I'm another fan of Dollar Tree. I think some of the other "dollar" stores are misnamed, as their stuff costs a lot more than $1. I bought some very nice martini glasses and wine glasses at Dollar Tree, made in the Netherlands. I like their Dead Sea Minerals creams (for hand & body, feet, etc.), made in Israel. Their bottled water comes from a domestic source and is pretty good. I like their small yellow "legal pads," three for $1. It's where I go for birthday gift wrap and (sometimes) cards. And I get all my cat litter there. I've studiously avoided their cellophane packs of nuts from Thailand ever since I found a large insect part in one of them (!), but their Monet crackers (from Canada) are great for a party. In my popcorn days I liked Herr's Lite Popcorn, which they still sell at Dollar Tree. Big Lots isn't a dollar store, but I check it out when I can. Their inventory changes all the time, and if you're lucky you can find a great bargain. I get rug pads there, and scored a great latex pillow and some Calphalon kitchen towels once. I always check out their makeup aisle. I get most of my teas there (from England, Sri Lanka, etc.), and occasionally find good brands of health foods in their grocery aisle. I've gotten some great pickles, salad dressing, and other top branded food products there. I do look at the expiration dates. And in my chocolate days (around the same time as my popcorn days), Big Lots was a fine source! Susan

Woodie, I'm so happy to see you here again, I miss you! Sol, I'll help for Sam's wedding. My cake baking skills are nothing close to yours but I could mix batter or bring the mojitos or SOMETHING... Thank you, everyone. I was pleased with the way everything turned out and doubly pleased that the fondant bow made it there intact. The hearts inside the cupcakes. OK, I hate to admit that it was actually easy, I'd love to fib and tell you it was all difficult and technical. Bake a sheet cake layer of red velvet cake, cut hearts with a small cookie cutter, it has to be small enough to fit down inside the cupcake. Put a spoonful of batter into the cupcake paper or pan, set the heart into it and fill with batter, making sure the heart is covered with batter. Bake again, check for doneness slightly toward the edge. The only trick is that you have to mark the cupcake so you know which direction to cut or you just have a red glob visible from the side view, LOL. This would work with bunnies for Easter, trees or bells for Christmas, Shamrocks for St. Pat's, whatever strikes you and you have a cookie cutter for. It was actually more difficult to get the Snickers bars not to sink into the bottom of the cupcake, we had to eat a couple of batches before I figured out to freeze the candy before plopping it into the middle of the unbaked cupcake. It was a difficult job, but had to be done. (grin) I did have some dedicated volunteers that helped me with that one..... Annie

c t - "I rarely shop at the dollar stores. ..." "The extra time to make the trip isn't worth i." --- I understand that for you (and perhaps many other people), it may be different, but for me, I live about 1/2 mile away from a Dollar Tree. I pass right by it nearly half the time I go anywhere. It is more convenient to get to than nearly any other place I might go. That said, I don't go there often... sometimes no more than once in a month or 2. "A lot of the food is junk food / dozens of broken plastic utensils...but they were a bargain ..." --- I agree (partly). Not everything at a dollar store is a wise purchase. Some things (including some food items) are low quality, cheaply made, and should be avoided. If "everyone" decided not to purchase these sort of items, and left them on the shelf, the stores (likely) would not carry them anymore (sadly, people do buy them). But, they do have many quality, brand-name items. Even some of those are not a bargain. For example, they usually have a small package of "Aleve" or "Excedrin" (typically 6 pills per package). Approximately 50 pills would cost $8.00, 100 pills for $17.00, and 200 for $33.00. This is more than twice what you would probably pay for the larger sizes, even at regular (non sale) prices at other stores like CVS, Osco, Target, Walmart, or K-Mart. Another thing to watch out for is "expire dates" (sell by/use by/best by-dates). It's common to find food items that are near or past their prime, and these are rarely a bargain. But still, you can sometimes find some brand name food items that are a good deal even if they are near their "best-by" date, if it is something that you use up fairly quickly. And many other non-food items can be found that are also good deals.

I haven't shopped in dollar stores for a few years now. Simply because it is imported items of a low value, which reflects in the price. Some items are counterfit to look like brand names (even if they aren't brands WE recognize). Others may have quality issues - such as toothpaste that contains antifreeze. Some of the decorative items are cast offs from factories (where workers are paid pennies per day and there are no standards for safety for worker nor consumer) or the makers are paid almost nothing as piece work. Again, there is no way to know what materials are being used and how the items are being made. I don't want to support the exploitation of a cheap workforce that is being abused, simply to get a little vase with a crooked hand painted design for a dollar. Local companies cannot compete with these cheap products so they undermine our economy. They also underscore the idea that it is cheapness and quantity and not QUALITY workmanship that should be a priority. We are a disposable society. Go ahead and throw it out, you can get a new one at the dollar store. With rising prices and sinking wages I know that there are many who feel they cannot afford NOT to shop in the dollar store, and I commiserate. But for me, it was a choice I made for myself, my family, and my community. And I am sticking with it ROFL.