Seeking Alternatives To Dollar Stores
Some communities are taking different approaches to meet local needs.
In Baldwin, Fla., a town of 1,600 about 20 miles west of Jacksonville, a Family Dollar and an IGA supermarket coexisted for years, just a 3-minute walk from each, says Sean Lynch, the citys mayor. Then in 2017 the IGA closed, leaving residents with only two options for fresh food, one 10 miles and the other 20 miles away.
The town of Baldwin owned the 10,000-square-foot former IGA space but failed to find a national chain or mom and pop grocer to occupy it, Lynch says. So in July 2019, the city decided to open and operate the Baldwin Market.
Its not the kind of business Id get into to make money, says Lynch, who adds that the store just breaks even. But, he says, Baldwins residentsincluding its seniorshave a place in town to buy fresh food.
Some other communities are turning to food co-ops. Those member-owned ventures have long attracted mainly health-conscious consumers seeking alternatives to corporate-run supermarkets, but increasingly, the people involved with them are not just wealthy people hungry for kale.
For their part, dollar stores are also evolving. As of last March, only about 1,300 Dollar General stores nationwide carried fresh produce. But the company plans to add up to 10,000 more in the coming years, though it did not provide a date.
Family Dollar is also offering some fresh produce and frozen meat at select stores in neighborhoods where shoppers have few grocery options.
Kitchen Items You Should Buy At The Dollar Store And Some To Avoid
Over the past two years, due to the pandemic, much of the population has been spending a lot more time in the kitchen. A MorningConsult survey conducted shortly after COVID first struck in early 2020 found that 46% of Americans were cooking more.
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More time spent in the kitchen means more money spent on the kitchen. Many have been dumping dollars into upgrading their kitchens as well as overhauling their aesthetic. Even those who havent been making drastic changes to their cooking spaces may also be dishing out more dough than they did in pre-pandemic times. So, a few bucks here on mason jars and a few bucks there on measuring cups can add up.
With that in mind, is shopping at dollar stores the best way to save on kitchen products? It depends. Lets explore which items are must-buys and which are best bought at more renowned retailers.
Have You Tried The New Dollar General Pickup
You can shop within the app and use coupons and pick up at curbside! Try it right here!
Due to the decline in paper and printable coupons we will no longer be providing full coupon matchups. Dollar General Digital coupons are becoming very popular now also! You can see our Dollar General good deals as we post them in our Dollar General Coupon category here.
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Frozen Bacon Ham And Sausage
Why pick one breakfast meat, when you can stock up on all three bacon, ham, and sausage for $1.25 each? The Farmer John Premium Classic Bacon comes in four-slice packs, while the Classic Pork Sausage Links contains eight links per box, and Danl Boone Country Ham, also known as Biscuit Slices, is sold in 3-ounce portions.
Dollar General Black Friday

The Dollar General Black Friday ads of the past have featured a variety of items, including toys, beauty, food, home products and holiday essentials. Here are some of our favorite deals:
- Select Verizon Phones are 50% off
- Toys are buy-one-get-one 75% off
- Artificial holiday trees are 50% off
- Lego Sets are buy-one-get-one 40% off
- Gift cards from fast food restaurants such as Chilis, Burger King, and more are 20% off
- Apple App Store & iTunes Gift Cards are 20% off
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Pressing Pause On Dollar Stores
But in what has become a trend, lawmakers in numerous towns and cities across the country are putting the brakes on dollar store expansion, convinced it is more a detriment than a benefit to their communities.
Cyndi Nguyen, who represents East New Orleans on the New Orleans City Council, is one. Her district houses one-third of the citys 36 chain-run dollar stores. A dollar store shopper herself, she says she thinks theyre great. But to saturate a community, they kind of went overboard.
In 2018, Nguyen and two other council members directed the city planning commission to study small box discount stores, such as dollar stores. The agencys report found that dollar stores in New Orleans were prolific, that they tended to cluster, and that only one provided fresh fruit and vegetables.
The report included the account of a shopping center owner who could not find a grocery store operator willing to occupy vacant space. He said that another grocery in the area had closed after a Dollar General opened next to it.
As a result of the report, New Orleans restricted new dollar stores from opening within 2 miles of an existing one in East New Orleans and in the citys Westbank neighborhood. Elsewhere in the city, new stores can open no closer than a mile from another one.
Luce, at Dollar General, says restricting the stores growth is not in the best interest of consumers: We are disappointed that policymakers considered measures that could limit consumer choice.
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Quick And Easy Air Fryer Frittata
Approximate Cost: Serves 6-8 people for about $1 per serving
Ingredients:
- 12 eggs
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 cup of cheese
- 1 cup of cooked vegetables. I love roasted red peppers, zucchini, spinach or butternut squash, but the possibilities are endless.
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Submitted By: Sylvia Fountaine, CEO and founder, Feasting at Home
What Makes It Great: This is a great template recipe, meaning you can adapt this to whatever combination of cheese and veggies you have in your fridge, Fountaine said. You can use up leftovers, that random chunk of cheese and get a high protein, delicious meal on the cheap.
Air Fryer Avocado Egg Rolls
Approximate Cost: $9.75
Instructions:
Submitted By: Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, cookbook author and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc.
What Makes It Great: Egg rolls were made for the air fryer you get all the crispy goodness and none of the grease, White said. Just about anything can go into an egg roll so they are a great way to use up what you have on hand. The vegan recipe uses affordable pantry staples beans and salsa.
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What About Mom And Pop Stores
Some consumer advocates say the growth of dollar stores reminds them of an earlier retail game changer: the meteoric rise of Walmart. It began as a single store in Rogers, Ark., in 1962. By 1990, it had blanketed the nations suburbs and larger towns with stores and proclaimed itself the countrys leading retailer. Independent and family-owned stores nearby couldnt compete, and many closed.
As a result, people in many places had to travel farther to buy groceries, says Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a research and advocacy organization that champions community businesses. And now, Mitchell believes, dollar stores are threatening the stores that survived the Walmart invasion.
In CRs recent survey, 7 percent of Americans who shop at dollar stores said the retailers are the only shopping optionor one of the only optionsin their community. And that number jumped to 19 percent for people in rural areas who make less than $30,000 a year.
Luce, at Dollar General, takes exception to the idea that its stores push out other businesses, especially grocers. And, she says, many large supermarket chains had chosen not to enter some communities long before Dollar Generals entrance into the market.
Toastmaster Small Appliances $5 Reg Up To $1550
Through Saturday , head to Dollar General and score select Toastmaster appliances for just $5! Included in the sale is the hand mixer, toaster, can opener, 12 cup coffee maker and personal blender. These will go fast so act now if interested. Prices valid in-store only.
This deal is part of a 4 Day Sale going on right now through 10-31. Heres a a few other things you can score while your there. can i give my pregnant dog ivermectin
Bugles snacks $1 BOGO freeFinal price: 2/$1
Renuzit Solid Air Freshener Cones $1 B3G1 freeBuy 6 Subtotal: $5 after saleUse B4G2 Free Final price: 6/$3
Betty Crocker Cookie or Brownie Mix 7.2-10.25 oz. Assorted varieties $1 B2G1 freeFinal price: 3/$2
True Living Kitchen Gadgets $1-$5 BOGO 50% OffFinal price: as low as 2/$1.50
Dr Pepper, 7Up, Canada Dry, RC Cola, Sunkist or A& W 6-pk .5 liter bottles 5/$10Final price: $2 each wyb 5 must buy 5
Ferrero Assorted Chocolate Fun Size or Nuts About Peanuts 15 oz. or Assorted Chocolate Minis 21.6 oz $5 $6.50 BOGO 50% OffUse $1.25/1 Monster Bags 20-oz. or larger SS 10-18 (exp. 10-31Final price: varies depending on the price.
Sterilite Tote 64 Quart, 18 Gallon or 106 Quart $6.50 $13.95 BOGO 50% offFinal price: as low as 2/$9.75
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Air Fryer Meals You Can Make For $10 Or Less
Another night, same nagging question: What to make for dinner?
It may not sound like a big deal, but cooking can be a major stressor for those most often charged with the task. Adding to the stress are the financial factors inflation is out of control and the cost of food is soaring. On top of that, the pandemic refuses to fade away, so more people continue to stay home and make their own meals.
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With all that in mind, we really, really just need dinner to be as simple, affordable and painless as it can be. Is that too much to ask? It certainly is not, and youre one step ahead if youre one of the many who have added an air fryer to their kitchen in recent months. Check out these nine foodie-recommended air fryer recipes all of which fit a budget of $10 or less.
Dollar General Promo Codes And Coupons

For maximum savings at Dollar General on the Biggest Shopping Day of the Year, we recommend using manufacturer coupons whenever possible. The retailer’s Black Friday ad said, “We Accept Manufacturers’ Coupons!” This is rare on Black Friday, so we recommend taking full advantage of this savings opportunity.
For online shoppers, Dollar General often offers promo codes for free shipping. This is a great way to save big, while shopping from the comfort of home on Black Friday. You can shop while enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers on your couch!
If you’d like the latest information about Black Friday deals from Dollar General and other great retailers, keep checking BlackFriday.com. Our team of deal experts will let you know about the latest deals to help you make the most of your money during the holidays and beyond!
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Are The Savings At Dollar Stores Real
Dollar stores, of course, play up their low prices. And until recently, just about everything at Dollar Tree really was a dollar or less, something that they could do by selling most items in travel or other smaller-than-usual sizes. While the company announced in late September that it will be testing price points above $1 in select stores, low-prices are still a major selling point for the brand. And Dollar General and Family Dollar, which have long sold many items for more than a buck, also still try to keep prices low.
Dollar General spokesperson Crystal Luce says the company aims for neighborhood stores with merchandise curated to make shopping simpler and more affordable. All three chains say their stores are best described as fill in shopping options that supplement weekly trips to the grocery store. Dollar General underscores the point, telling CR that pre-COVID-19, the average shopping tab was just $12.
But how good are the savings, really? To investigate, I teamed up with other CR staffers and secret shoppers in eight locations across the country to go to nearby outposts of each of the three leading national dollar store chains, as well as two local supermarkets. We all had the same basic shopping list of common household items.
Easy Air Fryer Greek Chicken And Potatoes
Approximate Cost: $6.90
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. chicken breast, diced
- 1 lb. baby gold potatoes, quartered
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning, divided
- 1 tsp. black pepper, divided
Instructions:
1. Mix the lemon juice and zest together with the olive oil and toss the quartered potatoes in the mixture. Season with 1/2 Tbsp Greek seasoning and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
2. Use a spatula to transfer the potatoes to an air fryer basket, leaving the remaining oil/lemon juice mixture in the bowl. Avoid dumping the potatoes straight in the basket. Air fry for 12 minutes at 400ºF.
3. While the potatoes cook, dice the chicken breast and add to the bowl with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Add the additional tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat before adding the remaining 1/2 Tbsp Greek seasoning and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
4. Once the potatoes have cooked for 12 minutes, transfer them to the bowl with the chicken and stir together.
5. Add the Greek chicken and potatoes back to the basket and air fry for 10-12 minutes at 400ºF, shaking halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165ºF. Check multiple pieces to ensure everything is evenly cooked. Serve with kalamata olives, feta cheese, and parsley, if desired.
Submitted By: Mason Woodruff, a food blogger
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Toastmaster Air Fryer Under $20 At Dollar General ~ Ends Today
If youve been looking for an inexpensive Air Fryer be sure to stop by Dollar General before this deal ends on Sunday 03/01!
Toastmaster 1.5 Liter Air Fryer $17.50 NO Coupons Needed!
Thanks to How to Shop for FREE Member Missy for sharing this find!
Be sure to join our Dollar General Freebies and Deals Facebook Group
Always be sure to grab your digital & printable DG store coupons before you shop!
Toastmaster Air Fryer Only $1050 At Dollar General
Toastmaster Air Fryer, Only $10.50 at…
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Save 70% on the retail price of Toastmaster Air Fryers at Dollar General. This 2-quart air fryer features a hot air flow system, 30 minutes cooking timer, adjustable heat control, automatic shut-off, and a nonstick inner basket.
If you want to spend less time in the store, shop online using free DG Pickup. Digital coupons will still apply and your order will be waiting for you on one of the store pickup shelves.
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Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Approximate Cost: $6 to $8
Ingredients:
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- non-stick cooking spray
Instructions:
Submitted By: Jessica Randhawa, the head chef, recipe creator, photographer and writer behind The Forked Spoon