The Dollar Tree Death Trap (Read Article before you Throw Stones at Me!)

Who doesn't love shopping at Dollar Tree---where everything is one dollar, even a loaf of name brand bread! Plus, now all their stores take manufacturer coupons. Talk about a win-win!

WRONG!

Dollar Tree carries many name brand items like, Crest, Colgate, Maybeline, Kelloggs, Suave, Hersheys, International Delight and many others and we can now use manufacuterer coupons on those items.

If you have been couponing for any length of time, you know exactly where I am headed with this post, but new couponers beware of the what I call the "Death Trap" to your savings.

With $1 off coupons, you can get some freebies at Dollar Tree, but be careful if your coupons fall below that $1 amount!

Dollar Tree does not double a coupon, so if I am buying a box of Kellogg's cereal for $1 and I have a $0.50/1 coupon; I would only pay $0.50 for that one box.

50 cents is still 50 cents!

Compare to shopping at a grocery store when I do the same transaction above, but only my coupon doubles at the grocery store. I get the cereal for free! Plus, there are several stores that will let you use a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon, resulting in overage at the grocery store.

Per Dollar Tree's coupon policy, you are only aloud 4 like coupons, per transaction. With that in mind, compare these transactions:

Dollar Tree
Buy 4 Kellogg's cereal at $1 each
Use (4) $0.50/1 manufacturer coupons
Total after coupons, $2 for all four boxes (most would think a good deal right?)

Well, $2 is still $2!

Any Grocery Store that Doubles coupons:
Buy 4 Kellogg's cereal at $1 each
Use (4) $0.50/1 manufacturer coupons (each coupon will double up to $1 each)
All four boxes for FREE after coupons!

And FREE is still FREE!

True, $2 does not seem like much, but what if you shopped at Dollar Tree, bought 48 items, used $0.50/1 coupons on each item and spent $24 out of pocket. I bought the same items at the grocery store, used the same coupons (except mine doubled) and I got everything (all 48 items) for FREE!

Do I ever shop at Dollar Tree, yes---I was even employed there for a few months. :)

My point is don't get caught up with everything being a dollar and think that it's a great deal, because those dollars add up quickly! If you have an option, shop where you can get the best deal!
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