In today’s economy every dollar counts. Many people out there are trying to stretch every dollar, while at the same time store additional supplies as part of their preparedness planning. You may not think of a Dollar Tree or similar store as a place to buy survival supplies, but let me tell you, you would be surprised. Dollar stores offer an economical method of obtaining some needed supplies.
I go to my local dollar store about every 2-3 months and check out what they have. For folks that can’t make it to the dollar stores, or prefer to have things shipped directly to their houses Amazon has also gotten very cheap (although dollar stores will almost always be cheaper on certain things if you can get there). If you fall into this category, I included links to many of the products below on Amazon.
Here we go:
- Stocking up on toothpaste is very easy at the dollar store. They even have a “Sensitivity” type that would cost you several dollars somewhere else.
- Floss is also available with many different types stocked.
- Tooth brushes galore!!!! You can get a years – maybe 5 years supply – of brushes for your whole family for just a few dollars.
- Above is a decent selection of cold medicines and band aids – CHEAP!!!!
- Hydrogen Peroxide and Rubbing Alcohol. Worth checking to see if they have any saline solution.
- Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer and wet wipes – important items to assist in keeping germs to a minimum.
- Lot’s of medical ointments and cremes for all kinds of problems – some you especially do not want to be dealing with after TSHTF.
- Very inexpensive pain killers – great for the first aid kit.
- You can even pick up a few flashlights while at the dollar store. They sell batteries too.
- Do you have a young child in your group? Don’t let them feel left out – get them a backpack and have them help carry a few of their supplies. These are not very durable – but carrying a stuffed animal and a small blanket they would be just fine.
In this post I have shown many items related to sanitation and first aid – but there is so much more. Go by your local dollar store and see for yourself. It is amazing how many supplies you can get for $20-$25.00.
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$Tree…where everybody’s rich! :-) We like some of the smaller sized pharmacy needs because once you open the bottle it’s shelf life starts downward…but, sometimes you pay $1 for less. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, bar soaps, candles, anklets to make our “rice tubes”, hair care items, but the batteries aren’t worth a hoot! Don’t store them, they won’t run anything for very long. We also stock up on the bell pepper & onion mixes in the freezer section. Survival…that’s the method to the madness :-)
I love the Dollar Tree! Because I’m “mom” to a number of people who show up at random intervals, I need a variety of emergency kits on hand — both sexes, all ages, bugging in, or walking home. While I wouldn’t want to depend on dollar-store items for long-term survival in the wilderness, they’re great for putting together small bags for whatever we’ll probably be dealing with. I’ve used their pocket knives, garden trowels, polyester rope (perfect for tying down tarps), bandaids, gauze bandages, hand towels, candles, wet wipes, emergency ponchos, and the list goes on. Sometimes you can find name brand or quality products; you just have to shop regularly and be alert. I recommend the dollar stores for anyone who’s starting out and wants to get the basics without spending a fortune.
Good article however there are items to avoid from buying at a dollar store.
The flashlights are junk, batteries and light bulbs are rated low, and the OTC medications are made in China and are not the same quality as U.S. meds. The coffee is from Vietnam and some food is made in third world countries. You don’t want to trust your family to a $1 smoke detector.
Some items are just fine for a dollar and some items….BEWARE.
Thanks Ditch Doctor! I had no idea… :)
We love the dollar store at my house!! We recently found some bad ass emergency candles there, that surprisingly burn for quite a long time! We’ve stocked up on peroxide and rubbing alcohol from there, as well as the toothpaste, lighters, matches, and quite a few other emergency items.
A lot of the products are from other countries, but just because something says made in the USA doesn’t mean the ingredients came from the USA. Most companies import their ingredients from China or third world countries. Reading the labels doesn’t tell you what you are getting.