A Real Winner for Your Wallet

There is a huge misconception that all dollar stores are the same. If you think you’re getting the same deal at Dollar Tree as you can at Dollar General, you’re probably throwing money away.

The truth is that these stores have completely different business models. Some are true “dollar” stores (mostly), while others are smaller grocery stores with prices that tend to be higher than Walmart.

As grocery prices continue to trick us into paying, it’s important to know where your dollar really goes. Here’s a breakdown of who won, who lost, and the pitfalls you need to avoid.

1. Basic difference

Before we talk about the price, you have to understand the game that each store plays.

• Dollar Tree: This is the closest thing to a “true” dollar store left. While they dropped their base price to $1.25 a few years ago, most of the store is still at that fixed price point. However, they have introduced “Dollar Tree Plus” aisles with items priced at $3, $5, or more, so you should watch the shelves.
• Dollar General: This is not really a dollar store; it’s a general store. Think of it as a condensed Walmart or Target. They have a big foothold in rural areas where supermarkets don’t go. Prices vary widely here, from $1 to $10 or more.
• Family Dollar: Owned by Dollar Tree, Family Dollar usually sits in the middle of nowhere. They focus mainly on urban areas and offer a mix of groceries and household goods. Like Dollar General, their prices vary and do not add up to a dollar.

2. Unit price

This is where many buyers get burned. You see a bottle of cleanser for $1.25 at Dollar Tree and think it’s a steal compared to a $3.50 bottle at Dollar General. But you have to look at the ounces.

Dollar Tree is notorious for “inflation”—selling you smaller, irregular sizes to keep that $1.25 price. If you buy a 10 ounce bottle at Dollar Tree for $1.25, you pay 12.5 cents per ounce. If Dollar General sells a 32-ounce bottle for $3.50, you’re paying about 11 cents per ounce.

Decision:

• Dollar Tree wins with disposable items, greeting cards, party supplies, and cleaning tools such as scrubbers or buckets where size doesn’t matter much. (See 21 Great Things to Buy at the Dollar Store)
• Dollar General wins name-brand cleaning solutions, laundry detergents, and pantry staples—if buy larger sizes and use their digital coupons.

3. The “Saturday” Secret

If you shop at Dollar General without their app, you pay more. Dollar General has a standing offer that is arguably the best deal in the discount world: a $5 off $25 coupon.

It is almost always available on Saturdays. You load a digital coupon to your account, buy $25 worth of merchandise (before tax), and the register immediately deducts $5. That’s a savings of up to 20% over other sales. Neither Dollar Tree nor Family Dollar will ever match this level of “savings”.

4. Maintain information and safety

We can’t ignore the elephant in the room: the shopping experience.

Family Dollar has faced a lot of criticism about the store’s cleanliness and clutter. While the company is working to clean this up, the in-store experience may seem impossible depending on your local management.

Dollar Tree tends to be brighter and more organized, mostly because their inventory is lighter. It’s down to the grocery store and the treasure hunt.

Dollar General varies by location, but because it operates with a small staff (usually one or two employees per shift), boxes can pile up in the aisles. However, they are generally considered safer and more reliable for groceries than Family Dollar in recent years.

5. What you should never buy

No matter which store you choose, there are things you should often skip for safety or quality reasons.

• Electrical: I avoid power cords, chargers, and cords from dollar stores. They often lack proper safety certifications (such as a UL label) and can damage your devices or be a fire hazard.
• Vitamins: Consumer Reports and other watchdogs often find that discount vitamins may not contain the nutrients claimed on the label, or worse, don’t dissolve well in your system.
• Toys with small parts: Cheap plastic toys break easily, creating choking hazards for children and pets.

See also: 15 Worst Things You Can Buy at the Dollar Store

Final decision

So, which one is better? It totally depends on your equipment.

Go to Dollar Tree if:

• Need party favors, gift bags, or greeting cards (2 for $1 is unbeatable).
• You buy organizing bins or kitchen gadgets.
• You’re on a tight budget and can’t risk spending more than $20 in total.

Go to Dollar General if:

• He makes a midweek run to buy milk, eggs, and cereal.
• It’s Saturday and you can use a $5 off $25 coupon.
• You are looking for brand name cleaners in standard sizes.

Skip Family Dollar unless:
It’s the only option in your immediate area. Their prices rarely beat the other two, and their store quality record is the weakest of the three.