A Dollarama store. Right: A cereal shelf at Dollarama
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
It's no secret that Canada's current inflation rates have impacted the price of groceries. And, although efforts have been made to combat the issue, controversial as they may be, I've personally decided to take a lot of my business to Dollarama.
Can you get produce and beer there? No, you can't. Does that suck? Yes, mostly because of the latter. However, If you're like me and survive almost entirely on cereal, canned soups, and snacks, Dollarama can be an affordable wonderland where you don't have to pay $7 for Captain Crunch.
Now, I don't recommend following my diet, but you should look at the list below and consider buying these items at a price that doesn't immediately make you walk to the nearest McDonald's and clear out their value menu.
Cereal
Cereal at local Dollarama
I'm not sure if it's some leftover hanger-on from my childhood or my undeniable addiction to sugar. But, I personally can't get by in the mornings without a bowl of Captain Crunch. My partner prefers Fruit Loops, which I accept only because I love her. But, that's besides the point.
Cereal is one of the first things I've started to buy exclusively from Dollarama these past few months. Why you ask? Well, it's not because I love how the box looks under Dollarama's horrid fluorescent lighting, it's because the Loblaws a block down the street is trying to selling me "the Crunch" for $6.99 and the old green and yellow is giving me it for $3.50. Bliss.
Chips
Chips at local Dollarama
My partner and I are the type of people who don't eat all day, make a giant dinner and then snack our faces off all night. Accidental intermittent fasters. So, it's essential for us not to pay out the wazoo for a bag of Doritos. If that means walking the extra kilometre or so to our neighbourhood Dollarama opposed to the convenience store or grocery store that is steps away, so be it.
It's worth it to pay under $3. I walk into Loblaws on my way home the other day and saw that they were offering a deal of 2 for $9 on the same brands. No thanks.
Condiments
Condiments at Dollarama
Do I think French's Ketchup is the best? No, but I refused to pay anything above $2.25 for my basic condiments. Also, I've burnt my tongue on so many double espressos over the years that I'm not sure I can really tell the difference anymore. Sorry. Heinz.
Mustard, ketchup, olive oil and hot sauce, I'm grabbing all of them during my next trip to Dollarama.
Dish Soap
Dish soap in Dollarama
My girlfriend would prefer it if we bought everything from a health food store, she loves their $8 organic dish soaps tiny as they may be. However, the current state of the economy has allowed me some wiggle room to start cleaning our dishes at a more affordable price. Picture me fist pumping.
Dollarama makes buying essentials like soap, bleach and tub cleaner feel more like a win and less like a blow to my savings account.
Candy
Candy wall at Dollarama
I don't know about you, but Dollarama is my go-to spot for all my sweet tooth needs. Everything is reasonably priced, the brands are on point and I always make a point to stop at my local before going to my closest movie theatre.
Maybe in my early 20s I would've said "screw it!" and picked up a $5 bag of Starbursts at Cineplex Cinemas just out of sheer convenience, but no more. I'm avoiding living paycheque to paycheque these days.
Surface Cleaners
Surface cleaners in Dollarama
I hardly leave Dollarama without an all-purpose cleaner or bottle of windex in my bag. My apartment is home to couple of cockatiels, which go to the bathroom every 15 to 20 minutes. Needless to say, I have to do a lot of surface cleaning, so good deals are a must.
Laundry Detergent
Tide pods at Dollarama
I've always found that laundry detergent, Tide Pods in particular, are way too pricey to buy at Shoppers Drug Mart or Loblaws. I'm not living that in-unit washer-dryer life. I already have to pay more than I'd like to wash my clothes, which is why I make point to go to Dollarama exclusively for my laundry needs, dryer sheets included. The discounts are well worth it for me.
If I had to sum it all up, I'd say that Dollarama just has a way of making me feel like an extreme couponer without actually having to use any and I'm a fan of that feeling.
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