Remember the first time you went to a dollar store and discovered that everything in the store was not a dollar?  I know for me, it was a deflating experience for a teenager with a couple of dollars in his wallet.

Thanks to that experience, I did learn there are many items that you can find at lower prices than at many other stores.  But I also learned over the years that just because something costs less at one store versus another does not mean the Quality of those items on the shelf are the same.

You may pay less money today on a product today, but you will be spending more long term because the item you purchased was cheap quality and did not last long enough for it to be worth the sticker price savings.

In New Jersey, there are over 385 Locations combined for Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree.  The next time you visit one of these dollar store businesses, these are the Top Items to Avoid Purchasing according to Reader's Digest Shopping Experts. No matter how tempting that price tag may look, do not go to a dollar store for these items:

Do Not Buy These Ten Items At Dollar Stores

Do Not Buy Kitchen Knives at New Jersey Dollar Stores
Photo by Danilo Rios on Unsplash
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*Kitchen Knives
There is nothing worse than a dull knife that doesn't cut food well when you are in the kitchen. If you do not have a quality knife, it will not sharpen well and a cheap handle will not stand up to frequent usage.

You want a high-caliber set of Kitchen Knives that will last for many years and you can resharpen without any issues. Many quality Kitchen Knife Sets can be purchased online.

New Jersey Dollar Stores Sell Cheap Oven Mitts
Photo by Taylor Grote on Unsplash
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*Oven Mitts
You do not want cheap protection when handling hot items in the kitchen.  Cheap Oven Mitts lack the proper padding and quality fabric to ensure you do not get burned when handling hot pans and heated dishes.  Do not risk getting hurt, so get some legitimate quality oven mitts online or at your local department store.

Photo by Hunter Haley on Unsplash
Photo by Hunter Haley on Unsplash
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*Tools
What you will not find in a dollar store are quality tools that will hold up to whatever you need them for.  Don't waste your money and risk injury with cheap tools.  Instead go to the local hardware store for quality tools.  If you are unsure about the quality of the tools you are buying, read online reviews or ask someone who works at the local hardware store.

Do not buy Batteries at New Jersey Dollar Stores
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*Batteries
One of the reasons why items at the dollar store are being sold at such low prices is because these products are liquidated from other retailers.  Older packs of batteries do not last as long.  Also, lower caliber batteries that contain carbon-zinc are typically sold at dollar stores and they are packaged similar to the higher quality options.

You want quality batteries that will last for years and you do not have to worry about buying new ones anytime soon.  You can find plenty of high-quality lithium batteries at plenty of supermarkets and big-name department stores around New Jersey.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
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*Vitamins and over-the-counter Medications
Medical professionals and certified health/fitness experts recommend that you do not buy your supplements anywhere you can find them.  Many of these products sold for cheap prices are underdosed, not just at dollar stores but at other big-name outlets too.

If you are unsure about which over-the-counter medications you should buy, ask your Primary Care Physician or a reputable Medical Professional.  Before you purchase any Vitamins, Minerals, or Health Supplements, ask a Certified Health/Fitness Expert to ensure you do not waste your money.

Electronics should not be purchased at new Jersey Dollar Stores
Photo by Thomas Kolnowski on Unsplash
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*Electronics and Power Strips
If you need a new phone charger or HDMI Cable, do not get them from a dollar store because when it comes to electronics, quality equals safety.  The cheap wiring and casing on these electronics sold by businesses such as dollar stores can be electrical fire hazards because they could overheat.

Also, cheaply made Power Strips do not have quality surge protection, which means everything plugged in is at risk of short-circuiting or permanent damage.  Always purchase high-caliber electronics and cables because most of today's technology requires high quality specifications for compatibility.

Photo by Jerry Wang on Unsplash
Photo by Jerry Wang on Unsplash
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*Toys
As a general rule, you should never purchase cheaply made toys. This may seem like a good idea when you initially hand it to a child and you see how excited they are for their new toy.  But cheap plastic can easily break and hurt children.

Also, the poor construction of these cheap toys will lead the children to be disappointed that their new plaything is broken and cannot be fixed.  Don't risk a child's injury or disappointment, treat toys like an investment in your kid's happiness.

Photo by pmv chamara on Unsplash
Photo by pmv chamara on Unsplash
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*Makeup, Skincare Products, Sunscreen
The ingredients inside these products are essential to their value.  The better the quality of the ingredients, the higher the price tag can potentially be at the store.

But at a dollar store, Makeup and Skincare Products have cheap ingredients that can cause breakouts, dry skin, or other issues that will require a visit to a dermatologist to fix.

Also, cheap Sunscreen can make your skin vulnerable to UV rays because the formula they use is poor quality.  Also, these products can cause rashes and irritation.

Photo by Eduardo Soares on Unsplash
Photo by Eduardo Soares on Unsplash
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*Fresh Food
One of the biggest reasons why people have shopped at grocery stores and supermarkets for decades is because those stores regularly restock goods and remove items from the shelf that are damaged or expired.

The dollar store typically does not have the same quality products compared to your local grocery store or favorite supermarket.  "Fresh Food" sold at a dollar store is not actually "fresh" by the time you see it on the shelf.

Tide Detergent Becomes Unlikely Target For Many Thieves
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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*Laundry Detergent
This does not just apply to dollar stores, but also supermarkets where they may sell generic brands of laundry detergent.  Cheap laundry detergent can leave your clothes less than your ideal clean and also make your favorite shirts look dull or faded.

Many liquid detergents sold at dollar stores are not quality products and some laundry detergents have ingredients that may cause skin irritations.  Also, liquid detergents have expiration dates and the closer you are to that date, the less effective they are at cleaning.

The next time you need to run errands or go shopping, Instead of going to the local Dollar Store, you should visit the top rated Supermarkets in New Jersey:

The best supermarkets in New Jersey

These are the highest-rated supermarkets in each of New Jersey's 21 counties. The ratings are based on reviews left by customers on Google. To be included in the top, a supermarket had to have a substantial number of reviews (typically at leas a thousand).

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