Do you have a £1 shop or a $1 shop where you live?

1. 63

   Lady_Eposted 12 years ago

   In London, there are some shops called "The £1 shop". Everything in it, is just for £1 and it's amazing to see some of the stuff you can get. However, you could end up spending about £10.
   
   Do you have such shops in your area and are they worth it?

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      Uninvited Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Lots of them. They are good for picking up things like sponges, kitchen tools, glassware, notepads, etc. I do avoid the food aisle though. I think they are worth it. You might spend $10 but in another store it might have cost you $20 or more.

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      KeithTaxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      We call them dollar stores here. Got pounded for entering one.

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2. 87

   IzzyMposted 12 years ago

   I don't think they can be quite the same then.
   
   Before I left the UK there were shops like Poundstretcher that sold everything for £1, but it was stuff like sponges, notepads etc.
   
   I have a pal who lives here who frequently goes back to UK and she raves about the £1 shops.
   
   You can buy stuff that even the cheapest supermarkets sell for £2-3, all for just £1.
   
   Like (for example because she got some for me) 24 pack cigarette papers for £1. That would cost about £20 here, and in the UK about £8.
   
   The UK has some great bargains but they don't realise. Try living on the continent (Europe) for a while where shop prices go up and up and inflation stays the same (apparently) because all the politicians are lying through their teeth while the country is heading towards bankruptcy.
   
   Oops...got carried away there.
   
   I'd love a real £ shop here. They'd make a fortune.

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      WriteAngledposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, but I cry when I go to Europe and see all the fantastic fruit, vegetables and fish in even the smallest markets in the smallest places. I can only dream of quality and variety like that in the Rhondda.
      
      We did have a pound shop here, but it closed. There is a little hardware man, though, whose shop is an Aladdin's cave, and much of his stuff is priced at £1.

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3. 60

   Hollie Thomasposted 12 years ago

   We have a pound shop where I live, however, they don't sell fruit or veg, just batteries and useful household cleaning stuff. Whenever you look at the back of the packet though, it's always "made in China."

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      IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      30 years ago, they always used to say "Made in Hong Kong".
      
      Westernised nations have this thing about wanting to pay less for goods. At the same time they want their workers to be paid more. The two don't marry too well, so in steps a country with poor working conditions, pay and labour relations but who can sell something at a fraction of the price because of that.
      
      And still we (and I am just as guilty as anyone) buy them, because they are cheap.

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      1. 60

         Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I agree, to be honest though I haven't bought anything from there in the longest time. When I did it was cartons of orange  juice which my daughter used to take to school. My mum, however, is addicted to the place.

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4. 63

   Lady_Eposted 12 years ago

   Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts everyone.
   It was interesting to read.
   
   @Izzy - Hope you will come back for Olympics 2012.

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5. 63

   jcmayer777posted 12 years ago

   A lot of the stuff is generally discontinued, overstock, etc.  Some of the stuff is actually pretty decent.  I buy the cleaners at the $1 store in my area.  They are called LA's Totally Awesome and so far they have been the best cleaners I've ever used.  I've bought toilet cleaners, degreasers, etc and have yet to be unhappy with them.

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   Jerrico Usherposted 12 years ago

   yep dollar tree, the 99 cent clearance center, used to be the 99 cent store- the greatest thing ever. I just bought those soda can toppers (puts a lid on a can so carbonation doesn't deplete) for 1.00 for 20 tops, it was on television less than a year ago for 10.00 and before that for 20.00 (they force you to pay additional shipping for a "second set" totaling
   20 on tv). Many things end up at the dollar store from tv,  I even grocery shop (to an extent) there...amazing place when your broke and groceries are out- and a great place to retail therapy without losing more than 20.00

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7. 61

   Jane@CMposted 12 years ago

   The dollar store is great!  Especially right now with all the Christmas wrappings and decor!

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8. 87

   livelongerposted 12 years ago

   We have a "Daiso" store here which is a Japanese version of the same concept, except everything's $1.50. The added bonus is the plethora of Japanese household oddities that don't really exist elsewhere here. Love the place!

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      Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds quite cool actually. I'd love to see what they offer.

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      carol3sanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      We refere to it as "the dollar store." We have plenty of hem in our town.

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9. 76

   Cardiaposted 12 years ago

   I visited a store in London five years ago called the 99p Store, and there was nearly everything in there! We got really good batteries, lotions, shampoos and I got myself a set of nice notebooks (called 'jotters' I believe) that I still use up to today! We keep some of them by the telephone.
   
   In Barbados, we have a $2 store and a $3 store. the $2 store is good for getting children's books and toys, soaps and shampoos, while the $3 is really good for housewares, snacks and Christmas decorations.

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      Lady_Eposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I must check them out when I visit barbados.

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    Polly Cposted 12 years ago

    Poundland! At least I assume its still there, never usually go in it though. Last time I did go in I bought some large packs of sweets for halloween (not this year) for £1 and later realised they were actually cheaper in other shops!
    
    Does Poundland still exist?  I only wonder as no one else from the UK has mentioned it.

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    1. 63

       Lady_Eposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       It does. I posted the question and I live in London. Best Wishes.

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11. 69

    waynetposted 12 years ago

    I shop at the £ shop almost daily and spend way more than a £ everytime lol

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    1. 63

       Lady_Eposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Lol. Maybe you need to set  a timer when you go in there. (In and out 5mins) = Less spending.

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12. 59

    gramaryeposted 12 years ago

    We have $2 shops - great for getting stickers for my grand daughters!

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13. 74

    Kangaroo_Jaseposted 12 years ago

    Like gramarye above, in Australia and we have $2 shops everywhere. They once started selling items for two bucks or less, now items are 10 cents to up to forty dollars dependent on what one purchases.

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14. 0

    icountthetimesposted 12 years ago

    We have an awful lot of them here. In these trying times, it seems that whenever a shop shuts down is it replaced by a Pound Shop.

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