I have a weird kind of love/hate relationship with the dollar store. Ask me on any given day my opinion of these institutions and my response could be anything from cheerful enthusiasm to snide derision. I guess it all depends on my mood and what I’m currently in the market for.

The dollar store isn’t an entirely new concept, although I do recall being totally blown away by the idea the first time I stepped into one, decades ago. I remember being awed by the fact that every singe item in  the entire store cost exactly one dollar. I came away with a badminton set that day.

Now, the dollar store is my go-to for storage items for the classroom, cheap holiday decorations (my car looked properly spooky for Halloween Trunk-or-Treat), and random stuff that my son wants (a measuring cup, for example). I also get my cheaters there (reading glasses, for the uninitiated), and for a dollar, they’re pretty great. I can see, and they have tons of cute designs. And as a bonus, I don’t get too upset if I break them.

Now the downside to the dollar store. Well, frankly a lot of dollar stores are a complete mess. The merchandise may be in a jumble, and there may be thick layers of dust on the shelves. Items purchased there have to be debated carefully. Do I really want to take my chances with this dollar store shampoo, or should I pay a few cents more for the brand I know? And these pickled meats, are they really still good? I think I’ll pass. Also, sometimes you run into some unsavory characters at the dollar store, but it comes with the territory.

Overall, the dollar store is a great deal. Where else can you pick up a carload full of good stuff for next to nothing