the DG now has so many empty shelves, it is hard to still shop there And find what you are looking for. I don’t know if it is just our store is mis-managed, or if the whole DG company is having those issues.

We also have a walmart Neighborhood Market fairly close by, and they are easier to park than the super Walmart, and have about the same food items, so we usually would go there if we just were grocery shopping.
Now, I use Walmart+, which has free delivery and free shipping, so we seldom actually drive to any walmart now, and this is much better for us. If we need some specific item, and need it immediately, and have to go to walmart to get it, then we drive there, but otherwise, we just shop online and let them deliver or ship the items we want.
 
BOTH- things I can get at the $ store for less than Walmart I do. Things that I can buy at Walmart for cheaper I do. We get flyers and shop around for the best price. We also keep coupons we get for buying gas and use them at the grocery store. Many people don’t use them so we actually look for receipts that are left by others. I like saving money. Note: we don’t rummage through the garage. Sometimes the receipts are often on the ground or stuck on the gas pumps.
 
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I have not seen flyers since pre Covid. Our DollarTree is clean and well stocked. It is sometimes a good source for cards and of all things books. I found useful coffee table cook books which make great gifts wrapped in kitchentowels and spatulas or some ingredients such as Arborio rice and saffron or a P35 and a can of beans depending on the recipient.
 
We shop them all. We buy most of our stuff at Walmart, but we have a DG in our town which has better prices on some stuff, and a DT about 12 miles away which also has some bargains. Also, if its's something we don't need today, I check EBAY and Amazon, and usually find a good buy there.
 
I'm a shopping slut - you can find me at stores all over town.

Walmart: pickup only. Their stores are so loud, bright and chaotically organized that it shifts my ADHD into overwhelm, making me feel very stressed/anxious. Their parking lot pickup is great and I use it often. The employees who work that area have never been anything less than stellar.

Dollar store? Like @Remy, my local 99¢ store closed. It reopened a couple of months ago as a Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, or something, but I've yet to go in.

Most of my shopping dollars, food included, are spent in local produce stores, Aldi, Amazon, and Costco. Not necessarily in that order.
 
I go to both of them. Even though prices have gone up, there are a few things Dollar Tree has cheaper. Walmart stopped carrying the big bottles of Palmolive that I like, so I get it now at Family Dollar. I look online at the sales flyer for all of the stores in the area when I make out my list, but still find that I go to my main three: Walmart, Aldi & Dollar Tree.
 
I think I have been in a Walmart 3 times in my life. I detest them for what they did to small stores and local chains, domestic manufacturing, and also for the cast of evil characters who profit from them. I have only gone in there when nobody else had a very specific product I needed right now, or when I was out of town and didn't find any other options.

I've been in dollar stores more than that, but most of it is cheap crap. Ice cube trays made of plastics that leach chemicals into the ice, picture frames that aren't square cornered and have crudely jointed corners to boot, very dubious foodstuffs, trashbags so thin they easily burst, over-diluted detergents, etc. Clip joints and sucker traps.

However in the last decade I went into one only once. They might be better but didn't seem like it. But it was right there where I was and I only needed a cheap disposable lighter.

I try to avoid buying much crap and I won't give Walmart my money.
 
dilettante said:
I think I have been in a Walmart 3 times in my life. I detest them for what they did to small stores and local chains, domestic manufacturing, and also for the cast of evil characters who profit from them. I have only gone in there when nobody else had a very specific product I needed right now, or when I was out of town and didn't find any other options.

I've been in dollar stores more than that, but most of it is cheap crap. Ice cube trays made of plastics that leach chemicals into the ice, picture frames that aren't square cornered and have crudely jointed corners to boot, very dubious foodstuffs, trashbags so thin they easily burst, over-diluted detergents, etc. Clip joints and sucker traps.

However in the last decade I went into one only once. They might be better but didn't seem like it. But it was right there where I was and I only needed a cheap disposable lighter.

I try to avoid buying much crap and I won't give Walmart my money.
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A kindred spirit!
 
One good thing that I do want to say about Walmart. When the storm happened in North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee and flooded out so many towns and homes, Walmart was one of the companies who sent in huge trailer loads of stuff to help the people recover.
On the other hand, Amazon, who has a huge facility only a few miles away, sent nothing, as far as i was able to tell. People there were glad that Walmart sent truckloads of merchandise and food, and Amazon didn’t send anything, even though it is one of the largest companies in the area.

Also, Walmart has always allowed truckers and even people in campers and RV’s to sleep overnight in their parking lot. I have even seen people there who had a broken down car and were waiting for parts to come in, and were in the Walmart lot for several days.
 
I was directed to Walmart for the best prescription prices for my plan. You are allowed up to 5 checkout items at the pharmacy. Otherwise checkout can be a nightmare. I park in the handy-cap area.

There is a Dollar Tree within a mile from here. It comes in handy if I run out of paper towels or plastic wrap. I usually end up with several more items such as crackers or spices or stemless wine glasses.
 

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