99 Ways to Spend a Buck
Dollar Store Finds for Preppers: the complete list

You never know when hyper inflation might kick in and the Dollar Stores become the $10 Stores! Take advantage of the situation now, and who while things are still reasonable. The buck stops here with 99 ways to spend a dollar at the dollar stores. Consider this complete list of dollar stores emergency supplies for your preparedness...

Shopping the dollar stores is the cheapest and fastest thing you can do for your survival. Grab some things today! Following is the list of prepper essentials.

99 things to buy at the dollar stores:

Bottled water (jug bottles and six-packs). Why pay more than a buck for water? Look for Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water by the jug or bottles.

Candles. Emergency candles come packed 6 and each last for 5 hours, look also for jar candles and tea light candles.

Wooden clothes pins for hanging your laundry in an off grid world. Cordage could fill many other needs. Look for braided cord that you can break down into smaller strands.

Clothesline for the wooden clothes pins. Paracord is better material.

Drop cloth. Plastic drop cloths for sealing windows and doors on concern of
pandemics, also has a myriad of camping uses. Unfortunately, there is a limit of 4 per person.

Manual can opener (buy extras to stash with your preps). They won't be the best quality, but it's always good to have extras around with your #10 cans.

Matches (small size and large pack). Extra matches will be a welcome addition to your preps. Store them in a watertight container. Small packs for the bugout bag. You'll find the boxes themselves will also be a source of tinder.

Magnifying glass. Again, a firestarter option and available inexpensively at the Dollar Stores.

BIC Lighters. Have extra firestarters on hand. Ideal for starting fires on high wind conditions.

Duct tape. Discover 11+ good uses for duct tape for your survival.

Bungee cords (often an overlooked item, but ideal for bugging out to strap
equipment).

Dental Floss. Learn the 25 uses of Dental Floss for survival.

Super glue to fix an innumerable things you'll inevitably break when you won't be able to buy it again.

Bandages (look for quality brands, including Curad). Buy different sizes.

Baking soda for slugging pests. Check out ten uses Preppers have for baking soda. If you can afford it, buy baking soda in bulk at the warehouse stores. You'll pay a whole lot less and get a brand name you trust.

Gauze for your first aid kit, available in different sizes.

First aid paper tape for use with gauze.

Elastic support bandages. Look for AEC latex-free spandex (made in the U.S.A) by AEC Narrow Fabrics www.ACEnarrowfabrics.com

Flashlights. There are many inexpensive options for flashlights at the dollar stores and it's essential to have extras througout your home, so long as you can maintain the batteries!

Hydrogen peroxide (generic is fine). You'll need lots to fight infections, but
remember hydrogen peroxide has an expiration date.

Hand sanitizer. Unfortunately, most of the stock comes from China, but hand sanitizer is a necessary for survival and it comes inexpensively at the dollar stores!

Liquid soaps. Look for SoftSoap (made in the U.S.A.)

Bar soaps, tried and true, and ideal for when the liquids run out. (Ivory soap is a classic, tried and true brand.)

Lip balms to retain moisture in your lips when water is in short supply. Look for name brands such as Chapstick and Blistex.

Lotions to help you keep moisture in your body when water is in short supply.

Triple Antibiotic Ointment (made in the U.S.A.).

Epsom Salts. Learn the importance of epsom salts for preppers and survivalists.

Tiny first aid kit (for the kids backpacks or your purse).

Tiny sewing kit (ideal for bugout bags), and they include tiny scissors.

Advil for your medicine cabinet.

Halls Cough drops.

Tums antacids.

Instant ice packs.

Rubbing Alcohol. Look for the highest percentage of alcohol you can 80- 90% is best.

Petroleum jelly for use as a firestarter with cotton. Petroleum jelly is the same as the name brand Vaseline.

Cotton balls and cotton rounds for use in your first aid kit and for firestarting with petroleum jelly.

Toothbrushes (they are double the price everywhere else!)

Extra socks because you're sure to run out of them when laundry goes off the grid. Dry, clean socks will help prevent blisters. Ideally, look for wool socks for your bugout bags.

Latex gloves for dishwashing.

Latex medical exam gloves for dealing with medical emergencies and pandemics, provided your prepping household does not have any allergies.

Gardening and work gloves for tending to your crops, collecting wood and other chores.

Potted meats (unit price is actually .50 each, and not a dollar!). Be sure to buy only the brands made in the United States. Tuna for example, is unregulated in many countries.

Canned fruits (unit price is actually around .79 each, and not a dollar!)

Canned veggies (unit price is actually around .79 each, and not a dollar!). Look for Libby's sliced beets, along with the usual varieties of green beans, corn, sweet peas, potatoes, and mixed veggies).

Pure Cane Sugar. Look for Domino or C&H pure cane sugars.

Brown Sugar. Look for Domino or C&H pure cane sugars.

Hard candies to boost morale and provide energy burst for your bug-out bag.

Gum. Where else can you get for or five packs of gum for a buck? Look for gum that contains real sugar. Find out why gum is an essential item for your survival.

Condiments, including Koops mustard and Hunts ketchup without high fructose corn syrup

Twine. Twine. You'll use twine for the garden, choose paracord for outdoor
survival.

Automotive repair kits (hose clamps to splice).

Solar lights.

Salt with iodine. Salt has many uses for preppers.

Spices. The dollar stores are ideal for purchasing chili powder, cinnamon,
oregenao, basil and parsley.

Ear plugs. Ear plugs for discreet comfort while manning firearms.

Playing cards. You'll need something to do so you won't get bored. Read more about board games for the bunker.

America's Almanac (available seasonally, the almanac provides useful tidbits of information and a spring planting guide).

Bandannas. Preppers have dozens of uses for bandannas. If you're lucky enough to find them, get them.

Bottled foods, such as salsa, pickles, olives, asparagus, peppers and the like.

Elastic hairbands will last you much longer than rubber bands.

Hairbrushes. It's always good to have extras.

Combs. Think of combs as bartering or replacements.

Nail cutters. Pack one in your bugout bag.

Plastic food containers. Look for Rubber maid, which is at least 100% cheaper than the same thing at the grocery stores.

Plastic shoebox containers. Make your own Dollar Store Kit for the car. Be sure to look for boxes that seal well, as some are flimsy.

Safety pins. Get 100 safety pins for $1 when elsewhere they will cost you three times as much. Safety pins are a prepper favorite for bugout bags and key rings.

Thumb-tacks. Use thumb tacks home defense.

Nails and screws. Ditto!

Vegetable peelers. Vegetable peelers.

Scrub brushes for dishes.

Sponges.

Scrub buddies (metal scrubbers), pictured right for scouring pots and pans.

Dish towels. You'll need more than you think for cleaning up in a life off grid. Buy a plastic container and fill it up! Look for super absorbant car towels as well.

Kleenex and Scott's facial tissues. Always just $1 at the Dollar Tree Store, but more than double the price elsewhere.

Small pack facial tissues. Great for the car or the bugout bag.

Zip ties, also sometimes called Cable ties. Zip ties are ideal for tying gear (keeps bicycle wheels in place), household repairs, camping to keep raccoons out, hanging utensils to dry), lashing sticks together, and so much more.

Cookie tins for making your own home-made charcoal.

Nail polish is an unsual prepper item, and not for vanity's sake! Preppers will find loads clever uses for nail polish (it's one of the 37 unusual items for preppers to hoard).

Camping fuel in a can. Canned fuel is available seasonally or online.

Sturdy tote bags. Yet again, this is one of the 37 unusual items for preppers to hoard!

Small cutting boards (look for red cutting boards from Betty Crocker). These are ideal for camping or for your bugout bag.

Funnel for canning.

Care free maxi pads. Both for feminine hygiene and for first aid.

Canned heat. Available seasonally, canned heat is just a dollar!

Rain poncho for the bugout bag.

Compact mirror for a signaling device.

Knives (not what you want for your bugout bag, however the plastic sheath is incredibly valuable for camping). Pictured right, your best buy is the unserated edge, as it will last longer.

Utility bags. Ideal for bugout bag to collect wood or forage for foods.

Shoe laces or leathers.

Utility Knife. Tool bench utility knives (inexpensive Exacto knife).

Sun hat. For just a buck you can cover your head. Ideal to stuff in a bugout bag and forget about.

Eyeglass repair kit. Eyeglass repair kit.

Eyeglass cleaning cloth. Eyeglass cleaning cloths are also for sunglasses!

Baking tins. Many preppers choose a steel baking tin for cooking in their do-it-yourself camping equipment, particularly the bread size is popular for bugout bags. We've also seen preppers file down a cooling rack to create grill to fit into a bugout bag.

8-quart dish pans for off grid dishwasing. Pictured immediate right, you'll need three dishpans. One for a water rinse, one for warm soapy water, and one for bleach rinse (one capful for the pan).

Plastic dish rack, also for off grid dishwashing and ideal for camping.

Wet wipes for sanitation. Just beware they dry quickly, so replenish your stock

Sharpie markers for identifying expiration dates of your food storage.

Travel bottles (mark with a sharpie the contents: rubbing alcohol, bleach, dish soap).

So there you have it: 99 ways to spend bucks. It's prepping on the cheap! Print this
list and take it with you next time you shop for essential prepping items. You only need
a few bucks in your hand for emergency supplies at the Dollar Stores.

What NOT to buy at the dollar stores
With all this said, here are a few suggestions of what NOT to buy at the dollar store
for self reliance. Please for your survival:Stay away from the glow sticks (found cheaper at Michael's Art supply) and
bleach, which you'll find in larger quantities and on sale elsewhere.

Refrain from buying generic medicines and vitamins, which may go unregulated and are usually made in China. Look for American made

Steer clear of dish soaps (only because they are not concentrated, so you'll
need twice as much).

Avoid scented bleach which has chemicals you won't want to purify your water. Buy in bulk elsewhere because most bleaches are watered down and smaller sizes anyway. Read more about the prepper uses for bleach.

Watch the expiration dates! Even hydrogen peroxide and bleach has an
expiration date. Spices also expire! Don't buy anything that won't last at least a year.

Don't get suckered into buying seeds. Sure, they're just .25 cents, but they may not plant in the Spring and they might be GMO. Instead, buy Burpee seeds, which are made in the U.S.A. Go heirloom and plant survival seeds.

Refrain from buying batteries as they are cheap carbon zinc and not lithium.
Besides, batteries that leak will destroy your equipment.

Stay away from "made in China" products. Support American made!

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