As mentioned in the last post, I'm going to share a list of non-food items that I buy regularly. I'm going to share the original list, but first I'll explain how I use it. This may not be perfect for everyone, but it's a good start and very affordable.
Here's how it works:
First off, if you don't have a dollar store near you, I suggest finding one in a surrounding town. Remember that I said I'm not talking about Dollar General or Family Dollar, I'm talking about a store that has everything for $1.00 or less. The one I shop at is called Dollar Tree and everything on this list is regularly stocked there. I can't say whether or not all these items will be of decent quality at a different dollar store, but I know that the ones at Dollar Tree in particular are worth getting. After I get everything off the foods list I previously posted, I work my way through this list, then back to the foods list, and so on.
Each week I choose one group of items and buy them in the quantities listed. These groups are made according to how many come in a package, where they're located in the store, and of course they stay in my $10.00 weekly budget even after tax. Again, whatever change is left goes straight into a savings jar.
1- 3pk bar soap
2- body wash
2- liquid hand soap
1- plastic shower curtain liner 72'x70' (packaged small so it's easy to carry and good for quick rain shelter)
1-3ct travel size hand sanitizer
1- feminine pads (before you blow this item off because you're a guy, pads can be used as wound dressings)
1- tampons (tampons can also be inserted into a gun shot wound, you should also stock both of these feminine products for bartering)
3-20ct or 30ct antibacterial wipes (they always have one or the other in stock)
3-30ct exfoliating facial wipes (no water needed, simple face wash)
3- facial tissues (I just get whichever has the most in the box at the time)
1- petroleum jelly 4oz
1- after sun soothing gel 6oz
2- SPF30 sport sunscreen spray with aloe vera
1- women's Secret 1.7oz antiperspirant & deodorant
1- men's Speed Stick 2oz antiperspirant & deodorant
2-women's or men's 10ct disposable double blade razors
1- sensitive skin shave cream 12oz
3- 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner (you could get shampoo & conditioner separate, but if there's a water shortage the 2-in-1 will cut water use in half, maybe more)
1- hairspray (largest I can find in aerosol spray can, it's great for other things, spraying on thread before trying to stick it through the eye of a needle is one)
1-12ct plastic assorted size combs
1- hair trimming scissors
1- 500ct mini rubber hair ties
1- 30ct elastic hair ties
1- 6ct elastic head bands (even if you don't have long hair for accessories, you'll have plenty of things to use them for)
1- bottle brushes (not just for cleaning bottles)
2- baby oil
2- baby lotion
2- cornstarch baby powder
1- baby powder
1- 70ct baby wipes
1- 250ct cotton swabs
1- 2ct cotton swabs in travel case
1- 100ct cotton balls
1- 80ct cotton rounds
1- 30ct assorted emery boards
1- any basic manicure set
1- any basic pedicure set
1- 3pk travel size facial tissues
1- 4ct metal nail file
1- 2pc small mirror and tweezers set
1- multi-pack toothbrushes (sometimes I see 10pk)
2- toothpaste
2- kid's toothpaste
2- mouthwash
1- 115yds dental floss
1- 2ct lip balm
2- 40ct extra strength acetaminophen caplets
2- 40ct ibuprofen tablets
1- children's liquid acetaminophen
1- 12ct anti-diarrhea
1- 60ct chew-able antacids with calcium
1- digital thermometer
1-instant cold pack
1- air activated heat wrap
1- 2ct hot & cold pain relief patch
1- arthritis & sport wintergreen rub
2- anti-itch cream
2- anti-fungal cream
1- medicated body powder
1- 4oz alcohol free cough syrup
1- 12ct non-drowsy severe cold caplets
1- 35ct cough drops
1- vaporizing chest rub
1- multi-vitamins
1- 36ct allergy tablets
1- children's liquid allergy relief 4oz
1- 24ct nasal decongestant caplets
1- 10ct disposable medical masks
1- dry eyes eye drops .5oz
1- reading glasses (you may not need glasses or know what strength to get, but if you just get random strengths every time you come to this item on the list you'll have a variety to try out if your vision gets weak in the future)
1- adult sun glasses
1- kid's sun glasses (you can leave these out if you don't have kids unless you want them for bartering)
2- 40ct antibacterial adhesive bandages
2- 25ct waterproof adhesive bandages
1- 6ct dressing bandages
1- 15ct gauze pads
2- roll gauze
1- first aid paper tape
1- first aid sport tape
2- elastic bandage
1- pain relief pack
1- antibacterial wet wipes
2- triple antibiotic ointment
2- hydro-cortisone cream
2- A&D cream
1- hydrogen peroxide
1- isopropyl alcohol
1- witch hazel
2- 2ct pack bandannas
3- plastic rain poncho
2- 3ct pack of socks (every size from infant to adult comes in 3ct packs, just remember to get the right size or larger size for growing kids)
2- 100ct assorted safety pins
1- concentrated dish soap
1- laundry soap
1- bleach
1- Ajax or Comet
1- scrub sponges
1- charcoal moisture eliminators 9.8oz tub
1- plastic spray bottle
1- small wastebasket trash liners
1- large trash bags
1- 3qt plastic storage box with hinge lid
1- plastic storage box with lid (just look at what they have and choose one)
1- plastic canister with lid (again, just look at what sizes and choose one. you can never have too many storage containers)
1- 3ct L storage bags with handles
1- 2ct XL storage bags with handles
2- XXL storage bag with handles
1- two-section plastic storage containers with lids 23.5oz
1- mesh laundry bag with drawstrings
1- aluminum foil
1- plastic wrap
1- 2pk round foil cake pans with lids
1- 2pk square foil cake pans with lids
1- 2pk aluminum grill toppers
1- large stainless steel tongs
1- 4pk stainless steel paring knives
1- kitchen scissors (pass over this if they don't have the Betty Crocker brand in stock, the others break too easy)
1- measuring cup/spoon set
1- 500ct toothpicks
1- 3pc funnels
1- magnetic can/bottle opener
2- cheesecloth
1- 2pc hot pad set
1- oven glove
2- kitchen towels
1- 2pk dishcloths
1- 2pk microfiber scrubber 12" towels
1- 4pk medium round plastic storage containers with lids
1- 4pk medium square plastic storage containers with lids
1- 10pk foam 3 compartment trays with hinge lids
1- 40ct paper lunch bags
1- quart size zipper storage bags
1- gallon size zipper storage bags
1- sandwich baggies
1- 32oz plastic storage container with screw on lid
1- 6ct plastic tumbler cups 8oz
1- 48ct assorted plastic silverware
1- 10" solar powered garden stake lights
1- 11' butane lighter with plastic handle
1- latex grip-knit gloves
1- work gloves
1- emergency candles (have seen them in 7ct and 5ct)
1- 16ct tea candles (for short periods of light, but also for waterproofing matches)
1- wooden matches
1- 8oz glass jar candle (commonly recognized as prayer candles, can be left lit hours hours on end)
1- refillable long reach butane lighter
1- 9x12' plastic drop cloth
1- silver utility tape
1- black electric tape
1- 3pk rolls of utility twine
1- 420ft roll of cotton twine
1- 50ft poly rope
1- 3ct rolls steel wire
1- 10ct disposable filter masks
1- 8-in-1 multi tool
1- 8-in-1 screwdriver tool
1- utility knife (will have a few blades inside)
1- LED travel flashlights with carabiners (clips)
1- LED flashlights with adjustable beams
1- LED book light (these are great for hands-free lighting, they can be clipped on almost anything and then bent to focus light in a specific small area)
1- portable/wall mountable lamp (battery operated)
1- 4pc screwdriver set
1- padlock with key
1- slip-joint pliers
1- adjustable wrench
1- safety glasses or goggles (there's usually a couple different kinds to chose from, I get glasses one time and goggles the next)
3- battery powered window alerts (you'll want to know if someone gets a open instead of being caught off guard because they've already snuck in)
1- 100ct pack of cable ties
(not many things on this last group, I just buy these and save the change in a jar)
1- 80ct envelopes (good for storing seeds)
1- pencils (there's usually 12pk, sometimes 24pk)
1- pencil sharpeners 12pk (not just for pencils)
1- 2pk legal pads
As I work my way through this list, if something isn't in stock that week I just skip over it completely. I don't grab something else to make up for the item I wasn't able to get and I don't try to make up for it by grabbing it when I see it in stock later. I just put the money that it would have cost in the savings jar.
One more thing before I go. There are a lot of other things at Dollar Tree that I've seen and purchased thinking they'd be good to have, but I have found that a lot of the items aren't worth the dollar that I paid for them. You get what you pay for at this store. Batteries for instance. While there are loads of them, all different sizes and quantities for just a buck, I don't buy them. I've bought them before, but half of them don't work and the other half only work for a couple hours. It's just not worth buying them. Keep saving change, eventually you'll have enough to stock up on batteries and other higher priced (and quality) items.
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I hope this list comes in handy, especially if you have to shop on a small budget like I do. If you can think of any other decent quality non-food items that are available at a dollar store, please comments below so I can check them out and add them to this list. All questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome. If you're curious about a specific item on this list, don't hesitate to ask. I'm interested in checking out other prepper blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
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