Starting out in prepping can be expensive. There will be a lot of bags to make, binders to create and of course food storage expenses. This is why I wanted to fill you in on the best dollar store purchases you can make for your emergency preparedness journey.
I do not purchase everything from the dollar store, but there are many items that are good for emergencies. But some items, like batteries – I prefer to get from name brands like Duracell or Energizer. I would not want to risk some things not working when I need it the most!
This list features many of the items I buy at the dollar store near me. Sometimes I do shop at other dollar stores too if I am in a new area. Every store carries different inventory – so it is good to shop around!
1. First aid supplies
Bandages, splints, wrappings, ice packs, knee braces, pain patches, and ointments can be found at most dollar stores. I have found that the first aid supplies are great buys, and I can stock our first aid kits quickly and inexpensively.
2. Home Organization
Inexpensive storage containers can be used to organize areas in your home. Buying one for each type of preparedness items can help you know what you have – and what you need. Store them in the garage, laundry room, basement, or where ever you have some extra space.
They are also great for storing preparedness go bags for quick runs out of the home. Get one basket for each family member where you can have a bag and other items ready. They can grab the whole basket on the way out, or just what is inside it.
3. Paper Products
I will use better quality paper products for day-to-day use, but for our emergency bags I use dollar store products. Paper goods in dollar stores are typically thinner and not as soft as what we use daily, but for the price it is still worth it. Paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, and other paper items are critical for preparedness. Getting them on the cheap is perfect for short-term use.
4. Reading Glasses
I need prescription glasses and wear bifocals. While my far vision needs a boost (and I have to have them to drive legally), my real need is for intermediate vision (my computer) and reading. I make sure to have an extra pair of reading glasses tucked in my emergency kits, my day bag, my desk, my bedside, and in my kitchen.
This system allows me to have a pair of glasses wherever I might need them. It also means I have a lot of backup glasses if I lose a pair or break them. I can get better quality glasses at places like Target, but I’d end up spending a fortune on glasses with the way I lose or break them. I prefer to stock up on these which serve me well for emergency supplies. They also have chains and cases to use with your glasses if you need them.
They also have sunglasses, but after talking to my ophthalmologist about my risk of macular degeneration, I prefer to invest a little more in sunglasses that will help protect my eyes, not just save me from some glare.
5. Shower Curtains
You have to be a little careful about the selection as some are not much better than paper. But, if you hit upon a supply that is made with thicker material, grab them! They can be used as table covers, makeshift shelters, etc.
6. Glowsticks
Glowsticks may be more decorative than useful, but when you have kids, glowsticks serve so many purposes! You can pack them in their emergency kits or use them for lights-out activities during power outages. They can be comfort objects when it’s dark or you’re camping, and for general lighting when you buy the bigger sticks or swords.
7. Plastic tote bags
You might get these from many places, but for a dollar, I love these plastic totes for freezer organization. I have a chest freezer and organizing categories by tote is a huge help. The handles help me lift things out easily, to get to the next layer, and the totes help keep things contained in the chest.
But they can also be used in the same fashion in a pantry. Instead of using plastic storage tubs, you can use the totes to store linens, large quantities of toilet paper, and make them easily movable.
8. 80-hour emergency candles
Emergency candles at dollar stores are great finds. They are usually very cheap and can server so many uses from lighting to heating. Be sure to test a few when you first buy them to make sure they do work. With cheap candles they wax and wicks may not be the best – so testing is critical.
Make sure you have matches or a lighter that can light these candles when they are burnt further down into the glass.
9. Ice or hot packs for food
Reusable ice/hot food packs are great for food preservation. When I have to clean out my chest freezer, the packs work to help keep things cold (especially those things that tend to thaw out quickly like frozen fruit). Then used hot, it helps keep dishes warm if we’re traveling.
They are also terrific if your freezer/fridge has died and you are without refrigeration for a day or two. Along with ice, these cold packs can help keep your foods frozen in coolers until you can get a new unit. They’re great for power outages as well.
The flexible packs can be used for pain relief if you’re in a pinch – they’re just a little bulky. If you can find the packs that are smaller and for lunch bags, they are GREAT for pain relief.
10. Spray Bottles
I like to make the most of my cleaners so I like to have some in every zone of our home. That way we aren’t going back and forth across the house to get a cleaner. Dollar store bottles work perfectly for this! You can get steel ones, big plastic ones, and small plastic ones.
11. Cleaning Supplies
Microfiber dusters, brooms, buckets, clothespins, and more are available at Dollar Tree. Sometimes, it really isn’t worth even a dollar, but other times, the items are great and are well worth stocking up!
12. Microfiber Towels
We use these microfiber towels for so many things – for dusting, for cleaning, for quick spill cleanups. You can find large ones in the automotive sections, mesh backed ones in the kitchen section, and multi-packs around the store. These are great to use instead of paper towels, and we keep a big supply for all sorts of uses.
13. Office Supplies
Organizers, pens, pencils, mailers, and more can be found at most dollar stores. While this may look like an organizational issue and not preparedness, things like pencil boxes can have a new life as a first aid kit. A bubble mailer can house seeds for the next season, binders and dividers can be made into Family Emergency Binders.
Clipboards work great to keep wipe off inventory pages on the wall. File pockets can be good for keeping important papers together for your go bag.
14. “Damp Rid”
I keep one of these in my storage closet to help keep general dampness out.
15. Puppy Pads
Now, hear me out on this, okay? If you have an emergency toilet that you use for camping, or maybe have in case of evacuation or disaster, using these disposable puppy pads at the bottom of your bag can absorb the waste, help keep it from smelling so bad so quickly, and allows for easier cleanup.
16. Bungee Cords
Bungee cords can be used so many ways. Strapping down boxes to a car, creating a pseudo tent or keeping things from blowing in the wind are some ways. Bungee cords should be in every go bag and there should always be a few around the house too. They are a versatile tool!
17. Bags of Epsom Salts
Epsom salts have so many uses, we like to keep quite a few bags on hand, and the price can’t be beat.
18. Plastic Shoe Bins
The price point isn’t a bargain as you can get them for about the same price in Walmart, their use is not to be beat. We use them to organize preparedness items in our linen closet and categorize smaller things in larger totes in the garage.
19. Socks
Yes, socks. Here’s why. I keep extra pair of socks in our emergency box and bags for times when we need a change because our feet got wet outdoors. I’d rather not use up an everyday pair (I have teenage boys, we go through socks a lot), so use the less expensive ones to stock in the emergency bins just in case. I just make sure to pick the best pairs I can find.
20. Over the door storage hooks
You can use Command hooks that are really expensive, or you can take a look at the selection here and find ones that work really well. Alternative storage is king when you are trying to keep a house from being buried in preparedness supplies. Consider these to be a better hook than what comes the shower caddies or shoe organizers to hang on the back of a door to help support them better.
21. Flashlights
Small and large flashlights are a must for home use and on-the-go emergencies. Every room in the house should have a flashlight in case of emergency. The dollar store usually offers a few options. Just remember to get batteries elsewhere and invest in brand names so you are sure the flashlights work when you need them most.
22. Zip Ties
Great for closing things that don’t stay closed, creating projects like this organizer from Dollar Tree objects, and keeping electronic cords organized. They’re handy little tools to have.
23. Party Supply Tablecloths
Like shower curtains, these tablecloths are great for covering things from the rain. While you certainly can use trash bags, tablecloths are just easier to store and use for larger projects. They can be paper thin, so I don’t use them for making shelter, but they’re good to toss over a dirty area to eat on, or throw over a pile of things to keep safe from a sudden storm.
They can also be good for lining a surface before storing items on it. I don’t store cardboard boxes on the floor of our garage, but I will use a plastic table cloth or shower curtain to put a barrier down first. Or we’ve used them to store oil on shelves and line the shelf with the plastic table cloth first, to stop staining.
24. Large vacuum storage bags
I’ve not always had the best of luck with them, but when it’s good, it’s great! Storing extra towels and linens or out of season clothes in flat packs on a shelf and saving a ton of storage room? Awesome! They also have zippered storage items for keeping clothes clean – which would be great for winter items when not in use.
25. Dental care
Our day to day toothbrushes are a better quality, but with toothbrushes being so expensive, for prepping I grab some cheap ones from the dollar store. If they have a family pack, I would recommend that as your option. Not only are they good for survival backup bags, they are good for cleaning, and for donating personal care products to various organizations.
Picks, floss, toothpaste, and mouthwash are also good options from the dollar store as well.
26. Hand sanitizer and wipes
We don’t use hand sanitizer on a daily basis, but do when someone in our household has come down with a stomach virus or more serious illness. We will use the wipes as well, especially if we are traveling in public spaces during cold/flu season or if a roto/norovirus is on the rampage in our area. I keep them stocked in our emergency bags and car, too.
27. Generic medications
I will buy some medications in the generic form at the Dollar Tree. Mostly aspirin, chest rubs, and some first-aid supplies like gauze and band-aids. But, I always look to see where the source is and make sure it is in fact a good deal. Rotating through medications is important so be sure to check your dates at least once a year to make sure everything is in code.
Prepper items to avoid buy at a dollar store
Prepper items need to last and work when you need it. Some items at dollar store’s may not be as effective as those you buy from name brands. Of course, if you are on a very tight budget, then get what you can from where ever you can. But if budget allows, these are the survival items you should spend a little more on.
- Batteries – this is the one thing I highly recommend you spend on. Batteries from dollar stores are often no name brands that may not always work as expected.
- Lighters – when the heat or electric is out, a lighter is going to be used, a lot. Having a lighter from a brand like Bic is going to be a better option than one that is a lesser quality.
- Food – if they happen to have a name brand food item I might pick some up, but for the most part I stick to my food store for foods.
- Shelf Liner – while I want to love a roll for a dollar, the rolls generally only have enough product to line 1-2 small drawers.
- Kid toys – unless they are for joke purposes, most of it is junk and not worth having, anyway.
- Toiletries – I prefer to shop for deals at my grocery store if I don’t make the item myself.
- Dust masks – for general purpose housework, maybe, but not for emergency kits. If there is a building collapse or another COVID period, I want a mask that will provide proper protection.
- Foil, zip top bags, trash bags, etc. – I tend to get better deals on better quality items at the grocery store. These are items you will use a lot, so quality matters.
- Tools and duct tape – I have tried duct tape in the past and it just did not stick. Tools and tape are too important and I prefer to get quality items.
- Electronics – while I will stock up on ear buds for travel, there’s pretty much nothing else electronic that I would buy.
- Cleaners – I do not buy any cleaners at the dollar store. Chemicals are scary enough, but getting them on the cheap just does not seem safe to me.
All dollar stores carry revolving stock, so check back often to yours to see if you can find items that are useful to you!