How To Get Even Better Deals At Dollar Tree With 'Bonus Buys'

You're likely someone who cares about saving money if you're shopping at Dollar Tree in the first place. But in some cases, the low-price chain store may not offer as great a deal as you may think. That's why shoppers should keep their eyes open when checking out the sizing of products within the store. 

Buying items like shampoo or cleaning supplies at Dollar Tree may appear to be cheaper than grabbing these same items at a store like Costco. But on a per-ounce basis, the products from Dollar Tree often don't compare to chain retailers. Dollar Tree's packaging is actually often smaller than the "normal" size, which means when you break it down, it's not the fantastic deal you thought it was. 

But you can really get your money's worth if you recognize the chain's "bonus buys" by keeping an eye out for products with the word "bonus" on them. You'll often find items like cleaning sprays, laundry detergents, body lotions, and more that have a label such as "bonus size 20% more." This is a marketing trick. These bottles are actually the same size as a bottle you may get at another large chain like Walmart. Whether you're actually getting a good deal depends on the item. You should do some comparison shopping by checking the price of the Dollar Tree item against other stores offering the same product. Be sure to factor in any size difference. This advice holds true for other products too, such as the fancy foods you can buy at Dollar Tree; check the price against what other stores sell. 

If you want all the best deals at Dollar Tree, it requires preplanning. The retailer posts a weekly ad online, where you can discover what's hot that week. Some of these items include the dates when that listed price is valid as well. Again, while these items may appear to be good deals, you should always compare them against what other stores are offering to see whether the price is as good as it looks. And beware, as those red dot stickers at Dollar Tree mean a product is recently marked up!

Though the store itself doesn't have coupons for extra savings, there is a Dollar Tree grocery shopping mistake everyone makes, and that is forgetting about other types of coupons. The store accepts manufacturer coupons from brand names, which is a great way to save money. Keep in mind coupons can only be used in the store and not online, and there are rules about how many coupons you can use per product and in a day. You can also sign up online with Dollar Tree so that you're one of the first to receive information about in-store specials and new products. Finally, take a look at Dollar Tree's More Choices items, which are brand-name products. While they usually cost more than $1.25, you may find that they are a better deal than the same item sold at another store. Again, it's all about comparison shopping.