20 Money-Saving Secrets from Discount Store Employees

You already know that you can save money by shopping at a discount store, but you have to know what to buy and when. Redditor LegoBatmanAllDay recently held an AMA (Ask Me Anything) discussion on Reddit where he revealed what it’s like to work at a discount store and the secrets he’s learned. He’s been at his particular store for five years as an assistant manager in the Toronto area. We’ve included his insights and those of other discount store employees to reveal even more secrets that you can use the next time you go shopping.

IamA Dollar Tree Employee AMA! from IAmA

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What are the best deals?

With prices so low, you'd think that everything in the store is a great deal. But, that's not necessarily the case. Some items are actually more expensive and some are of lower quality. But, according to LegoBatmanAllDay, there are some great deals to be had.

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Magic Eraser sponges

According to LegoBatmanAllDay, the Magic Eraser sponges you'll find in a discount store work as well as any name brand one.

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Organizing units

"Plastic storage and organizing bins are typically an awesome buy here," LegoBatmanAllDay says on Reddit. "There's a surprisingly large variety of shapes, sizes and styles."

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Paper products

Brenda, a discount store manager told Mental Floss that paper goods are great deals. She says that amongst the things she and her employees buy regularly are toilet paper, paper towels and stationery products.

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Gift wrap and supplies

According to LegoBatmanAllDay, the gift bags are pretty decent, same for bows and tissue paper. He adds: "There's some really pretty tissue paper out now too, not just plain colours, really adds personality to a gift."

Here are some other items that you should always buy at a discount store.

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Odd items

On his Reddit AMA, LegoBatmanAllDay was asked what is the most peculiar item on sale at his store. He replied that they just started getting drug tests and urine sample cups. However, he says he hasn't seen a single one sell since they arrived.

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Balloons

Discount stores are one of the best places to get balloons, LegoBatmanAllDay says. "We do fill a ton of balloons, we'd probably do more if we could fill outside bought or latex ones, we only do the mylar that we sell at our store, but even then we do tons."

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Snacks

Another participant in the AMA asked LegoBatmanAllDay what the best snack foods are that his store sells. Not surprisingly, it's mostly chocolate and sugary treats. However, he says there's a decent variety of nuts and trail mix. "Not exactly the best place for a healthy snack," he says. "But just go to your local store and ask an employee what they'd recommend, there's different stuff everywhere."

When shopping, it pays to remember which types of junk food aren't actually that bad for you.

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BPA-free

One AMA participant asked LegoBatmanAllDay if there were items that he'd recommend staying away from. He said you should look for the BPA-free sticker.

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Water bottles

LegoBatmanAllDay doesn't have good things to say about discount store water bottles. He suggests buying one at a another retailer for a few dollars more as it will last much longer.

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Rubber gloves

Rubber gloves also get the thumbs down from LegoBatmanAllDay. "There are these rubber gloves with decorative edging, but it rips right off with the slightest tug, horrible quality," he says.

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Cling wrap

Another product LegoBatmanAllDay doesn't have good things to say about is cling wrap, revealing that it doesn't stick to anything.

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Cheap toys

When it comes to discount store toys, LegoBatmanAllDay says they should be avoided. Instead, he suggests getting kids craft supplies as they won't break and children won't get sick of them after just a few minutes and never touch them again.

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Pregnancy tests

Nate, another discount store manager, explained to Mental Floss that the pregnancy tests are not only a good deal, they work. They're also very popular with shoplifters.

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Name brands aren’t always a deal

According to Cheapism, another discount store secret is that name brand products aren't necessarily a good deal. Often the sizes are smaller. That said, with some trial and error, you can find alternative brands that work just as well.

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You buy things you don’t need

Discount stores count on the fact that you're probably going to buy more things than you had planned to. That's part of the reason that their stock changes so much. If you want to save money, make a list and stick to it. Here are some other tricks to save money when shopping.

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Always buy post-holiday season

Discount store employees know that the best time to buy holiday-themed stock is after the holidays. And now you know, too!

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No discounts for employees

Employees of discount stores might get access to new stock first, but, according to LegoBatmanAllDay, they don't get a discount. If you're an employee looking to work for someone that offers employee discounts, our list of Canadian jobs with the best discounts will come in handy.

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Check expiration dates

Generally speaking, the stock in discount stores rotates through quickly. However, according to Readers Digest, you should take a close look at the best before dates before buying any food items.