Note: Prices and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Dollar Tree sells items by the case online, but individual products are sold in stores.
Jason Notte contributed to this story.
Bandages: 10% Cheaper
Walmart’s Equate brand price: $2.23 per 80-count box Buy It Dollar General’s DG Health brand price: $1 per 40-count box Buy It If you’re klutzy around the kitchen, can’t venture into the garage or garden without slicing yourself, or have a cat that hates you, it helps to have a lot of bandages. You can buy two 40-count boxes of Dollar General bandages for less than one 80-count box of Walmart’s Equate brand.
Wine Glasses: 19% Cheaper
Walmart’s Libbey brand price: $1.24 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Brand-Name Perception brand price: $1 each Buy It Once you’ve had a little too much vino, you might appreciate having a set of wine glasses that aren’t expensive to replace. Dollar Tree’s glasses hold 20 ounces, too — slightly more than the most comparable glasses at Walmart.
Men’s No-Show Socks: 21% Cheaper
Walmart’s Hanes brand price: $8.82 per 6-pack Buy It Dollar General’s Hanes brand price: $7 per 6-pack Buy It Dollar General carries 6-packs of Hanes no-show socks for way less than Walmart, so stock up for less there. Both have wicking fabric to help keep feet sweat-free.
Party Balloons: 24% Cheaper
Walmart’s Unique brand price: 9.4¢ per balloon Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: 7.1¢ per balloon Buy It For your next party, Walmart will give you 72 helium-ready 12-inch latex multicolor balloons for just shy of $7. But buying Dollar Tree’s smaller packs is the better bet here, especially if you don’t need so many.
Related: 20 Party Essentials You Should Always Buy at the Dollar Store
Dish Wands: 28% Cheaper
Walmart’s Scotch Brite brand price: $2.78 each Buy It Dollar General’s DG Home brand price: $2 each Buy It Unless you are unnaturally serious about scrub brush design, Dollar General’s cheaper imitator should be just as serviceable as Walmart’s name-brand version.
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Microfiber Car Towels: 32% Cheaper
Walmart’s Auto Drive brand price: 74¢ per towel Buy It Dollar Tree’s Driver’s Choice brand price: 50¢ per towel Buy It Baby your wheels on the cheap by buying microfiber car cleaning cloths at the dollar store. Dollar Tree’s towels are even slightly bigger than Walmart’s.
Silicone Trivet: 33% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $1.50 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Home Collections brand price: $1 each Buy It Whether you use them as pot holders or a safe resting place for hot pans, silicone trivets are a must in any kitchen. Both versions are heat resistant up to 500 degrees, and while Walmart’s are a bit bigger, Dollar Tree’s are cheaper.
Laundry Detergent: 37% Cheaper
Walmart’s Great Value brand price: 7¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Dollar General’s Xtra brand price: 4.4¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Get your clothes equally clean with both of these store brands, but Dollar General’s detergent is cheaper and has the added bonus of OxiClean, too.
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Incontinence Pads: 38% Cheaper
Walmart’s Equate brand price: 16¢ per pad Buy It Dollar Tree’s Assured brand price: 10¢ per pad Buy It Absorb those occasional leaks for less by picking up pads at the dollar store instead of Walmart. Both options are individually wrapped, and reviewers say they’re comparable to much pricier brands like Poise.
Men’s Deodorant: 38% Cheaper
Walmart’s Speed Stick brand price: $6.18 per 2-pack Buy It Dollar General’s Speed Stick brand price: $3.85 per 2-pack Buy It You never know when you’ll find a name brand for less at the dollar store, but here’s one example. Dollar General wants less than $4 for a twin pack of the same size and scent Speed Sticks, while Walmart charges more than $6.
Plastic Table Covers: 44% Cheaper
Walmart’s Unique brand price: $1.79 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 each Buy It Both of these plastic table covers fit a 108-by-54-inch table, but you’ll overpay if you choose the Walmart version. The same goes for many other party supplies — make the dollar store your first stop.
Pillar Candles: 47% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $1.87 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Luminessence brand price: $1 each Buy It Light up your life a little less expensively by picking up candles at the dollar store. Unscented white pillar candles that are nearly the same size are way cheaper at Dollar Tree. You’ll also find a bunch of scented options, taper candles, and jar candles to choose from.
Glass Cleaner: 48% Cheaper
Walmart’s Great Value brand price: 6¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Dollar General’s DG Home brand price: 3.1¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Dollar stores were pretty much built on glass cleaner. At Dollar General, buyers can find a 32-ounce bottle of basic glass cleaner for a buck. At Walmart, the Great Value brand is $1.98 for 32 ounces.
Mesh Laundry Bags: 48% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $1.94 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Essentials brand price: $1 each Buy It Looking for a basic way to haul your laundry? These no-frill laundry bags are nearly identical. Both are the same size, made of breathable mesh, have a convenient drawstring closure, and are themselves machine-washable.
School Glue: 48% Cheaper
Walmart’s Elmer’s brand price: 24¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Dollar General’s Imagine brand price: 12.5¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Keep dollar stores in mind for back-to-school supplies, particularly if your kid’s teacher doesn’t mind an off brand. Dollar General’s glue beats out Walmart’s cheapest option, one of Elmer’s disappearing varieties.
Picture Frames: 49% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: Starting at $1.96 each (5×7) Buy It Dollar Tree’s Special Moments brand price: $1 each (5×7) Buy It Picture frames can get unexpectedly pricey, but if you just need the basics and care more about the style than material, Dollar Tree is a great place to look. It carries plenty of options, including faux wood and metallics, matted frames, and more.
Silverware Tray: 49% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $1.97 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 each Buy It These sturdy plastic silverware trays are almost the exact same size, and they have the same number of slots for forks, spoons, knives, and other utensils. Some reviewers say the dollar-store version has held up for years, too.
Body Lotion: 50% Cheaper
Walmart’s Equate brand price: 10¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Dollar Tree’s Assured brand price: 5¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Stay moisturized for much less by picking up your lotion at the dollar store, where the similar cocoa-butter formula is half the price of Walmart’s store brand.
Reusable Chopping Mats: 55% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $1.11 per mat Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: 50¢ per mat Buy It Protect your counters while you slice and dice your way to a filling meal with these flexible chopping mats, a versatile alternative to bulkier cutting boards. While Walmart’s mats are more colorful and slightly larger, both choices are easy to clean in the dishwasher.
Vacuum Storage Bags: 56% Cheaper
Walmart’s Magicbag brand price: $2.25 per bag Buy It Dollar Tree’s Essentials brand price: $1 per bag Buy It Need a little more room in your drawers? Vacuum storage bags are perfect for socking away out-of-season clothing without taking too much space. These bags are close to the same size and equally well-reviewed, so why pay double at Walmart?
Body Wash: 58% Cheaper
Walmart’s Suave brand price: 10¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Dollar Tree’s Silkience brand price: 4.2¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Lather up for less with an indulgent cocoa butter body wash when you buy it at Dollar Tree, where it’s less than half the price of Walmart’s similar name-brand Suave.
Birthday Candles: 60% Cheaper
Walmart’s Great Value brand price: 4.2¢ per candle Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: 1.7¢ per candle Buy It Sure, Walmart will sell you birthday candles for about a dollar a pack. But 24 won’t last you nearly as long as the 60-count pack you can snag at Dollar Tree for the same amount.
Dinner Plates: 60% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $2.48 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Royal Norfolk brand price: $1 each Buy It Dollar Tree has a surprising assortment of ceramic, stoneware, and glass plates that not only go for $1 apiece but make it easy to cater place settings to your needs. These same-size competitors are both stoneware, although Walmart’s version has a more pronounced rim.
Wastebaskets: 60% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $2.50 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 each Buy It A small plastic wastebasket will function the same no matter what, especially in an office or other low-demand area. While Walmart’s version is a little bit sleeker, Dollar Tree’s options are the same size and much easier on the wallet.
Measuring Cups: 63% Cheaper
Walmart’s Good Cook brand price: $2.68 per set Buy It Dollar Tree’s Cooking Concepts brand price: $1 per set Buy It Not only are Dollar Tree’s plastic measuring cups a lot cheaper than Walmart’s, they come with a nice bonus: measuring spoons. They’re also dishwasher-safe on the top rack (though not quite as clearly marked).
‘Happy Birthday’ Banner: 65% Cheaper
Walmart’s Unique brand price: $2.87 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 each Buy It It’s one of the cheapest elements of any birthday party, but even a cheery “Happy Birthday” banner gets a huge discount at the dollar store. It’s these little savings that really start to add up when planning a full party. Dollar Tree’s banner isn’t quite as long or shiny as Walmart’s cheapest option, though.
Measuring Tapes: 65% Cheaper
Walmart’s Hyper Tough brand price: $2.84 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Tool Bench brand price: $1 each Buy It Walmart’s pricier 16-foot tape measure looks a little more rugged, but it’s hard to beat $1 for an even longer length at Dollar Tree, where you still get a locking mechanism and even a wrist loop.
Ice Cube Trays: 66% Cheaper
Walmart’s Good Cook brand price: $2.97 per 2-pack Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 per 2-pack Buy It Ice cube trays have a fairly simple job, so why overpay for them at Walmart? Both retailers give you a two-pack, and Dollar Tree’s are more colorful, too.
Dish Drainer: 66% Cheaper
Walmart’s Sterilite brand price: $2.97 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Essentials brand price: $1 each Buy It Dish drainers get grimy enough as it is, so why pay more? Both of these plastic drainers are easy to clean and have separate slots for flatware. Walmart’s is slightly roomier, but you could also buy three of the Dollar Tree’s drainers for close to the same price.
Lip Gloss: 66% Cheaper
Walmart’s Wet n Wild brand price: $2.98 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s L.A. Colors Expressions brand price: $1 each Buy It Let’s face it: Lip gloss never stays put anyway, so why overspend? Dole out just a buck at Dollar Tree for its well-reviewed brand versus nearly triple for most shades of the Wet n Wild brand at Walmart.
Pregnancy Tests: 66% Cheaper
Walmart’s Equate brand price: $2.97 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Assured brand price: $1 each Buy It Lots of women swear by dollar store pregnancy tests — taken at the recommended time, they’re incredibly accurate. If you don’t like dropping a whole bunch of cash, the cheaper test isn’t a risk; it’s a discount.
Soap/Lotion Pump: 66% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $2.98 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Dolomite brand price: $1 each Buy It Need a soap pump? The Dollar Tree’s is about the same size as Walmart’s, though the latter has a sleeker ceramic base. However, the pump itself is plastic just like the Dollar Tree’s.
Vases: 66% Cheaper
Walmart’s Libbey brand price: $2.97 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 each Buy It If you’re lucky enough to be surprised with a flower arrangement every once in a while, an inexpensive vase is good to keep on hand. But why spend more than necessary? Both options are glass, close to the same size, and equally capable of propping up a fragrant bouquet.
Shampoo and Conditioner: 70% Cheaper
Walmart’s Suave brand price: 10¢ per fl. oz. Buy It Dollar Tree’s Silkience brand price: 3¢ per fl. oz. Buy It You certainly get more bang for your buck by picking up the Dollar Tree shampoo and conditioner combo, but buyer beware: Most reviewers say they weren’t happy with the formula, which didn’t lather well and didn’t leave their hair feeling as clean as usual.
Bath Mats: 71% Cheaper
Walmart’s Mainstays brand price: $3.50 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s Home Collection brand price: $1 each Buy It A buck for a bath mat? It’s possible at the dollar store. There are some tradeoffs, though: The Dollar Tree version is smaller and lacks the non-skid latex backing of Walmart’s least expensive option. Both are machine-washable.
Travel Toiletry Bottles: 71% Cheaper
Walmart’s Equate brand price: $3.47 per set Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 per set Buy It While Dollar Tree’s TSA-friendly travel bottles are cheaper than Walmart’s, the latter do come with some extras: one extra bottle, color-coded caps, labels, and a clear travel bag. If a mini-spray bottle is a necessity, however, Dollar Tree has a version with one of those.
Device Chargers: 78% Cheaper
Walmart’s Onn brand price: $4.88 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s E-circuit brand price: $1 each Buy It Interestingly, Dollar Tree’s cheaper charging cable gets better reviews than Walmart’s, and it comes in more colors. Don’t expect name-brand quality at these prices, but if you need a spare in a pinch, this should work just fine.
Sunglasses: 79% Cheaper
Walmart’s Ozark Trail brand price: $4.82 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 each Buy It Cheap sunglasses are built to be lost, scratched, and otherwise brutalized. They aren’t long for this world, which is why the dollar-store approach makes sense.
Headphones: 80% Cheaper
Walmart’s Onn brand price: $4.88 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s E-Circuit brand price: $1 each Buy It If you’ve mangled enough earphones at the office or gym to see headphones as expendable, you’re already familiar with the low end of the market, so you probably have nothing to lose but a buck by trying Dollar Tree’s cheaper version.
Water Bottles: 80% Cheaper
Walmart’s Outdoor Products brand price: $5 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 each Buy It While Walmart’s cheapest plastic water bottle is made from shatter-resistant Tritan, the Dollar Tree version is otherwise very similar, down to the flip top and straw. It’s also BPA-free.
Stainless Steel Travel Mugs: 85% Cheaper
Walmart’s Silver Buffalo brand price: $6.84 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s generic brand price: $1 each Buy It Dollar Tree’s sole stainless-steel option will hold 16 ounces of your favorite beverage and comes with a flip-top, screw-on plastic lid. Walmart’s most comparable mug holds 20 ounces and it’s vacuum-insulated, which can keep your drinks hot or cold for longer.
Related: These Walmart Tumblers Rival Yeti’s at a Fraction of the Price
