May 24, 2026

23 Dollar Store Products That Save Families Hundreds a Year

Written by Heather Taylor
|
Edited by Jenna Klaverweiden
Discover a Dollar Tree storefront with bright neon‑green letters standing out against the building on a clear day

Families don’t have to wait for major shopping events, like back-to-school season or tax-free weekends, to stock up and save on everyday essentials. Dollar Tree provides year-round savings on everything you need, including paper products, school lunch staples, oral care and so much more.

We explored the discount retailer’s most popular departments with families and pulled a selection of products from each aisle worth buying to save hundreds in the long haul. Here’s what you need to add to your family shopping list.

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Dollar Tree’s selection of party supplies has remained mostly inflation-proof over the last few years. This is great news for families on tight budgets since they can pick up everything from candles to gift wrap and stay well under $10.

What’s on our recommendation list? Check out its selection of balloons, including high quality pre-inflated birthday balloons ($1.25). A wide selection of cards for every occasion are at select stores, including Expressions from Hallmark cards for $1.25 or Heartline cards priced at two for $1.

You’ll also want to add holographic gift bags ($1.25), glitter number candles ($1.25) and metallic party squawkers ($1.25) to your cart for inexpensive party favors.

Cakes and cupcakes are a must to celebrate major milestones, but the price of ready-made sheet cakes and ice cream cakes adds up fast.

You can always find Pillsbury cake mix and frosting on Dollar Tree shelves at the low price of $1.50 each. A wide variety of flavors are usually in stock, including Pillsbury chocolate cake mix and Pillsbury cream cheese frosting.

Every family needs plenty of paper towels on hand to clean up spills and messes. Dollar Tree’s 140-count paper towels are just $1.50 per roll, making them much cheaper than leading brands.

Every family needs durable trash bags to keep homes neat and tidy. The Essentials brand large drawstring trash bags might cost $5 for 25 bags, but this is a pretty good deal compared with name brands, which are typically $10 or more.

Parents can prep an entire school lunch, and still have plenty of leftovers, for $8.50 at Dollar Tree.

Making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Grab a loaf of Founders Street sliced whole wheat bread, a jar of Nature’s House creamy peanut butter and a bottle of Pampa grape fruit spread, all of which cost $1.50 apiece.

Round out the meal with Snyder’s of Hanover mini pretzels ($1.25 for a six-count lunch pack bag), Applesnax cinnamon applesauce ($1.50 for four cups) and a Juicy Juice juice box ($1.25 for four boxes).

Don’t skip the most important meal of the day. At Dollar Tree, parents can pick up a box of Hungry Jack pancake and waffle mix and Toast’em Pop-Ups (a Pop Tarts dupe) and spend just $3.

Back-to-school shopping season is celebrated year-round at Dollar Tree. Tons of popular school supplies are available for $1.25, so you can restock without worrying about the strain on your wallet.

A few essentials that are worth every penny include Jot 48-count crayons, a 12-pack of Jot ballpoint pens (available in blue and black colors) and Dixon No. 2 pencils in an eight-count box.

The last thing any parent wants is a massive dentist bill to pay for cavity costs.

You can maintain excellent oral care year-round by shopping Dollar Tree’s wide selection of kid-friendly toothbrushes, toothpaste and flossers. The total cost for a tube of Colgate kid’s toothpaste in bubble fruit flavor, a smiley gripper toothbrush and a 40-count bag of Grin kiddo flossers comes out to $3.75. (The toothbrush even comes with a travel-size toothpaste to bring along on trips and vacations!)

Editor’s note: Prices and availability are subject to change.

This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.

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Written by
Heather Taylor
Jenna Klaverweiden
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
Jenna Klaverweiden joined GOBankingRates in early 2024 as an Editor. Prior to joining GOBankingRates, she was the managing copy editor for a financial publisher, where she edited content focused on economics, retirement planning, investing, bonds and the stock market. She was also the copy editor for the third edition of the book Get Rich with Dividends, which was published in 2023. Education: B.A. in English Language and Literature, University of Maryland, B.A. in American Studies, University of Maryland