Our 7 Favorite Dollar Store Deals

These seven household items have become dollar-store staples of our daily lives.

Bleach - This laundry staple usually runs about $2 at the local grocery store. So how does saving 50 percent by buying at the dollar store sound? It sounded good to us, and we've noticed no difference in cleaning or whitening abilities. As a bonus, our dollar store sometimes stocks an extra-large container, which delivers even more value. Estimated savings - $1.

Fabric softener sheets - Dryer sheets perform two functions: They eliminate static and make your clothes smell nice. The dollar-store sheets do both of these tasks adequately. One big difference we found was that brand-name dryer sheets can often be used more than once, which is not the case with the dollar-store brand. However, as most brand-name dryer sheets go for $3 to $6 more, the best-value award goes to the dollar-store brand. Estimated savings - $3.

Dishwasher detergent - The small box of dishwasher detergent delivers great cleaning ability and a nice citrus scent. It leaves our dishes clean with no food residue. Because store brands can cost three to six times the dollar-store brands, the question becomes how much money do you want to save? My only complaint is that the box is small, which means we usually buy two at a time. Still, the savings are there even when buying multiples. Estimated savings - $2.

Toilet cleaning bleach tablets - Who doesn't love these? Open them up. Drop them in. Keep your toilet bowl clean and fresh. While the dollar-store tablets tend to be smaller and not as long-lasting, the two tablets per box make these a great money saver compared to brand names that sell one tablet for five times the price. Estimated savings - $4.

Zipper sandwich bags - I like these. After all, when you're wrapping up your kid's peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he or she isn't going to know whether it's in a brand-name plastic bag or not. And because the bag is going to be thrown out after one use, there's not much reason to pay the extra $2 that brand name costs. My family prefers brand-name freezer bags for meats and leftovers that we freeze, but for sandwich bags, we'll happily pocket the extra cash. Estimated savings - $2.

Dish soap - The dollar store in our area carries a wide selection of brand-name dish soaps like Palmolive and Ajax in small bottles. We prefer the small size because the bottles are less obtrusive on the counter and easier to handle when diving into a pile of dirty dishes. The savings aren't much, but every little bit helps. Estimated savings - $1.

Bleach spray cleaner - These counter cleaners are kitchen and bathroom must-haves for their antibacterial and tough cleaning qualities. At a dollar a bottle, it makes daily cleaning both healthy and a good value. With store brands selling for $3 to $5, you'll notice a fatter wallet, too. Estimated savings - $2.

Long story short, when it comes to these common household items, we can spend $7 at the dollar store or three times that at the grocery store or Walmart. Your family won't notice any difference, except maybe that extra cash in your wallet at the end of the month.