Dollar Store Ten

Ten Things for Writers & Readers from a Dollar Store

1. & 2. 70-page wide-ruled spiral bound notebooks: If you burn through as many notebooks as I do, you can usually buy three or four at the dollar store for what you'd pay for one at an office supply place. Also an excellent buy if your kids need them for school.

3. & 4. Adjustable and Clip-on Book lights: All the book lights I've tried put out the same amount of light and never seem to last longer than a couple of months; they can also cost as much as $10.00 at book stores. I found two different types at the dollar store that work just as well, and (assuming I won't break them) both have replaceable batteries.

5. Wire Bookmark: I'm not exactly sure what shape this one is supposed to be -- maybe a flower -- but it works as well as the ones I've paid $5.00 each for from Hallmark. Crafters might also be able to do something with these.

6. Magnifying Bookmark: this magnifies just as well as the glass one I own, plus it's plastic so it'll be harder for me to break, and I can buy a couple and leave them around the house in my favorite reading spots.

7. Webster's Standard Dictionary, Paperback: for some reason I have to buy a new dictionary and thesaurus for my kid every school year because she loses them, or someone at school borrows hers and never gives them back. You can always find them (often in pocket-size editions, too) at the dollar store.

8. Nonfiction Hardcover Books: my dollar store has an entire shelf of these, mostly remainders and clunkers, but now and then I'll see one that appeals to me. The fiction selections also vary from store to store; mine usually has Tor hardcovers and Kensington paperbacks.

9. Bubble Mailer Multi-packs: one of the better values at the dollar store are the variety of envelopes they carry. I pay up to $2 each for 3M mailers at office supply stores; my dollar store sells them in 2- and 3-packs for $1.

10. Photo Paper: I don't use much photo paper or use it often, so it makes no sense for me to spend $30.00 for a pack of 50 at an office supply store when I can buy 10 sheets for $1. These are off-brands, and probably not as enduring as the better-quality stuff, but I mainly use them to print out photos to send along in cards and letters I write to my family.

Other reasons to shop your local dollar store: I don't recommend buying the food or cosmetic products, but you can generally find good-quality pens, pencils, note pads of various sizes, packing tape, adhesives, gift wrap, scrapbooking supplies, plastic totes and small baskets.